Truck Parts and Service | Heavy Duty Trucking, Aftermarket, Service Info
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/393928
how they work — when mak- ing a repair. "We try to provide our customers with the most robust content imaginable," Seewack says. And this tool can be a ma- jor value-add for customers even if they continue to make purchases in the store, says Sucharita Mulpuru, analyst at Forrester Research. "The categories that have the lowest online sales are also the ones that see the greatest levels of online research," she says. But even if heavy-duty cus- tomers are slow to commit to online purchasing, it doesn't take a major customer shift to see workplace benefi ts. Online sales reduce em- ployee workload. They make things easier. Karmak Product Owner Greg Gardner says the following occurs when an order is placed through Karmak's business system: One invoice is sent to a dis- tributor's accounts receivable department, along with the payment information pro- vided during the transaction; one invoice is routed to the distributor's warehouse for immediate picking and fulfi ll- ment; the distributor's inven- tory is updated to refl ect the changes made from the pur- chase; and an auto-generated correspondence (email, text, etc.) is sent to the customer confi rming the purchase and shipping information. All the distributor's em- ployees have to do is stock the truck. "The invoice prints di- rectly in the warehouse and the pick list is committed to the customer, then the order goes out on the next truck," McEnany says. Online portals can record customer information as well, which can be a signifi cant benefi t for active or consistent customers, Gardner says. Karmak's system requires customers to create user profi les, which record contact information, shipping in- structions, payment informa- tion (credit card or credited account, etc.), order prefer- ences and history. The latter is especially useful because it al- lows customers to save SKUs and orders for re-use. "It allows [customers] to complete orders in just a few minutes," says Gardner. Amazon and FinditParts have similar programs on their sites as a way to improve customer experiences. Robertson says the time- savings for both sides are substantial; and saving time saves money. "With our Business Online product, you can keep your business open and selling parts for $12.53 per day," he says. "You defi nitely can't hire a counterperson for that." One thing is clear, e-dis- tributors note, the online sales revolution isn't going away. Heyworth says "it is still Day 1" in the heavy-duty online sales business, while Seewack adds, "I think the paradigm has shifted. Customers now view [the Internet] as an alternative dis- tribution channel where they can get what they need." "A return to the old school ways is not going to happen," adds Robertson. "It's more likely that future generations are going to demand [online sales]." 30 Sales & Marketing T R U C K P A R T S & S E R V I C E | O c t o b e r 2 0 1 4 Midwest Wheel has offered online parts ordering for years, and cites 24/7 accessibility as one of the Internet's biggest advantages. You can keep your business open and selling parts for $12.53 per day. You defi nitely can't hire a counterperson for that. – Todd Robertson, sales manager at Karmak