Aftermarket Auto Parts Alliance Hosts Its 10th Information Technology Summit

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Aftermarket Auto Parts Alliance Hosts Its 10th Information Technology Summit

Seventeen individuals representing Dana, Dura International, Exxon Mobil, Forney, MAHLE, Mevotech, NGK, NTN/BCA, Phillips and TRW along with several IT providers were in attendance.

Counterman Staff
By Counterman Staff
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IT Summit 2

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SAN ANTONIO – Members of the Information Technology Department of the Aftermarket Auto Parts Alliance hosted their counterparts from leading supplier channel partners at the group’s Annual Information Technology Summit (IT Summit). The purpose of the event was to engage in a collaborative exchange to improve system-to-system information exchange and communication up and down the supply chain. Seventeen individuals representing Dana, Dura International, Exxon Mobil, Forney, MAHLE, Mevotech, NGK, NTN/BCA, Phillips and TRW along with several IT providers were in attendance.

“In addition to strengthening relationships with our channel partners, the Alliance IT Summit allows us to showcase the latest Alliance Technology Suite, both our cloud and mobile innovations geared to help our customers search, find, and buy what they need faster than they can any competitive solutions,” said Rick Spugnardi, chairman of the Alliance IT Committee and director of IT Services at Parts Warehouse Inc. “Accomplishing that requires industry standard data, software, and connectivity solutions that are understood and compatible with our trading partners. Bringing our supplier channel partners into that thinking and planning process helps us both achieve our collective goals.”

During the event, personnel of the Alliance IT department briefed their channel partner colleagues about various solutions within the award winning Alliance Technology Suite (ATS). Exchanges focused on some of the more collaborative elements within the ATS. Suppliers learned how they can improve their inventory planning and improve fill rates by engaging with the Alliance Data Warehouse and utilizing the Inventory Optimization Tool (IOT) and how they can promote better sales by engaging with the Alliance’s ecommerce solution, MyPlaceForParts.

A highlight of the event was the presentation of the Alliance 2015 Outstanding Technology Partner award to Experian Automotive.

According to Dale Hopkins, vice president and CIO of the Alliance, “Experian embodies the spirit of the award in every respect. Their collaborative nature and willingness to go the extra mile contributed to their selection.” Hopkins went on to single out some of the ways Experian assisted the Alliance, including improved release times for VIO data, integration and data support for the Alliance License Plate-to-VIN mobile app and the successful implementation web-based training sessions of Business Credit Services and their AutoCheck Vehicle History Report as a part if the Alliance’s Certified Service Center program.

“We are extremely honored to be the recipient of this year’s Alliance Outstanding Technology Partner award,” said John Gray, president of Experian Automotive. “This recognition by such a forward-thinking group is a testament to Experian’s philosophy of both delivering our clients a high-level of service and providing them with powerful insights into the market, the vehicles and they people who buy them.”

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Customer Service: How It’s Done

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

Eric Garbe
By Eric Garbe
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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