BETHESDA, MD — Steven Liao, president of MechanicNet, is on a mission to help the automotive aftermarket use customer relationship management (CRM) technologies, data and insights to enhance fundamental industry economics.
“By limiting CRM to automated postcard mailing services, which appears to be the prevailing definition of CRM in the aftermarket today, we forego a much larger profit opportunity,” said Liao.
Liao, who will address “Aftermarket Service eBusiness – Who’s Winning the eBusiness Race,” is one of the featured speakers during the 2006 Aftermarket eForum, July 17-19, at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare in Chicago.
Fully utilized, Liao explains that CRM can drive sustainable profit growth through customer intimacy and demand insights. And for the repair shops and their WD/jobber suppliers, it can help them “sell better, faster and cheaper.” His presentation will draw upon years of experience in developing and deploying strategies in automotive aftermarket, airlines, apparel, high-tech, and grocery sectors using insights gained from CRM. Because it is often difficult, he said, these transformations have traditionally been forced upon companies from the marketplace; financial markets demanding better returns or new entrants grabbing share from those unable to transform.
While he can’t predict how long before transformation will take hold in the aftermarket, he explained that it is “going to take awhile.” He says more industry commitment to data standardization and collaboration are the keys to future transformations.
Liao will also look at OE dealers and how they are approaching CRM and technologies such as telematics. He believes that telematics should be viewed by the aftermarket as an opportunity, and not necessarily as a threat. He promises to explain at the eForum how the aftermarket can take advantage of this opportunity.
The 2006 Aftermarket is sponsored by Activant Solutions, Autologue, IBM and Pricedex Software.
For more information on the Aftermarket eForum or to register, visit: www.aftermarketeforum.com.
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