New system frustrates employees

Wednesday, January 13, 1999

New system frustrates employees

STOREHOUSE: Ordering office supplies over Internet from Office
Depot causes hassles

By Lawrence Ferchaw

Daily Bruin Staff

The new office supply ordering system, set to deliver to the
entire campus next month, is getting mixed reviews from university
employees used to ordering from the UCLA Storehouse.

In October, the campus began the gradual transition to Office
Depot, with more and more departments each month making the
conversion. That process will be complete on Feb. 1, when the
Storehouse closes.

The staff, once numbering 38, will be reduced to nine when they
move to a new facility. There, the gas cylinder storage unit and a
small receiving area will continue to serve the campus.

For departments making the transition, the process has meant
changing the way employees order supplies, and frustration trying
to learn the new system.

"Unless you know the order number, it takes a long time," said
Christine Frank, an administrative assistant in the economics
department. "We don’t have all day to sit here and look for what we
want."

Sam Morabito, associate vice chancellor of business and finance,
acknowledged the transition has taken time, but said the new system
will benefit the university.

"This type of arrangement will be best for the university,"
Morabito said. "Stocking pens and office supplies is not our
business."

Frank and others reported problems finding product numbers,
which are necessary to order products. Old numbers expiring and
difficulties navigating through the Internet ordering system have
been among their problems.

"So far, I’ve gone on-line three times and I have had problems
with it each time," said Deidra Simmons, an administrative
assistant in the medical school.

"During the training, they show you everything, but it’s not
that simplified when you go on alone."

Another employee, who serves on the advisory board overseeing
the transition, said it will take time for many to get used to the
new system.

"Eventually, things will iron out," said Stephanie Hokama, an
administrative analyst in the pediatrics department. "We have a
variety of users with varying degrees of experience on the
Net."

In the new system, employees place orders through the Internet
and have access to the entire Office Depot catalog, except some
items which the university contracts with other companies,
according to Haggai Hisgilov, project manager for the Office Depot
conversion at UCLA.

Before individuals can get access to the ordering system, they
go through an application process to verify which departments are
paying for the supplies and to prevent fraudulent ordering.

After approval from the university and a training session,
Office Depot gives employees log-in identification accounts and
passwords.

Such controls are necessary because, unlike the Storehouse,
orders to Office Depot do not go through UCLA’s accounting unit,
which serves as a check to orders placed to outside vendors.

Once the account is set up, the paperwork ends and the system is
completely electronic.

"On a weekly basis, we’re invoiced electronically," Hisgilov
said. "It’s a totally automated process."

Office Depot also offers next-day delivery if orders are placed
before 5 p.m., and the option to order by phone or fax. The
Internet is the preferred method, though.

Employees still new to the system expressed frustration with the
ordering process and said they were unhappy that the Storehouse is
closing.

"The closure was really a mistake," said Belynda Cummings,
supplies purchaser for the Charles E. Young Research Library. "I’m
angry about it. The Storehouse was really convenient."

Morabito said he understood their frustration.

"People resist change, but 10 or 15 years ago, no one was doing
word processing either," he said.

Others complained of difficulties getting in touch with Office
Depot representatives when they have problems with the system, but
Hisgilov said Office Depot has a help desk dedicated to UCLA,
staffed with four employees.

A representative from Office Depot declined to comment.

Hokama, said part of the problem could come from the large
number of people who are converting to the new system in a short
period of time, especially those who procrastinated with the
Storehouse still open.

"When we started the rollout, they had to set up a couple of
hundred accounts at a time," Hokama said. "Yes, there are problems,
but within a couple of months it should even out."

While pointing out some of the benefits of the new system, such
as the ability to set a list of products once and easily reorder at
any time and a four-hour rush delivery program, Hisgilov said many
of the problems come from apprehension during the conversion.

"It is part of the transition," Hisgilov said of the problems.
"We’re working hard to satisfy our customers."

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