Success Stories

When System Administrator Bryan Menard and the executives at Menard Electronics, an industrial automation and controls distributor based in Louisiana, decided to join Activant Trading Partner Connect, they did so for a unique reason. While most distributors join to form relationships and unload dead stock, all Menard Electronics wanted were EDI capabilities.

At the time, Menard Electronics' number two vendor was requiring all of their distributors to use EDI, which forced the company to adopt a capable solution. When it came time to choose one, the finalists were a dedicated EDI solution and Trading Partner Connect, and according to Menard, the decision was a "no-brainer."

"Trading Partner Connect had everything the EDI solution had and more, for about the same price," explains Menard. "When we factored in the VPN connection to Activant and the ability to source other distributors for product, we really saw the value in joining the network."

An Internet trading network for distributors, Trading Partner Connect expedites sourcing, expands geographic reach, and streamlines transactions between distributors and manufacturers. Through the network, distributors can access millions of items, enabling them to compete on a larger scale and improve customer service.

Better Pricing and Terms

After Menard Electronics got set up for EDI through Trading Partner Connect, they began exploring some of its primary features, which include establishing relationships and rationalizing items in their inventory. Says Menard, "Once we got set up and I browsed around for a bit, I was able to find a bunch of industrial distributors that deal in the same lines as us."

In addition to allowing distributors to choose with whom they do business, Trading Partner Connect also rationalizes items, which enables members to use their own item codes by matching their inventories against a catalog with millions of items, thus streamlining communications for trading partners.

According to Menard, since joining Trading Partner Connect, Menard Electronics has been able to get some good deals on electronic tools by sourcing through the network. "Our tool sales are very limited compared to a full-line industrial distributor, and since our volume is lower, our prices are higher," explains Menard. "Lately, we've been able to purchase these tools at better prices directly from distributors over the network."

In addition to better pricing, Menard often gets better freight terms from Trading Partner Connect members than he would from his vendors, and he avoids manufacturer minimums. "Tools don't move that quickly in the electrical industry," says Menard, "so I'd rather just buy what I know we'll sell, and not have a bunch of slow-moving stock forced on us by minimums."

A Private Connection

Another feature of Trading Partner Connect Menard Electronics has found beneficial is the virtual private network (VPN) connection to Activant. According to Menard, the instantaneous connection provided by the VPN has streamlined the support he receives from Activant.

To illustrate, he tells a story about his solution getting shut down during a power outage, and how he was able to initiate a restart from the road. "We had an hour and a half left in the business day and no one on site who could restart the solution," remembers Menard, "so I called Activant from my cell phone. They were able to get into our system through the VPN and get it up and running, so we didn't have to lose any business."

Summing up his experience with Trading Partner Connect, Menard is happy with the benefits he has seen, but feels there is more he could be doing on the network. "We're still in the infancy phase," he says, "but we've seen so many benefits already, from reduced paperwork to fewer minimums. It's like we've opened up a bunch of new branches across the country."

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