Success Stories

There at the Start

How often do you hear someone say, "If only I'd thought of that," in regards to an innovative product or service? From drive-thru windows to online video stores, every new trend that emerges elicits a chorus of regrets from people who wish they'd had the foresight to cash in.

When it comes to the concept of distributors trading stock with each other, Mike Baker had thought of it, and so had many of his industry peers and buying group colleagues - they just didn't have the means to make it happen. "We were all carrying the same types of stock, so we knew the potential for trading was there," says Baker. "We just needed an easy way to do it."

That's when the president of Quality Mill Supply Company discovered Trading Partner Connect, Activant's Internet trading network for distributors and manufacturers/suppliers. A general line MRO distributor specializing in cutting tools and abrasives, Quality Mill was quick to join, becoming a Beta member of the network in 2001.

Spotty Business

With 40 percent of Quality Mill's business revolving around spot buys, Baker is grateful that Trading Partner Connect prevents them from having to break packages or order surplus stock. "We're able to buy smaller quantities from other distributors without being penalized or having to reach minimums," he explains. "That means we can get miscellaneous products to our customers more quickly than through traditional means of purchasing - that's a big increase in customer service."

In addition to sourcing other distributors for spot buys, Baker has found that some of the manufacturers he works with allow Quality Mill to buy broken packages if the orders are placed via Trading Partner Connect. "We're able to achieve faster purchase and turnaround times for our customers, and we don't have to buy more stock than we need," says Baker.

"Trading Partner Connect does keep us from building up surplus, but the dead stock we do have doesn't stick around," he continues. "In fact, we sold enough dead stock in our first year of membership to pay for our investment."

Trading Experience

Reflecting on the way Trading Partner Connect has evolved over the years, Baker says that communications with manufacturers/suppliers have been "almost flawless from the beginning," but he has been impressed with how the network continues to grow.

"The number of trading partners has increased dramatically, and they keep adding manufacturers," remarks Baker. "The bigger the network gets - the more people who are out there trading inventory - the more likely we all are to find a match when we have a need or find a home for some stock we'd like to move."

With more than 30 trading partners through the network, Quality Mill is a true veteran of Trading Partner Connect, and Baker often finds himself speaking about his company's successes to prospective members. In such situations, he stresses the importance of achieving complete buy-in from your staff and maintaining accurate stock information on the network's hub.

"We run across people sometimes who either haven't integrated Trading Partner Connect into their daily routines, or if they have, they might be classifying their items incorrectly, which prevents them from seeing much activity," concludes Baker. "The good thing is, they don't have to do it all themselves - there are people at Activant who will definitely help them get the most out of it."

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