Aftermarket Insider Issue 70 - (Page 20)

Thomas Beer of Interamerican Motor Corporation on ACES and IPO Benefits to the business IMC’s utilization of the AAIA Catalog Enhanced Standard (ACES) is mission critical to the business. It all starts with cataloging the import parts the aftermarket needs quickly. IMC has seen an improved speed to market with new products and increased coverage since adopting ACES. We think that the quality of our catalog data is just as important as the quality of our parts. Having good data in a format the industry understands results in more people wanting our programs which results in more sales. Current and potential customers are looking to quickly find high quality import parts for their applications and efficiently order them through a standard e-commerce channel without interrupting their own business flow. During the last three to four years we began moving when we realized that in order to keep our customers satisfied IMC needed to be on top of the information chain and we invested heavily in our systems and data. We couldn’t afford to move in this technological direction just to find out that industry was going somewhere else. Using the industry standards gives me additional peace of mind knowing that we are making the right investments in our future that will enable growth long term. In addition, we have built standards based interfaces with our key ordering channels that are faster and reliably integrated with the latest web services technologies. IMC is continuing to build a Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) layer to our systems landscape. Our participation in the AAIA Technology Standards committee means we don’t have to go it alone. We are able to utilize industry best practices and find faster ways to build solutions by utilizing AAIA technical standards. With the Internet Parts Ordering (IPO) standard, IMC has experienced a lower cost to maintain connections with our customers. In the Automotive Aftermarket the accuracy and completeness of product data matters. At IMC we urge our suppliers to invest in managing their catalog and product data in compliance with AAIA technology standards. Learn more at www.aftermarket.org/ technology. Thomas Beer President and CEO Interamerican Motor Corporation (IMC) About the author: Thomas Beer is President and CEO of Interamerican Motor Corporation (IMC). Founded in 1962, IMC is a leading importer and distributor of European and Asian OEM, and Aftermarket replacement auto parts. Headquartered in Canoga Park, California, IMC has more than 500 employees and operates branches nationwide. IMC’s import part program development cycle is never ending as we continually work to improve the efficiency and experience for our customers, to ensure the timely ordering and delivery of the replacement parts they need. IMC continues to be an automotive aftermarket leader in the adoption of new technologies to put our customers in the best position to be successful. For more information go to www.imcparts.com. Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA) :: 7101 Wisconsin Ave., Suite 1300, Bethesda, MD 20814 Web: www.aftermarket.org/technology :: E-mail: technology@aftermarket.org http://www.aftermarket.org/technology http://www.aftermarket.org/Technology/Executive-Perspectives.aspx http://www.imcparts.com http://www.imcparts.com http://www.aftermarket.org/technology

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Aftermarket Insider Issue 70

Aftermarket Insider Issue 70
Contents
President’s Message
Market Intelligence
Digital Aftermarket Factbook 2012
Car Care in California
Member Profile
Toolbox: Employee Morale
Inside Legislation
Green Highlight
Technology Update
Market Intelligence
Executive Perspective
AAPEX News

Aftermarket Insider Issue 70