Q2 / 2003  

   In This Issue:





Corporate Headquarters
Delta Dental Plan of California
P.O. Box 7736
San Francisco, CA 94120

http://www.deltadentalca.com
  Interview with Delta Dental of California


e-Insight recently had an opportunity to talk with Tom Tripp of Delta Dental Plan of California, regarding a project that Genesys undertook on their behalf. Tom is the Payroll Manager at Delta, a position he's held for over 17 years.

Delta Dental Plan of California is the state's largest dental health carrier, covering nearly 17 million people in its commercial and government programs throughout the nation. It is part of a holding company system formed with Delta Dental of Pennsylvania and its affiliates. Together, the holding company members represent one of the largest dental benefits systems in the country, with 19.7 million enrollees.

Since 1955, as a nonprofit dental service corporation, Delta has led the industry in offering innovative programs designed to control costs and ensure quality care. Today, these programs cover more than one in three Californians. Approximately 92 percent of the state's dentists are Delta participating dentists.

e-Insight: We understand that Delta Dental turned to Genesys recently for a service that falls outside the usual scope. Can you tell us about the need and the project?

Tom Tripp: The manager of our accounting department needed to produce a high volume of checks in a short period of time to comply with new regulatory requirements. I was approached with the compliance issues in early April. The deadline was the 30th of April. The checks that needed to be produced were not payroll checks; they were interest checks payable to our dental providers. This requirement was part of an agreement we reached with the Department of Managed Health Care, and meeting all of the deadlines under the agreement was extremely critical. In total, we issued approximately $1 million in payments.

e-Insight: What made you think of Genesys for this project?

Tom Tripp: I also worked with the Genesys system in a prior job with Wells Fargo where we used the Genesys system as a service bureau. While at Wells Fargo, we issued refund checks to Pacific Gas & Electric customers who bought low-energy appliances. Customers would get a rebate of $100, $200, or more, depending on the appliance. The information was sent to a lock-box area and then Wells Fargo would cut the check using the Genesys system.

e-Insight: What other alternatives did Delta Dental explore prior to contacting Genesys?

Tom Tripp: We looked internally first, and realized that the internal option was not fast enough. Next we considered Genesys. It needed to be done fast, but not conflict with Genesys standard outsourcing procedures.

To start the process, I called Genesys and asked, "Can you do this?" I got the ball rolling, connecting our people at Delta Dental with the right Genesys people. Once everything was in motion, I left on vacation. Our Systems Analyst formatted the necessary transactions for the payees while I was on vacation. When I returned, the checks were being printed and the balancing was in process.

e-Insight: Was this project outside your normal area of responsibility?

Tom Tripp: Yes, it was.

e-Insight: How did it work out for your organization? What were the benefits associated with having Genesys do this for you?

Tom Tripp: Great. We would not have met our regulatory obligations without Genesys' help.

e-Insight: Is there any advice or lessons learned you would like to share with other Genesys clients if faced with a similar project?

Tom Tripp: This may sound cliché, but you have to think outside the box. Think beyond what the software does on a day-to-day basis.

For more information on how Genesys can assist with your check production, contact Chris Kelley at (978) 685-5400 extension 3054 or by e-mail to ckelley@genesysHCM.com.

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  Version 6.1 Available



Genesys is pleased to announce that Version 6.1 is available. You can obtain a copy of V6.1 by contacting Christine Kelley at (978) 685-5400, extension 3054.

We call your attention to the hands-on pre-conference workshops at the upcoming 23rd Annual Customer Information Exchange in San Francisco, as well as the many other opportunities at CIE to learn about V6.1. Register for CIE on-line at our Conference Page.

In addition, the Genesys Customer Services organization has developed a menu of V6.1 services from which to choose - contact Donna Pasley, Vice President of Client Services, at (978) 685-5400, extension 3008, to learn more.

