AAIA Releases Internet Parts Ordering Version 3.0

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AAIA Releases Internet Parts Ordering Version 3.0

Counterman Staff
By Counterman Staff
Published:
Latest update features improvements to shipment and confirmation documents, as well as the inclusion of an invoice document.

 

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BETHESDA, Md. – The Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA) has released version 3.0 of the Internet Parts Ordering (IPO) standard. Significant improvements have been made to the shipment and confirmation documents, as well as the addition of an invoice document. According to AAIA, IPO version 3.0 serves as a functional replacement for costly Electronic Document Exchange (EDI) or a near-real time compliment to existing EDI document exchange.

Handling special orders at any level of the automotive supply chain is costly and time-consuming, traditionally involving multiple phone conversations to check availability, estimate shipping time, place the order and confirm the order shipment, according to AAIA. Standards-based Web services allow trading partners to automate this wasteful activity and speed the transaction all the way through reconciliation and payment. IPO was developed specifically to address the requirements of order inquiry, purchase order, ship notification and invoicing in the automotive supply chain regardless of the number of line items or shipping points.

“Split shipments, backorders, product replacement and drop shipments are just a few of the complications that automotive special orders and stock orders involve,” said Scott Luckett, CIO, AAIA. “The IPO Web services were defined in this latest version to account for all these complexities and enable end-to-end automation of the order cycle and payment reconciliation. Trading partners who invest in IPO-enabled ordering processes will realize immediate ROI in time and labor savings.”

The IPO Web service definition includes a complete library of XML Schema (XSD) and Web service description files (WSDL) supporting synchronous and asynchronous communication. IPO documents are exchanged using SOAP over HTTP.

The general release of IPO version 3.0 has been two years in the making, subject to rigorous testing and industry review. There is no cost to download the complete documentation and development package. IPO Web services can be exchanged between trading partners directly or with the services of a compliant e-commerce hub or exchange. IPO is available at www.aftermarket.org/technology/IPO.

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Customer service should be your number one priority, and it all starts with the greeting.

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Eric Garbe is a graduate of Columbus State Community College with a degree in Automotive Maintenance Technology. He has extensive independent and dealership field experience as a technician and shop owner and is an ASE Certified Master Technician and former Adjunct Automotive Professor. He has been professionally writing automotive technical articles and documents for many years and in his free time enjoys restoring old cars and creating custom interiors and upholstery.
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This is always an important topic to discuss, because I consider excellent customer service one of the most important tools you can have to earn trust, respect and repeat business from the customers that come through your door. Whether that customer is do-it-yourselfer from across town or the professional repair shop across the street, your business depends on a solid relationship.It’s a subject that I am passionate about, and it’s one that many people are losing touch with. Whether you are communicating to someone in person, on the phone or using some type of social media, good customer service and bad can both exist. You can’t afford the latter, so this is the first in a series of topics which can and should be shared from the front of the shop to the back. No matter which role you hold, you represent the shop and yourself. Customer service should be your number one priority.First on the list is the greeting. From the second a customer walks in the door, they need to know you appreciate them coming in and how important they are to your business. First impressions are everything and here’s the correct way to do it each and every time: look them directly in the eye, smile and say hello!Of course, you can say “Good morning” or “Welcome to Joe’s Autocare,” but it should be a formal greeting and the most important thing is that you have smiled, looked them in the eye and recognized that they have walked through the door.You should always retain a formal greeting until you are on a first-name basis with a customer. Only once you have established that level of relationship is it OK to use the less formal greeting of “Hi,” followed by the person’s name.This greeting does more than just indicate respect and appreciation for someone walking through the door. Most likely there are customers both new and old who are in earshot of your conversation. For newer customers, this continues to build rapport and reinforce their positive view of your shop; they see that you demonstrate respect and treat everyone in the same manner. For repeat customers, even ones that have been coming for years, the greeting is important because the way you treat them is the reason they continue to come.And when a long-time customer comes in and you greet them with “Hi [First Name],” this indicates your appreciation for them and that you’re glad to see them as a person, more than just a customer. New customers that witness this will see that your repeat customers are comfortable enough to be on a first-name basis, another indication of the trust they have in you.

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