Online ordering steps up parts delivery to dealers
By Staff -- Purchasing, 1/15/1998
Toshiba America Information System's Electronic Imaging Division now offers its 350 dealers an Internet-based purchasing network for all its products. EID unveiled the network in conjunction with the first anniversary celebration of its Memphis, Tenn., copier and facsimile distribution center.Designed to make parts and supplies ordering easier for its dealers, Internet FYI will replace a DOS-based system the company had been providing for the past four years over the GE Information Services network. About 95% of Toshiba's dealers are now online.
"We're continuing to look for ways to improve the service we provide our customers, and we see Internet FYI as a major step toward that end," says Brian Merriman, vice president and general manager. "Coupled with our overnight parts delivery, we are rapidly approaching having 'parts on demand' for all Toshiba dealers."
The company guarantees delivery as early as the following morning for Internet orders for parts placed by 5PM the day before. Ordering information goes to Toshiba's warehouse/distribution center in Memphis. Products then are transferred to FedEx's nearby hub for immediate shipment.
Toshiba has provided each of its dealers with a customized Netscape browser and local Internet access from mci. When necessary, dealers also received a discounted Toshiba notebook computer provided by the copier and fax manufacturer's sister division.
"We wanted to make this as user friendly as possible for our dealers to enable their transition to the Internet," says Lisa Richard, vice president of business planning & operations. "By using the Internet, with mci providing access, dealers will be familiarizing themselves with the way business is now being done. True electronic commerce means doing business over the Web. It's important that our dealers are familiar with and comfortable with digital technology and inter-connected products."
By moving to the Internet, Toshiba estimates annual online selling expenses will be reduced by more than 50%--from $3.1 million for the GE system to $600,000 for Internet FYI. "But cost savings wasn't the overwhelming factor in our decision to go with the Internet," says Richard. "By switching our online purchasing method, we'll free up customer service representatives to concentrate on responding faster to concerns of our dealers."
The new system not only offers purchasing of all Toshiba EID products, it also will provide users with up-to-date account information, product and promotions information, training schedules, and improved bulletin board for technical advice, direct e-mail access to EID employees, and other links to the resources available on the World Wide Web.
Using a point-and-click format, dealers can easily travel from function to function with the aid of FYI's graphical user interface. This site will have links to Toshiba's corporate web site as well as its recently introduced office manager web site. In addition, a series of "cool links" such as the sites of analysts, a new technology, or even technical service documentation will be offered, with new links being listed on a regular basis. Tel: 1-800-GO-TOSHIBA; Web page: copier.toshiba.com or fax.toshiba.com.
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