Success Stories

Distributors like using Activant Trading Partner Connect to work with M.A. Ford, says Rick Doerr, North American sales manager at the Iowa-based manufacturer of high-performance end mills, drills, and reamers.

How does he know? The numbers say it all: According to Doerr, sales revenue from distributors using the Internet trading network to do business with M.A. Ford have grown at about three times the rate of the average distributor not using Trading Partner Connect.

Distributors using Trading Partner Connect appreciate the ability to check stock price and availability and place orders from their enterprise software solutions. "They don't have to call our customer service reps to find out if we have what they need, how much it costs, and when we can ship it," Doerr says. "Instead, orders flow right from their system into ours, and they get automatic confirmations. It's that simple."

Their Competitive Advantage

Trading Partner Connect, Activant's Internet trading network, streamlines the commerce process between distributors, manufacturers/suppliers, and end-users, thereby increasing sales and improving customer service while reducing operating costs. "Trading Partner Connect takes a lot of manual steps out of the process, which eliminates the chance for errors, which improves order accuracy and service," Doerr says.

Because Trading Partner Connect removes so many touches from each transaction, M.A. Ford realizes time- and money-savings from each order that passes through the network. Doerr estimates that the average order M.A. Ford receives via a fax or phone costs the company about $32 when labor expenses are factored into the cost of the transaction. "Order entry, expediting, and delivery tracking costs that have to be figured into it," he explains.

The cost for an order that arrives at M.A. Ford through Trading Partner Connect is about $6 - or more than 80 percent less than through traditional methods. "The savings are very substantial," Doerr reveals.

Would Doerr and other M.A. Ford executives recommend Trading Partner Connect to a distributor partner? "Of course," says Doerr. "It saves everyone involved time and money." Would they make the same recommendation to a competitor? "Absolutely not," laughs Doerr. "Trading Partner Connect is our competitive advantage, and we don't want everyone to be on equal footing with us."

For more information about Activant's solutions and services, please call 1-800-776-7438, press 1, e-mail info@p21.com, or visit www.p21.com

For more information on Activant's enterprise software solutions, please fill out our Web Contact Form.

Back to Top

Back to Top