This Week in IDEA | February 28, 2007

New IDEA Customer: Green Mountain ES

Green Mountain Electric Supply, Inc., an electrical distributor from Newport, VT, became an IDEA customer on February 22, 2007. Green Mountain ES distributes to industrial, commercial, contractors and home builder accounts throughout northern Vermont and New Hampshire. They will be taking advantage of the cost saving features and reliability of the Industry Data Exchange (IDX2). Green Mountain ES is a proud member of NAED. To learn more about Green Mountain Electric Supply, Inc., please visit them here. Welcome aboard!

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New IRD/CERICOMX® Customers

IDEA, a 1SYNC Data Pool On-Board Solution (OBS) partner, implements suppliers that subscribe to the 1SYNC data pool using IDEA's IRD CERICOMX application. IDEA was recently assigned the following suppliers:

- Request Foods, Inc.
- Great American Puzzle Factory, Inc.
- Hawaiian Host, Inc.
- Seattle Gourmet Foods
- Sioux Chief Manufacturing

These companies will be trained to use IRD CERICOMX®, an IDEA branded product for supporting and uploading supplier product information into the GS1 Registry® and GDSN via the 1SYNC Data Pool.

If you would like to learn more about the CERICOMX® product, please contact John Etrie, IDEA IRD Product Manager, here or at (703) 562-4624; or Tony Gaffney, IDEA CERICOMX® Implementation Manager, here or at (508) 386-0261.

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IDEA Customers Sign Up for Additional Solution

The following IDEA customers recently signed up to use the Industry Data Exchange (IDX2) and take advantage of its cost saving features and reliability:

- ERICO
- Service Electric Supply

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March IDW2 Training Calendar

IDEA continues to offer distributor and manufacturer trainings, all-users’ Q&A sessions and Net Pricing sessions. The March calendar for these trainings are:

IDW2 Distributor Training Sessions:

Wednesday, March 7, 2007: 1:30 – 3:00PM
Wednesday, March 21, 2007: 1:30 – 3:00PM

General Net-Pricing Sessions (open to all):

Thursday, March 8, 2007: 1:30 – 2:00PM
Thursday, March 22, 2007: 1:30 – 2:00PM

All-user Ask the IDW2 Experts Q&A Sessions:

Wednesday, March 14, 2007: 1:30 – 3:00PM
Wednesday, March 28, 2007: 1:30 – 3:00PM

IDW2 Manufacturer Training Sessions:

Thursday, March 1, 2007: 1:30 – 3:30PM
Thursday, March 15, 2007: 1:30 – 3:30PM
Thursday, March 29, 2007: 1:30-3:30PM

If you plan on attending an Ask the IDW2 Experts session, it is recommended, but not mandatory, to e-mail questions in advance, as those questions will be addressed first.

These sessions will aim to help you:
o Resolve your IDW2 issues
o Learn from those in your industry
o Find out how your supplier or distributor is using the IDW2

Additional training sessions are announced each month in This Week in IDEA.

To sign up for a training session, please contact Robert Hollands, IDW2 Training and Technical Representative, at 703-562-4616.

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eBusiness Strategies

What It Takes To Capitalize On E-Business in the Global Market

Sales is at the core of any e-business strategy and since sales is the key ingredient it is important to get that strategy right. Companies should get started by stepping outside the organization and taking a good long look at the business from your customers/trading partners’ perspective.

Companies use e-business solutions so that their company can have direct interactions without compromising their internal ERP and CRM investments. Companies have also been able to optimize the e-business solutions by selling products and services via the Web self service that is integrated to the call center and sales process; speeding new product introductions; entering new markets and coordinating with all their partners.

There are several important aspects for a successful e-business strategy.

1. Make it easy for customers and partners. Do business how and when they want.
2. Provide customers with a unified buying experience across all channels.
3. Create a unique environment with guided selling and configuration capabilities.
4. Facilitate core sales processes such as leveraging up sell and cross sell opportunities.
5. Be partner inclusive making sure the strategy incorporates the business needs of key partners.
6. Get you business data in the market in the most cost effective means possible enabling your distributors, customers and trading partners access to accurate and current product information, real time pricing and availability.
7. Do not rely on one solution to meet your e-business objectives and take advantage of every method to get business information to your trading partners and customers. A web only solution does not equate to e-business success.
8. Create and provide enriched catalog product information and high resolution product images. A $60 product will sell more than a lower priced similar if there is more information available.
9. Adopt and implement EDI or equivalent file formats to make purchasing products easier and quicker. As a minimum your company should be able to send and receive a purchase order, a purchase order acknowledgement, advanced shipping notice, invoice and electronic fund transfer or payment. Any electronic documents above this set is all order management gain.
10. Whether you are a manufacturer or distributor develop an internal company data management and process plan ensuring that all your product and pricing information is current, accurate and usable by your customers and partners.

If you follow these 10 tips your customers are more satisfied because it is easy and seamless for them to do business with you resulting in increased sales, greater productivity, improved customer service and lower operating costs.

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Webinar: The ROI of Product Data Quality

You are invited to attend a free Webinar: The ROI of Product Data Quality

- Is inaccurate product data hurting your business?
- Are you supporting supply chain data synchronization requirements?
- Learn the business benefits of product data quality

What: The ROI of Product Data Quality

When: Tuesday, March 13th at 1:00pm EST

Speakers: Marco Ziegler and Benny Hagood, Accenture; Andy Fedun, FullTilt

Many companies are challenged with inconsistent product information. Does your organization spend more time reconciling product data than it does analyzing it? Join us for this free webinar and learn how to define the business case.

Product information challenges include:
• Multiple systems for managing product information for internal and external use
• Supporting supply chain data synchronization initiatives
• Driving accurate product data for eCommerce initiatives
• New product introduction delays
What You Will Learn:
• How to identify the business value of integrating Data Synchronization and Data Quality initiatives
• How well your company is ready to support supply chain data sync initiatives with quality data
• What current technology and best practices can help you achieve a competitive advantage
• What is PIM and how it supports data quality through internal and external synchronization

Register Now!

Visit us online at www.fulltilt.com or call (610) 727-5200.

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