Helzberg Builds Data Warehouse

In an effort to improve customer relationships, Helzberg Diamonds, North Kansas City, Mo., has added an enterprise data-warehouse platform that supports business-intelligence applications.

Helzberg Diamonds, which operates more than 260 jewelry stores across the United States, was reliant on an IBM infrastructure and data warehouse. However, the repository “was struggling to process and analyze data in an acceptable timeframe, especially during our peak seasons,” said Greg Backhus, Helzberg’s director of data warehousing and business intelligence.

Following an extensive evaluation, Helzberg selected the Netezza Performance Server (NPS) family, which includes a data warehouse and analytical appliances. The NPS system is designed specifically for high-performance and terascale analytics. It integrates a relational database, server and storage in a single compact unit.

When Helzberg launches the system later this year, it plans to utilize it for real-time, point-of-sale reporting that will aid in its customer-relationship-management initiatives.