The Challenge
Traditionally, suppliers require proprietary file formats to be developed and maintained by their DMS vendors in order to transfer business data between their back-end business systems and their dealers’ business systems.
Even when providing order upload capabilities, large suppliers still must maintain teams of customer service representatives to process phone or fax orders from dealers who do not have a DMS capable of exporting orders in the required file format or who choose not to use such a process. For both small and large suppliers, supporting such manual transaction channels can result in additional labor costs, delays in order entry, and increased margin for error when keying in the order.
Manual processes can result in less-than-ideal customer service at dealerships. Most dealers aggregate orders and process them at the end of the day, meaning that a customer may not know when an order will arrive at the time it is placed. Instead, he or she must wait for the order to arrive and the dealer to call, or wait for the dealer to check order status at a later time and then contact the customer with a target ship date or back-order status. Either way, the difficulties that dealers face in submitting and managing orders take time away from more valuable activity such as new sales.
The Opportunity
Because of the high level of manual effort and potential for error involved in transactions between dealers and suppliers today, the application of modern technology presents a significant opportunity for improved efficiency and cost savings. Potential benefits extend beyond the communication of orders because similar inefficiencies are present in processes for product registration, warranty claims, repair orders, and other common transactions.
The PSP Benefit
Many suppliers could lower their costs by reducing the pieces of paper, faxes, and emails it requires to conduct business manually with their dealers.
PSP does not make the existing interface suppliers already have with the dealer via a website or web-based dealer communication system obsolete. PSP enables the dealer’s business management system to connect directly to the supplier’s business system for common industry business transactions.
In summary, PSP provides suppliers with:
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An industry standard solution driven by supplier requirements
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Increased efficiency and productivity gains
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Reduced training costs
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Improved customer service at a lower cost
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More accurate data
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Potential for more efficient technology planning, development and deployment
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Ability to automatically communicate changes to their interface with PSP compliant business system vendors
Dealers are highly motivated to send transactions to you via their dealership management system. They appreciate the ability to provide quicker and more cost effective service to their retail customers when doing business with PSP Certified suppliers.
Contact Information
Please call 949.727.4211 x 3159 or e-mail us at psp@mic.org to begin the process.