ShowMeTheParts, a division of Vertical Development Inc., has added two new features to its database: near real-time inventory and stock status updates. By automating the update process, turn-around times have been virtually eliminated for greater reporting accuracy, according to the company. The auto-update inventory feature downloads the inventory and stock status automatically at regular intervals from once each day at a set time to as often as every hour.
Automotive aftermarket supplier SenSen North America is among the first to utilize the new feature for its ride control products allowing customers and sales staff to see if parts are in stock. By displaying current inventory status on its website, the company says customers know right away if the part they’re looking for is available before contacting the company. The updated inventory information keeps customers from ordering out of stock parts.
“Previously, we were communicating part stock status via email on a weekly basis. Due to the daily automation of this new feature, our customers are now provided with the most current status and more reliable data,” said Mark Harritan, vice president of sales and marketing at SenSen North America. “We selected ShowMeTheParts because it provides customers with a user-friendly mobile/electronic catalog. We also like that ShowMeTheParts provides near instantaneous catalog updating capabilities. Since SenSen continues to aggressively expand its product offering, we are excited to have an electronic cataloging platform that accurately reflects all product line availability in near real time.”
With this new auto-update feature, inventory information downloads from an FTP site, hosted either by the manufacturer/supplier or Vertical Development, and matches up the contents with the parts listed in ShowMeTheParts. This automation eliminates the need to process the file and enter data into a system manually. When a customer visits the parts supplier’s website, they see the number of pieces available for a given part number, listed alongside photos, parts attributes and other information.
“By displaying current inventory on a supplier’s site, we’ve eliminated the administrative headaches stemming from orders for parts that aren’t available. This greatly improves customer retention and also alleviates stress on the sales, customer service and billing staff,” said Jay Wright, president of Vertical Development Inc.
To take a tour of the SenSen catalog and see the near real-time inventory status live, visit showmetheparts.com/sensen.
