Attend our May 5, 2021 10 AM PT webinar and learn about AutoFitmentPlus, a complete and fully integrated solution designed to manage your entire automotive aftermarket business effectively and efficiently from end-to-end. It is built on top of Acumatica Cloud ERP and incorporates resources that make it easy to identify parts in an industry-standard manner.
Please register here.
When we started down this Automotive Aftermarket road, we had no idea it would lead to the creation of a custom solution like AutoFitmentPlus. But we are happy it did – it is helping our clients have an edge that no other companies have.
How It Began
While working with customers, we realized a major struggle for them was centered around parts database management. Order departments were relying on paper catalogs or were looking up parts on multiple websites, which was frustrating and time-consuming. Not only were they spending more time taking orders, but they ran a bigger risk of selling incompatible parts to their customers. Which at a minimum disappoints the customer and results in costly returns. At worst, it can cost them their business. There had to be a better way.
The Birth of Fitment for Acumatica
As you know, managing fitment information is an ongoing process. Vehicle standards change often. Without an integrated solution, you are left to manually maintain your auto parts database. Not only is it a huge task, but it is prone to errors and creates a lag in accurate data, paving the way for a bad customer experience.
Additionally, customers often search for parts by brand, not realizing that there can be auto parts that fit multiple brands of vehicles.
We realized an integrated fitment lookup that connects to your web store would allow you to educate your customers on how to search and serve up more compatible options. This also keeps them on your site, buying auto parts from you instead of your competition.
We developed and launched our fitment solution earlier this year, which allows you to quickly and easily look up fitment data by year, make, model, and other filters like trim and engine type. And did we mention that it connects to shopping cart? You can also quickly create new items with images, color options, finishes, descriptions, specs and manufacturer’s data with just a few clicks.
The Evolution to AutoFitmentPlus
We know there’s always room for improvement. So, we took our Fitment product to our clients for testing and recommendations. They did not disappoint. We came away from those meetings and conversations with a host of recommended features. And we got to work.
The expanded AutoFitmentPlus tool has the go-to reference specification tables: ACES (Aftermarket Catalog Exchange Standard) and PIES (Product Information Exchange Standard) built right into it, allowing fast, easy file preparation and transmission and seamless direct access to the data.
How Good is AutoFitmentPlus?
When we talk about the features with any current or potential client, you can feel their interest grow. It’s no longer an ERP solution and our knowledge around how to implement. It’s a passion for the automotive industry that has resulted in a truly unique offering, designed from the ground up to save you time, money, and frustration.
We are 80% through phase I of development, so we are still a bit away from launching, but this product builds on a solid foundation of the fitment functionality we already created, and promises much more, including:
Why Did We Focus on the Automotive Aftermarket?
We have a passion for classic cars, fast cars and the racing industry. This love of cars and racing started a generation ago and it continues with me, my brother and my son. It’s one of the reasons people choose us over anyone else. It’s why we find it easy and actually fun to help automotive aftermarket industry. It’s why we’re continually updating and improving our solution to make sure it provides everything our clients need.
Get to know us a little better…peruse our gallery of photos, and lots of other handy resources on our Acumatica Automotive page.
Stop “Getting By” with an Outdated Fitment Process
And start using a solution that eliminates errors and takes guesswork out of fitting parts to vehicles. A solution that won’t cost a fortune, take forever to deploy, or be hard to use. A solution that:
Take a tour of our fitment module, and let us know what you think! Your comments could lead to an even better solution!
One of the biggest benefits to using Acumatica Cloud ERP is the fact that you always have included access to the latest, greatest updates to your ERP with no additional maintenance fees. Even better – Acumatica puts the power in your hands as to when you want to activate new updates, so you can make sure you get the latest features when you’re ready for them.
Curious to see what you can do with the newly released Acumatica 2021 R1? In this great, hands-on webinar, the award-winning experts over at PC Bennett walk you through the biggest changes and how you can make them work for your business. Watch the webinar now.
In this video, our expert Tim O’Sullivan leads you through the step-by-step processes you can take to activate, use, and configure the best new features and functions in Acumatica 2021 R1. Feel free to skip forward to the parts that matter most to you.
Get the cheat sheet from Tim with all these features listed in order!
As you can see, there is a lot to learn from this in-depth webinar from PC Bennett. One thing we didn’t cover in the video (but that we feel is one of the biggest updates to Acumatica 2021 R1) is that this latest version of the Cloud ERP now delivers native integration to Shopify and BigCommerce.
If you’re already using either of these eCommerce platforms, please get in touch with PC Bennett to learn how you can save time and improve accuracy in your webstore transactions with Acumatica.
PC Bennett Solutions offers a personalized, full-service experience for customers by implementing business management technology. Through a hands-on approach, PC Bennett Solutions helps companies get the most out of their software system. The team provides training, implementation and customization of Acumatica. Headquartered in the Seattle area, PC Bennett Solutions is one of the largest exclusive Acumatica resellers. For more information, visit www.pcbennett.com.
Everybody loves spreadsheets, right?
Spreadsheets are cheap, easy, and convenient — and often frequently contain errors — from a miscopied formula (or a formula initially entered incorrectly) to simple typos. They also require a lot of administrative upkeep and endless formatting.
Perhaps worst of all is that frustrating spreadsheet issue where all the spreadsheets are accurate and well-formatted — but you look at the wrong version (or the correct, but un-updated, version) by mistake and act on out-of-date information.
