Epicor Software Corp. has introduced several new industry data analytics (IDA) solutions that are designed to enable automotive aftermarket suppliers and distributors to better collaborate in enhancing business performance through increased channel visibility and inventory efficiency, improved service levels and more effective customer promotions.
The new Epicor IDA tools foster collaboration among suppliers and key channel partners in leveraging extensive point of sale data and other industry intelligence to pursue a wide range of business-building projects, including optimizing warehouse and store inventories and planning and executing product- and brand-specific promotions. Epicor says this approach – through which the supplier and one or more distributors design, execute and measure the outcome of each activity – extends beyond the capabilities of many existing industry data warehouse solutions.
“This is an important new step in the aftermarket’s category management journey,” said Rod Bayless, director, industry data analytics, Epicor Software. “These new tools represent a platform from which two or more channel partners can creatively and proactively pursue new opportunities for mutual growth and improved business performance. Collaboration can be initiated by a manufacturer who wants to work more closely with select distributors, by a distributor looking to optimize its performance in a given category, or by multiple distributors who want to explore new opportunities in servicing common customers.”
Built around the Epicor industry data pool architecture, the new IDA tools provide for partner collaboration both in short- and long-term projects, the company says. The Epicor data feed – comprising extensive, bulk channel visibility intelligence – can be used to augment existing manufacturer-controlled data warehouse projects and provide the basis for more effective collaboration in a variety of custom projects, such as development of vendor-optimized inventories based on market demand by part number down to the ZIP or postal code level. Each project can provide a custom level of data visibility as determined by the collaborative sponsors.
To learn more about these new tools and other Epicor IDA solutions, contact your Epicor sales representative, call 888-463-4700 or email [email protected].