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  Genesys Consulting Options: Something for Everyone


The pace is blistering in organizations today: constant change in regulations, policies, procedures, technologies, ways of doing business. Limited resources and increasingly tight budgets keep raising the ante for the challenges of keeping up. Genesys products and services are designed to alleviate much of these pressures. And helping clients get maximum benefit from them has always been of the highest priority at Genesys.

The Genesys commitment to high standards of quality and responsive service has earned us the respect and trust of our increasingly diverse client base. For your strategically important system projects, Genesys will provide a professional consultant you can trust. Genesys Consulting Services is an organization of highly skilled people who can help you to achieve your project goals with confidence - on time and within budget.

Genesys Consulting Services is ready when you are to implement and customize your Genesys solution utilizing a proven methodology for rapid implementation whether it be deployed in-house or through outsourcing or ASP arrangement.

In addition to and as part of our implementation services, Genesys Consulting Services provides a host of offerings that can be tailored to the client's needs. These include:

  • Requirements Analysis
  • System Design & Specification
  • Project Management
  • New Release Updates
  • Platform Migration
  • Business Process Redesign
  • System Assessment
  • Systems Integration
  • Third-Party Interfaces
  • Conversion Assistance
  • System Implementation & Customization
  • Training
  • On-Site Facilities Management

A sampling of selected service packages includes:

Deployment of WEBServe Self-Service Capabilities -- WEBServe is delivered with a set of preprogrammed capabilities including several commonly requested ESS functions. These application features, as well as other components of ESS offerings, can easily be customized by Genesys Consulting Services consultants as part of an ESS implementation services package, to meet any organization's exact needs.

Version 6.1 Migration Services -- The Genesys Consulting Services team wants your migration to Version 6.1 to be a successful one. To assist you, the GCS team has established a menu of services from which to choose, enabling you to select only those options that best suit your needs. You won't find the 'cookie-cutter' approach with Genesys -- since no two clients are exactly alike, it follows that no two implementations will be alike either. Whether you are seeking migration planning, technical support or full implementation support, you're sure to find something that meets your needs from the services list below.

  • Migration Planning
  • Implementation Support
  • Technical Assistance
  • Additional Enhancement Services
  • Training Services

To view the full menu of Version 6.1 Migration services, follow these steps:

  1. Access the Customer Connection site
  2. Select the appropriate icon (Software Services or Outsourcing Services)
  3. Provide a User Name and Password
  4. On the next page, select documentation
  5. On the left side, under Roadmap to V6.1 Kit, select Migration Services

System Assessment -- The System Assessment Program is offered by Genesys Consulting Services to help clients maximize the use of the Genesys system. The System Assessment is often utilized during the early phases of a larger project such as a release upgrade or business process redesign effort, and provides clients with valuable information about their existing Genesys environment and provides a risk avoidant approach for moving forward.

Partnership Program -- The Partnership Program provides a cost-effective way for clients to purchase consulting services from Genesys Consulting Services. There are several Partnership Program options for clients to choose from depending upon the scope of the project and resource needs. Genesys will work with the client to estimate the amount of on-site consulting and training required over the next twelve months, and the client can select the Partnership Program that best meets the organization's requirements.

For more information on any of the above services, please contact Donna Pasley, Vice President of Client Services, by phone (978-685-5400, extension 3008) or e-mail (dpasley@genesysHCM.com).

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  Lands' End Celebrates Birthday of MyLearning
  (PeopleComeFirst Learning)


Happy Birthday to MyLearning at Lands' End!

We hear there's a celebration going on in Dodgeville, Wisconsin! We'd like to congratulate Lands' End, the direct merchant of traditionally styled clothing for the family, which is celebrating the first birthday of MyLearning in July.

MyLearning is the name Lands' End uses for PeopleComeFirst, the learning and competency management system from Genesys. MyLearning was formally launched in July 2002 as the newest addition to Lands' End University, the company's resource for leadership and business practices development. As Pam Peterson, Sr. Training and Development Manager, explains, "MyLearning went live a year ago, and it has grown quickly to become a vital part of our learning program. We've achieved so much in this past year, we're celebrating with a party - cake and all!"

