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Ten Observed Trends Ken Sinclair, Editor |
If
you had asked me one year ago if |
Our new Industry eCom Directory resulted from a review of several e-com sites.
Below are ten observed trends followed by a few of my own thoughts on eCom for our industry.
[an error occurred while processing this directive]eCom
is been first embraced by the bit suppliers of our industry.
eCom appears to be of the most use to the companies that supply the incredible
number of components necessary to automate buildings. These bit suppliers
have the task of reaching the greatest number of system manufacturers and
their respective installing contractors in a timely and cost effective
manner. This is not an easy task. Clients want shorter supply times
and lower prices and eCom allows suppliers to greatly multiply their existing
efforts. In addition, they can meet the common goal of "just in time supply"
to help maintain their clients' profit margins.
eCom
is occurring even though companies are not prepared for its arrival
Just because you do not have an eCom system do not think eCommerce will
not happen. Underground eCom systems are evolving. Emails orders, with attached purchase orders in PDF format start to rapidly raise
havoc with traditional paper trail systems. Email orders to several
employees are difficult to manage and trace. I know of no one who would
refuse orders of this type so do not believe that you can ignore the eCom
phenomenon.
Automatic
quotation generation is a large part of eCom for the industry
The ability to generate quotations on line based on quantity, dealer
discount, and delivery requirements can greatly amplify the salesperson's
time. I feel that our clients are ready to accept eQuotes. The ability to
get information 24 hours a day is becoming an expected feature of a
company.
Ability
to order 24 hours a day becomes increasing important
For busy installing contractors the ability to order equipment after
normal work hours becomes an extremely added value feature. Online self help technical support and
online
email support are also of great value.
Secure
B2B eCom increases manufacturing companies value
Manufacturers of equipment who provide password protected eCom to their
dealers greatly enhance their company value as dealers have access to order
products, plus complete corporate technical services 24 hours a day.
The 24 hour service is extremely important when dealer and manufacturer
operate in different time zones. (No pun intended.)
The
importance of Manufacturers location relative to rapid shipping routes increases
As more and more products are ordered from the factory the stocking
location relative to rapid shipping routes, airports,
etc becomes more important. Property management firms are expecting warehouse
spaces near airports to be at a premium as rapid conversion to eCom occurs.
[an error occurred while processing this directive]Distribution
chain function changes
Distributors will play less of a role in assembling orders for
equipment but will still provide local product support and may still
provide local product stocking. Some of the new companies who presently do
not have a distribution chain will supply products from a central location
without a local representative. Good virtual support at the central
location will reduce local representative/distributors function but not
eliminate it. I feel that as their required task is reduced an opportunity
will exist for existing distributors and manufacturers representative to
take on the support of more products.
Visa
and MasterCard are used for eCredit
Existing eCredit vehicles will be used to allow rapid approval of
credit for eCom. This is of particular value to the bit suppliers who are
dealing with more and more independent contractors. Online credit
application forms are normally available on most sites to allow purchase
orders and traditional purchases to occur.
Online
Catalogs are integral part of eCom site
The advantages of an online catalog are enormous. The ability to post
price changes, new products and have them all available instantly to your
clients eliminates many of the problems of the past. Tight integration of
the catalog with the eCommerce greatly simplifies purchase. The tight
integration of engineering specifications and dimension information usually
in downloadable PDF format great simplifies distribution of this critical
information and allows printing on demand anywhere.
eCom
Catalogs and order entry system are also supplied on CD for off line use
The ability to transfer the complete eCom system including catalogs
and engineering data to CD for off line use by clients greatly enhances the
total eCom investment. When web connection is provided stored orders can
be sent and pricing updates provided. The ability to decouple from the net
allows the virtual catalog to retain the portability that we have come to expect.
In addition to my 10 observations read the article "the 10 Driving Principles of the New Economy" on Business 2.0's website. I feel these principles provide even greater insight to the changes that are now upon us.
The New Economy is being driven by a profound development: individuals and companies worldwide are being electronically linked, a process as significant as an organism developing a nervous system. So it's no surprise that the rules of the game are changing. Many of these principles have been stated before. But taken together they constitute a revolution in the rules of business. They are the basis upon which Business 2.0 is founded.Check them out for yourself.
www.business2.com/content/research/principles/2000/03/01/14842
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