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What
is E-business - Distribution
Businesses can dramatically improve efficiencies by using a comprehensive
web-based application that supports unassisted business-to-business
and business-to-consumer selling via the Internet and enables organizations
to rapidly establish an online selling avenue that complements and
extends their existing field, call center, and indirect sales channels.
Using internet solutions, customers and sales professionals can search
for products in a rich multimedia catalog, configure custom product
and service solutions, place orders, confirm that the orders are valid
and deliverable, and check on order status.
Organizations can maximize
each customer interaction by providing personalized views of products
and services based on the customer's profile, specific environment,
and current requirements.
Improve the contact between your dealerships and resellers because:
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Providing fast and accurate information
via phone is often problematic in peak times. |
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Adding qualified help for brief peak
periods is difficult. |
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Error rates from phone and fax communications
and the inherent inefficiencies are significant. |
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Updating customer information without
interrupting the sales process is difficult. |
Many times,
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Customers are unable to connect immediately
with an operator. |
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Customers are sometimes put on hold for
unacceptably long periods of time which results in lost sales and
unhappy customers. |
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Customer service/sale representatives
tied up for hours on one telephone call. |
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The average time to process one part
is too long. |
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Frustrated customers fax inquiries
to competitors or shop elsewhere. |
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Excessive error rate from faxed inquiries.
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Validating and correcting orders
consume a significant amount time to research and correct. |
If phone and fax are the primary means of customer contact between
you and your customers, you should know that these types of manual processes are
both labor
and paper-intensive, inefficient, costly, and highly error-prone.
What can an internet solution provide?
| 1 |
Customers can access the information
they need through a website using a standard browser in a secure
environment. |
| 2 |
Customers can inquire about specific
products using codes or via a keyword search. |
| 3 |
Prevent order errors by validating
product codes, configurations, etc. as the order is entered. |
| 4 |
Customers can receive information
on stock availability, pricing, new order shipment status, or
other suitable/compatible products if the part is out of stock.
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| 5 |
Order parts, if desired. |
| 6 |
Select shipment methods or configure
shipments. |
| 7 |
Submit orders or save current sessions
and "batch submit" orders at a later date. |
| 8 |
View an order summary page containing
products ordered, total cost, shipping information, and invoice
number. |
| 9 |
Click on an icon and
confirm orders. |
| 10 |
Provide for targeted pricing. |
| 11 |
Email more complex or general inquires,
if necessary. |
The bottom line for how e-business applications can improve your
company:
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Higher levels of accuracy |
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Increased timeliness of deliveries |
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Reduction in staff committed to the
phone and paper processes |
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