Prior to the implementation of PeopleComeFirst, Lands' End's learning processes were mostly paper based, streamlined only by an online system for course registration. They lacked mechanisms for search, feedback, tracking and reporting. Business managers had no access to records or plans of employees' training activities. The overarching goal for the new learning management system was to allow employees to drive their own learning. To achieve this, the new system needed to support the blended learning environment at Lands' End, which includes instructor-led classes, self-directed activities, the corporate library's resources, specific product training, and e-learning courseware. It also needed to associate training with specific job descriptions; to create and track individual development plans; and to perform competency gap analyses.

Today, each employee accesses MyLearning and its functionality through a personalized home page. It allows them to take e-learning courses and track progress from their desktops, register online for workshops and manage their educational assistance programs. Later in 2003, they will be able to conduct skill gap analyses based on competencies and performance measurements, and to develop individual development plans. Peterson's team is also working to tie employee development goals to strategic corporate initiatives such as succession and resource planning.

Training organizations and the press have started to take notice of Lands' End's success: In June, Pam Peterson was invited to host a series of three roundtable discussions about learning at Training Directors' Forum 2003, held in Phoenix. Pam will also be a featured speaker at Corporate University Week, to be held November 2003 in Orlando. In the September issue of CLO magazine, look for Lands' End to be featured as an "In Practice" case study. You can also read more about MyLearning in the March 2003 issue of Retail Information Systems News. (Go to www.risnews.com. Click on archives. Under the table of contents for the March 2003 issue, click on "e-Learning at Lands' End" by Lornas Pappas.)

We at Genesys are pleased to have worked with Lands' End on this, and look forward to another year of learning management milestones!

For more information on PeopleComeFirst Learning, contact Chris Kelley at (978) 685-5400 extension 3054 or by e-mail to ckelley@genesysHCM.com.

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  Customer Information Exchange FAQs


What's the Customer Information Exchange? Has that replaced the annual Genesys Conference?

Same event - new name. Responding to feedback from our customers, Genesys has renamed our annual customer event to best reflect its intent of providing our customers the opportunity to exchange ideas and information with each other and with Genesys. So beginning with our 2003 event, the Genesys Conference will be named the Genesys 23rd Customer Information Exchange (CIE).

When is this year's CIE?

Sunday through Tuesday, September 28-30, 2003.

Where is it located?

At the Hyatt at Fisherman's Wharf at 555 North Point Street, San Francisco, California.

A beautiful downtown hotel at world-famous Fisherman's Wharf, with easy access to Pier 39, the Cannery, Harbor Cruises and Ghirardelli Square; across from the Powell and Mason Cable Car Line, about a mile from Union Square, the Financial District and Nob Hill.

When does the CIE start and end?

The official kick off is Sunday, September 28th with an Opening Reception from 6:30 P.M. - 8:00 P.M. at the Hyatt at Fisherman's Wharf.

Everything will wrap up at 4:00 P.M. Tuesday, September 30th.

What are the registration fees? What does that include?

The registration fees, in US dollars, are:

1-3 attendees = $895 per person
4 or more attendees = $850 per person
Payment received on-site = $950 per person

The registration fee includes Sunday evening's Welcome Reception, admission to all sessions, Monday evening's Special Event, plus continental breakfasts, luncheons, and refreshment breaks Monday and Tuesday.

To register online, visit our Registration Page.

What should I wear?

Attire throughout the CIE is business casual.

What is this year's Special Event?

This year's evening event will be held on Monday, September 29th. Plan to enjoy a night of dining and dancing as we cruise along San Francisco Bay on the elegant Blue and Gold Fleet yacht line.

Can I bring a guest and if so, is there a guest program?

Yes, you may bring a guest. We have arranged for a special guest program. The Adult Guest Program includes daily continental breakfasts and luncheons, the Welcome Reception on Sunday evening, the Monday evening Special Event and on Tuesday, an excursion to the island of Alcatraz.

