Spare parts ordering takes a new approach

Spare parts ordering takes a new approach

In summer 2021, TecAlliance, data specialist for the automotive aftermarket, launched an initiative to continually improve catalog data. In workshops with parts manufacturers and wholesalers, the needs of the market were taken into account and a new set of rules was developed for data suppliers. This ensures the highest precision, standardization and clarity in the TecDoc data with sophisticated key performance indicators (KPIs). The Carat group of companies, which now also includes the local wholesaler Birner, is one of the largest independent automotive parts cooperations in the German market and has been using TecDoc data as the basis for a variety of digital applications for its own shareholders and their customers since the 1990s. Carat develops service platforms that offer added value for wholesalers and workshop customers alike and must take the interests and requirements of both groups into account. The increasing importance of e-commerce brings with it changes, even if the classic three-tier sales structure still exists in the automotive aftermarket.

Benjamin Kleiner, Team Leader Data Management / Project Manager PIM & Shop at the CARAT Group, explains why data quality is a crucial factor for sustainable success in the independent automotive aftermarket: "We know that B2B has its own complex sales structures. Similar to companies in the B2C environment, however, today we see workshops more as end consumers. The workshop employees and vehicle masters think and behave like end customers when ordering parts. The distinction between B2B and B2C is disappearing more and more, which is a challenge for us.” In the independent automotive aftermarket, purchasing conditions and product availability remain crucial to the success of wholesalers. However, due to developments in e-commerce, data is becoming another crucial success factor.

"It's not price that is the key to success in e-commerce, but data and services. We believe that competitive prices bring short-term success, but in the long term, excellent data and services are more important. It's about how products can be found and recommended," explains Kleiner. The rise of large e-commerce platforms is causing profound changes to which wholesalers must respond. The platforms have built up a technical lead in recent years, but wholesalers are developing their own strategies. "I believe that a large part of our success is based on our deep knowledge and market knowledge. We have this knowledge, but less technology than the major e-commerce platforms. Therefore, we must develop systems to optimally use this knowledge and present it to the market. Those retailers that have reliable data and the best systems have the best chance of surviving in the coming years," said Kleiner.

Only with clear and precise data can the workshop identify vehicles and the associated spare parts quickly and accurately. The success of online platforms therefore depends directly on the quality of the available data: based on the product information, the customer must be able to make an informed purchase decision and buy the right spare part. The TecDoc standard and TecAlliance's measures to increase data quality (Data Quality Management - DQM) support all players in the automotive aftermarket to increase their sales and reduce returns.