SAN ANTONIO, Texas – The Aftermarket Auto Parts Alliance held its seventh Information Technology Summit (IT Summit) in San Antonio in late February. This event keeps supplier channel partners up-to-date on Alliance IT strategies and solutions, and is tailored for hands-on information technology professionals.
According to Alliance CIO Dale Hopkins, the IT Summit meetings are effective at reducing costs, increasing sales and strengthening relationships. “The Alliance Technology Suite is the most mature and robust technology platform in the aftermarket distribution community,” Hopkins stated. “As our information foundation for advancing operational and marketing technology, sharing that information with channel partners multiplies its power.
“For the past three years, Alliance members have earned the R. L. Polk Inventory Efficiency Award for ground-breaking and industry-leading inventory management driven by the Alliance Inventory Optimization Tool (IOT)," added Hopkins. "IOT gives Alliance members the power to create their own super-accurate stocking models by integrating third party registration data with point-of-sale and other information. Bringing our channel partners into this loop allows them to help us with our mission of right part, right place, right time.”
The Alliance MyPlaceForParts e-commerce solution also takes center stage at the IT Summit. “While IOT is award-winning technology for what to stock, MyPlaceForParts is 24/7/365 technology that helps our customers lookup, locate and ultimately sell more parts,” said Hopkins.
John Washbish, Alliance president and CEO, says the Alliance stands out in the industry when it comes to technology. “We have more than 13 years of experience with our own data warehouse and related business intelligence tools, and vertical collaboration with our channel partners is a game-changer for all of us. Channel partners have technology and information to share and so do we. We’re proud of the progressive leadership the Alliance shows in this area.”
