Review by Sonia Coleman
How to navigate eBusiness decisions is one of the top concerns of many wholesale leaders. There’s a lot to digest: what technologies to select, how much resources are needed, what are the costs and challenges and how to get it to work well with existing staff and systems?
tED Magazine recently published a really helpful article on this topic that:
• Defines punchouts, discusses how EDI interfaces with eCommerce, shares how electrical distributors are using EDI and eCommerce shopping carts.
• Discusses benefits of EDI, what areas to consider before implementing
• How eBusiness can improve customer relationships, build customer loyalty
• Ends with a reminder that eCommerce is only as good as the product data.
“The e-commerce system is only as good as your data. Most distributors are not prepared for the fact that it’s a never-ending battle—there is always something to do on a daily basis. When you’re starting out, you can analyze your data or outsource it to see what position your data is in. I don’t recommend anyone even launching a site if you don’t have your data in a better place than where you started,” said Dan Dungan, NAED Chair and Springfield Electric’s Executive Chairman.
• Dungan noted that there are industry-wide efforts to improve data coming from vendors. IDEA just released its 2018 eBusiness Standards Update, created by dozens of electrical manufacturers and distributor eBusiness experts.
I encourage you to read the full article at tED Magazine.
Sonia Coleman works at the intersection of marketing + technology. She helps marketing teams and leaders build credibility, share successes and increase leads. Reach her at neuconcept.com/contact.