The cost of the Adult Guest Program is $275. Pieces of the Guest Program can be purchased separately.

What can you tell me about the Pre-Conference Workshops?

The Pre-Conference Workshops begin on Sunday, at 8:00 A.M. There are morning and afternoon sessions. All workshops are free, with a paid conference registration.

Offered from 8:00 A.M. - 12 Noon:

* Using the Genesys Product in the 6.1 Environment
* Building Web Pages with Genesys

Offered from 1:00 - 5:00 P.M.:

* Using the Genesys Product in the 6.1 Environment (repeat of the morning session)
* PeopleComeFirst Learning

Will Genesys partners be present again this year?

Yes, many of Genesys' strategic partners will be on hand, hosting presentations and answering your questions. In attendance this year will be:

Balance Learning
Greentree Systems
Mitchell Humphrey
NetBase Corporation
Recruiternet
Synygy Inc.
Time America
TimeVision Inc.
WageWorks
Workbrain

How many one-hour general sessions are being presented?

There are 40 exciting and innovative sessions being presented between Monday and Tuesday. Presenters include both Genesys staff, customers and partners.

How many theater sessions are there to choose from?

We have designed 17 informative, 30-minute sessions for you to take advantage of. All theater sessions will be presented in the Tiburon Room.

What areas do the sessions concentrate on?

Both the general sessions as well as the theater sessions offer topics focusing on three tracks: Business, Technical, and Product & Service.

I want to be a part of the CIE! Is there still time to register?

Yes, there's still time! To register online, visit our Registration Page.

I have a few more questions. Who can I contact?

To obtain additional information, please contact Lucille Breen by phone (978-685-5400, extension 3165) or e-mail (lbreen@genesysHCM.com).

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  Time and Attendance: Licensed vs. Hosted - Which is Best for You?


By Jon Weiss, Time America, Inc.

Licensed versus hosted time and attendance implementations - which solution is best for you?

One of the most important choices an organization must make when it decides to automate its time and attendance processes is the implementation model. There are benefits and challenges in both a licensed and hosted option that should be weighed before hand to determine the best fit for your organization. Regardless of which model you choose, the time and attendance data can easily interface to your interface to the Genesys HR and Payroll application.

1. Resources: The dedicated resources, both personnel and infrastructure that are required.

A licensed time and attendance solution will require internal resources for:

  • Purchase and configuration of servers, database and related hardware
  • Connectivity and server-level testing
  • On-going database and software application maintenance
  • Upgrade installations

A hosted time and attendance solution will require:

  • Browser access
  • Internal connectivity testing

2. Costs: The money spent to utilize a Time and Attendance application.

Licensed time and attendance option:

  • You will incur the majority of your costs upfront including: software licenses, hardware, database, upgrades, and variable maintenance costs

Hosted time and attendance option:

  • You pay fixed monthly service charges on a subscription basis. These charges include: system hosting, application access, customer service, database and system administration, backups, upgrades/updates, maintenance, security, etc.

3. Implementation: Professional Services charges are similar in both models; however, a licensed model requires installing the software on the servers and test connectivity, which adds incremental travel expenses and implementation hours to the project.

4. Benefits:

Licensed Time and Attendance Benefits:

  • You control the system infrastructure
  • You control the application internally
  • You control and can create additional integration to other business systems in-house
  • Data resides within your environment
  • You install and control all software upgrades
  • You customize for anytime, anywhere access
  • Increased value of IT resources

Hosted Time and Attendance Benefits:

  • Allows you to focus on your core business
  • Single vendor responsibility
  • Reduced risk transfer and mitigation
  • Anytime, anywhere access
  • Seamless software upgrades
  • Eliminates costs associated with purchasing, installing & maintaining additional servers
  • Predictable fixed monthly costs
  • Reduced time to implement solutions
  • Maximum uptime and performance

5. The bottom line: There are a myriad of decisions to be made when comparing a hosted versus licensed time and attendance solution. There are variable levels of control and flexibility with each option that are dependent upon your organization's resources. Determining the Total Cost of Ownership is critical to making your final decision and reaping the benefits of your investment.

