Chapter 8 - Distributed sales support: Web-based engineering at western air

Abstract

This article deals with the distributed sales support. Western Air has a distributed sales force numbering about 100. Majority of the staff does not operate from head office but are independent, working from home or a mobile base (typically their car). This case study has shown the effective method of a distributed knowledge management system using case-based reasoning (CBR) can be implemented on the Web in a relatively short time. Implementing the system for Web delivery made the system much more viable. Simple installations, such as a set of windows or exterior wall-mounted AC box units, can be easily specified and priced by even the most novice salesperson. The specification and cost estimation of more complex systems involving roof-mounted AC units, ducting, fans, and sensors require the expertise of a fully qualified heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) engineer. Typically, the engineer would have to phone the salesperson and ask for additional information. The salesperson would have to make several visits to the customer's building and pass additional information back to the engineer. The systems support a wide range of equipment from simple residential HVAC systems to complex installations in new and existing factories and office buildings. This would not only be a simpler algorithm to apply than the maintenance algorithms that were implemented, but it would also completely remove redundancy in the future.