Epicor Software Corp. has announced that Jobbers Automotive Warehouse Inc., an automotive replacement parts distributor based in Wichita, Kansas, will upgrade from a custom software platform to the Epicor Vision distribution management solution. With two warehouses and a network of nearly 80 company-owned and independent stores across Kansas, northern Oklahoma and eastern Colorado, Jobbers Automotive is the 11th Aftermarket Auto Parts Alliance shareholder to select the Epicor Vision platform.
“It is definitely time to change (solutions),” said Bob Evans, president and CEO, Jobbers Automotive Warehouse Inc. “Our current system was in need of major hardware and software upgrades, so it was clear to us that the best choice was to rely on Epicor to help keep us up-to-date going forward with their continued enhancements to the Vision software. We talked to other Alliance members who are using Vision, and they all had nothing but great things to say about it.”
Epicor Vision software is a powerful enterprise solution that includes customer relationship management (CRM) tools, a centralized database, advanced price management and inventory capabilities, comprehensive “central services” functionality, integrated accounting and other features that help drive sales, operational efficiency and customer satisfaction. Epicor says the Vision solution has been adopted by dozens of leading replacement parts distributors, including several who have upgraded from Epicor Ultimate, Epicor A-DIS and Epicor Prism software, along with other platforms.
Evans said the move to Vision will benefit Jobbers Automotive in several ways, including helping increase inventory efficiency, enhance pricing control and improve order fill. He also said he expects the new software to help in the recruitment and retention of young, skilled employees who prefer a graphical user interface. In conjunction with the upgrade to Vision software, Jobbers Automotive will implement the Epicor Compass analytics application, which Evans called “a fantastic feature that will help us determine how we’re doing and what we need to do to improve our bottom line.”
Also to be integrated with the Vision software is the Epicor WebDocs electronic document management solution, which will enable Jobbers Automotive customers to retrieve statements, invoices and other documents via a secure Web interface. “This is something we’ve been wanting to offer our customers for a long time – we have several accounts who have asked for it,” said Evans.
A related benefit to the upgrade will be the distributor’s ability to more fully leverage the Epicor PartExpert electronic catalog and Epicor LaserCat 3 interface, Evans said. “There are a lot of features we haven’t been able to take advantage of because our current system is text-based rather than a graphical user interface,” he said. “With Vision software, we’ll be able to unlock all of these features and enhance our team’s ability to serve our customers.”
The new software also will enhance the business’ connection with the Alliance’s My Place for Parts e-commerce solution, according to Evans.
To learn more about Epicor Vision software and other products and services for the automotive aftermarket, call Epicor toll-free at 888.463.4700, or email [email protected]
