LAS VEGAS – Aftermarket Auto Parts Alliance and Activant Solutions have signed a multi-year extension of the Alliance Data Warehouse program, which since 2001 has helped the distribution group significantly enhance joint inventory and sales practices.
The Alliance, which has 53 automotive parts distributor shareholders in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, utilizes the Activant-created data warehouse to capture and analyze daily sales and inventory data across its network. The project benefits not only Alliance shareholders but also more than 30 manufacturers that also have daily access to the Alliance data warehouse and collaborate with the group to help optimize the distribution channel.
“The data warehouse began with a vision to capture market intelligence that would help our shareholders make smarter, faster stocking decisions, and in doing so, maximize their competitive advantage,” said Alliance President and CEO Dick Morgan. “By any practical measure, this program has been a resounding success, not only for Alliance shareholders but also for our supplier partners.”
Morgan said the program is being expanded beyond the use of point-of-sale transactions to include electronic catalog lookups captured from shareholders’ Activant electronic catalogs.
“Many of our shareholders have the Activant catalog integrated into their point-of-sale systems, which enables us to identify parts, brands, and the vehicles that are being looked up on a daily basis. This provides us with a far more accurate view of installer demand both nationally and on a market-by-market basis.”
Activant and the Alliance are planning a variety of enhancements to the data warehouse, including expanded analytics and reporting capabilities that will help shareholders optimize their business processes based on data captured through the Activant catalog.
“From day one, Dick Morgan and Alliance shareholders had the vision necessary to make this program successful,” said Tom Aliotti, senior vice president and general manager of the Activant automotive business. “The next phase is to support the Alliance and its manufacturers in more fully leveraging the power of a complete view of point-of-sale activity, including electronic catalog lookups.”
