Truck Parts and Service | Heavy Duty Trucking, Aftermarket, Service Info
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/340589
16 The government also has usable cus- tomer data in its comprehensive Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) carrier logs. And data can be found in other areas, too, as trucking is home to many com- panies that collect and report data on all aspects of the industry. If a distributor wants to know how many fl eets in his state run one specifi c brake system on one specifi c make and model truck, he can fi nd it, says Bryan Funke, senior director, commercial ve- hicle sales at IHS Automotive. Randall Reilly, publisher of Truck Parts & Service, offers a similar solution with its RigDig Business Intelligence tool. "We have the ability to profi le a busi- ness and its customers, and that allows [a distributor] to be a lot more focused in their marketing," says James Vogel, general manager of RigDig. What data is being used? Distributors rely heavily on data to maintain inventory levels. Kuo says one reason aftermarket busi- nesses are good about using sales data is because they know how to interpret it. Data is more than just simple statis- tics, and Kuo says there are several factors that go into acquiring data and making it useful. "When it comes to data, the value comes from how you view it in the end," he says. Kuo notes there are four steps to making data useful: collection, cleaning, analysis and presentation. He says distributors are successful using sales data to set inventory levels because they know how to take the data through the steps. Funke agrees, noting some aftermar- ket veterans are capable of cleaning and analyzing large portions of sales data in a short period of time. They have experi- ence using the data and know the steps necessary to make it worthwhile, he says. The aftermarket also is improving at accepting assistance in this area through vendor-managed inventory (VMI). VMI transfers the responsibility of collecting and interpreting sales data from a distributor to its supplier. Cur- rently being offered by a growing num- ber of suppliers, Kuo says VMI reduces the time a distributor needs to devote to data collection and analysis, and ensures his product lines are stocked to maxi- mum effi ciency. "VMI can offer [distributors] equal or better turns, and improved service levels from suppliers," he says. And while VMI removes the legwork of data collection, Kuo says all VMI sales data is still available to distributors through their suppliers. The information doesn't go away; it's just collected and organized by a different source. Seeburg says the aftermarket has also started to accept external data to enhance the data collected in service bays. Where a repair facility only has data on its customers, third-party vendors can offer data on all prospective customers within their market, including vehicle population information, duty cycles and spec'ing information. External data offers information on the unknown, and Seeburg says that's something proactive aftermarket businesses should want. "There's an opportunity there to get ahead of the curve," he says. What data isn't being used? Even with its growing acceptance of data, there's still a ton of information the aftermarket is yet to grasp. Vogel says businesses with proactive T R U C K P A R T S & S E R V I C E | J u l y 2 0 1 4 We have the ability to profi le a business and its customers, and that allows [a distributor] to be a lot more focused in their marketing. – James Vogel, general manager at RigDig. Many aftermarket software programs allow service provides to access diagnostic and repair information, and record and track all service performed on customer vehicles. Cover Story