Time America, Inc. is a Genesys Business Partner. Time America has been an industry leader in time and workforce management solutions for over 14 years. Time America provides both licensed and hosted solutions to meet the unique needs of your organization. For more information, please contact Jon Weiss at 954-438-6399 or jonw@timeamerica.com. Visit Time America at www.timeamerica.com.

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  Current Release


As of July 15, 2003, the latest Genesys release is number 2003-08. This legislative release includes:

  • State Withholding: Alabama, Arizona, Connecticut, New York
  • Local Tax Service: Indiana, Kentucky, New York, Pennsylvania

Accessing Release Files and Documentation

Within the Customer Connection site is a list of all releases, as well as a list of the corresponding release documentation.

To view release-related information, follow these steps:

  1. Access the Customer Connection site
  2. Select the appropriate icon (Software Services or Outsourcing Services)
  3. Provide a User Name and Password

To access the latest release, or prior releases, select release files.
To view the corresponding documentation, select release documentation.

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  Press Corner


Listed below are the most recent Genesys press releases; those that have been released since the last issue of e-Insight.

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  Training Options


What's your learning style? Do you prefer an instructor-led classroom setting? Self-paced online courses? Or perhaps web conferencing appeals to you. Whatever your style, Genesys Education Services offers a variety of training options to fit various needs, including:

  • Instructor Led Courses: Held at Genesys headquarters.

  • Online Training Courses: Self-paced and accessible from the Genesys Customer Connection site.

  • e-Town Meetings: Brought to you from Genesys headquarters—delivered to your desktop via the Internet.

Instructor-Led Courses

All courses are held at the Genesys Corporate Training Center, Methuen, Massachusetts. Students are urged to register early. Genesys reserves the right to cancel or reschedule classes if required attendance is not met. Genesys Education Services will confirm each offering within 21 days of the scheduled start date.

For information about on-site classes, call your Account Manager at (978) 685-5400. Please keep in mind that classes can also be set up through your local User Group chapter. Training class enrollment forms can also be faxed to (520) 833-1169 or e-mailed to classreg@genesysHCM.com.

Online Training Courses

Online Training Courses are accessible from within the Customer Connection site at any time, day or night. The Customer Connection site is a secure, customer-only area; a User ID and Password are required. Logon and take advantage of the following self-paced topics:

  • Adjustments
  • Balancing Your Payroll
  • Direct Deposit
  • Hire a Person
  • New Hire Reporting
  • Online Check
  • Payment History
  • Processing Your Payroll
  • Quick Query
  • SearchAll
  • Time Entry
  • Transfers & Taxes

e-Town Meeting Schedule

e-Town Meetings are offered on a variety of Genesys-related topics. Be sure to visit the Customer Connection Site often to review the latest list of topics, dates and times. To sign up for any e-Town Meeting, send e-mail to e-Town@genesysHCM.com. Please include the topic, date, and names of people attending.

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  Upcoming Events


Genesys is pleased to be participating at the following conferences and trade events in 2003. We welcome you to visit us at any of them.

Date Event Location
July 30-31 HRO World New York, NY
August 6-8 APA Leadership Forum: 2003 Payroll Best Practices Miami, FL
September 18-19 2003 Pennsylvania Statewide Payroll Conference Harrisburg, PA
September 22-24 Online Learning 2003 Conference & Expo Los Angeles, CA
September 28-30 Genesys 23rd Customer Information Exchange San Francisco, CA
October 8-9 HR Technology's 6th Annual Conference & Expo Philadelphia, PA
November 17-19 Corporate University Conference & Exposition Orlando, FL

To view additional information about all upcoming events, visit the Genesys Events Page. The event listing provides you with links to the various sponsoring organizations. You are encouraged to visit these sites to learn more about each event.

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