Hosted by Chandra Wobschall and Paul Houtkooper

Hey JDE Connection listeners, Chandra and Paul here! This week, we welcomed Pete Casazza from Linde Gas & Equipment and Fermin Rodriguez from SmarterCommerce for a conversation about solving real business challenges with JD Edwards. And when your business includes hundreds of retail locations, millions of transactions, and customers who expect quick service, those challenges can get interesting!

We always enjoy hearing how companies are using JD Edwards to make life easier for their employees and customers. Pete and Fermin had plenty to share, including a few stories that reminded us why understanding the business is every bit as important as understanding the technology.

When 45 Seconds Feels Like Forever

We’ve all experienced that awkward moment at a checkout counter when everything seems to come to a standstill. Now imagine being the employee on the other side of that counter, waiting for a receipt to print while your customer wonders what’s taking so long. Pete shared how Linde faced this exact challenge with its highly customized JD Edwards sales order process. The system worked, but the experience wasn’t quite what their retail operations needed. What made this conversation interesting was hearing how Linde approached improving that experience while preserving the business processes they had already invested in. Sometimes the simplest customer interactions have quite a bit happening behind the scenes.

A Little Collaboration Goes a Long Way

One of our favorite stories came from Pete’s recollection of a budgeting meeting where two seemingly separate business priorities came together. The retail team needed a better point-of-sale experience, while the e-commerce team was planning its next steps. Fortunately, someone recognized that these efforts had quite a bit in common. We loved hearing how that realization helped shape Linde’s approach to working with SmarterCommerce. Of course, Pete was quick to remind us that getting everyone aligned wasn’t nearly as effortless as his recollection might suggest. Anyone who’s participated in a cross-functional project can probably appreciate that!

A Solid Foundation Makes Room for What’s Next

As our conversation continued, we found ourselves talking about something that doesn’t always get enough attention: the value of having confidence in your existing systems. Pete shared how Linde’s relationship with SmarterCommerce has grown over the years and how Oracle’s continued commitment to JD Edwards provides reassurance as they plan for the future. That confidence creates room to focus on new opportunities, including AI.

And yes, we managed to make it almost 30 minutes before AI entered the conversation. That might be a new podcast record!

We enjoyed hearing how both organizations are approaching AI, from practical improvements already in use to some pretty ambitious ideas involving data and future capabilities.

Midwesternism of the Day

With all the Wisconsin sports excitement surrounding this episode, we couldn’t resist a little regional tradition. This week’s Midwesternism takes us to a place where local preferences run deep, everyone seems to have an opinion, and a familiar social ritual comes with its own distinctly regional twist.

Until next time, let’s keep learning, sharing, and most importantly, laughing together.

Toodles!

Missed an episode? Check out the full episode list! Also, be sure to subscribe on your favorite podcast provider, or select a provider below!

Learn More

Quest Oracle Community is where you learn. Ask questions, find answers, swap stories and connect to other JD Edwards customers and product experts in the JD Edwards Community, where you can also check out what’s happening in the Business Analyst SIG.