It’s time to talk about how to get rid of your auto parts inventory spreadsheets forever.
Spreadsheet irritations are one of the biggest issues in growing companies. However, most business leaders are so used to dealing with spreadsheet hassles that they cannot fully imagine how much time and energy they could save if they simply replaced their spreadsheets with a better tool.
Most growing automotive aftermarket manufacturers and distributors choose to replace those pesky spreadsheets with an ERP solution.
Here is why:
ERP systems are typically set up to automatically integrate your auto parts inventory information from sales orders/shipping and purchase orders/receiving data. ERP users rarely have to manually update stock counts, which significantly cuts down on errors.
Modern ERPs are built to display your auto parts inventory information properly on any device: a desktop, a laptop, a warehouse display monitor, a tablet, a phone, or even a handheld scanner – with no formatting tweaks required.
With an ERP, you can trust that you, your staff, and your customers are seeing up-to-the-second inventory data at all times, whether they’re looking at your eCommerce store website, a computer in your brick-and-mortar locations, or a mobile device.
The best way to determine which ERP will meet your needs is to work with an ERP consultant who will help you perform a fair and balanced assessment of all your ERP options.
Here are a few pointers to help you start thinking about your needs before your ERP consultation:
Ensure that the solution you choose:
AutoFitmentPlus powered by Acumatica is the automotive ERP designed by auto enthusiasts for auto enthusiasts – and it is also one of the most comprehensive automotive aftermarket ERP solutions on the market.
Developed by PC Bennett, the high-performance driving and motorsports team of Acumatica experts, AutoFitmentPlus is the right tool for the job when you’re ready to get rid of your auto parts inventory spreadsheet for good.
PC Bennett Solutions offers a personalized, full-service experience for customers by implementing business management technology. Through a hands-on approach, PC Bennett Solutions helps companies get the most out of their software system. The team provides training, implementation and customization of Acumatica. Headquartered in the Seattle area, PC Bennett Solutions is one of the largest exclusive Acumatica resellers. For more information, visit www.pcbennett.com.
If you run an automotive aftermarket manufacturing or distribution business, you deserve a better way to manage your inventory, operations, and financials.
Let’s face it: those homegrown systems and one-off spreadsheets are throttling your business growth – and those paper catalogs? Don’t even get us started on the time-wasting disaster they are.
By this point, you already know that a better ERP would help you grow your business, but you also know that finding the right ERP takes time to spare (which you don’t have). Wouldn’t it be great to learn about the one ERP that clearly stood out from all the rest as the best ERP for the automotive industry?
Let’s talk about Acumatica Cloud ERP.
A leading cloud ERP solution, Acumatica handles every aspect of your automotive aftermarket business from end to end.
From manufacturing to distribution to eCommerce to service and install, Acumatica is the one single system that houses all your data, reducing the effort it takes to manage your company. In other words, Acumatica provides the time-saving tools you need so you can focus on growing your business.
Like all ERPs, Acumatica streamlines traditional time wasters like financial reporting, inventory management, logistics, and sales. You expect that.
However, the reason why Acumatica is the best ERP for the automotive industry is because only Acumatica integrates with the one-of-a-kind automotive aftermarket management solution known as AutoFitmentPlus.
Only available with Acumatica, AutoFitmentPlus is the automotive aftermarket management solution developed by auto enthusiasts for auto enthusiasts.
Combined with Acumatica, this unique tool helps automotive aftermarket manufacturers and distributors:
At PC Bennett, we’re auto enthusiasts. We’re big supporters of the automotive aftermarket industry. We’re also the developers behind AutoFitmentPlus and we’re some of the top Acumatica experts in the world.
We agree that you deserve the best ERP for the automotive industry, and that’s why we built AutoFitmentPlus for Acumatica Cloud ERP.
If you’re ready to grow your business with the best ERP for the automotive industry, contact PC Bennett today.
PC Bennett Solutions offers a personalized, full-service experience for customers by implementing business management technology. Through a hands-on approach, PC Bennett Solutions helps companies get the most out of their software system. The team provides training, implementation and customization of Acumatica. Headquartered in the Seattle area, PC Bennett Solutions is one of the largest exclusive Acumatica resellers. For more information, visit www.pcbennett.com.
You hear the stats all the time – 50% or more of all ERP projects fail to meet their objectives. And the reasons are as varied as the people that use them. One area where many projects stumble is around user acceptance testing (UAT). It may seem like a small part when compared to the setup, configuration and deployment of a solution, but in fact, it is critical to the project’s success.
Communication
PC Bennett takes a very direct approach to communication with our clients, and we start every project kickoff with a thorough outline of the phases the team will need to go through. It includes a frank discussion about the potential pitfalls, including user testing.
Technology is only as effective as the people who use it. If your team doesn’t embrace the change, the project will never realize its ROI.
Auto Action Group
Executive Buy-in
One of the keys to helping users feel comfortable with testing and providing feedback on the new system is having complete support and buy-in from top management. It can come in the form of email communication, company-wide Zoom calls, enlisting department advocates to help reinforce the message, and even gamification with kudos and prizes for those who contribute the most.
Our Customer Auto Action Group, came up with a creative way to make sure their employees test Acumatica, their new ERP system. They started wearing badges to spark conversation about the user testing, “What have you done in Acumatica today?”
”Auto Action, a lot like other companies, get caught up in the day-to-day challenges business presents. We try to find ways to reinforce the need to focus continuously on things outside this daily scope. The badges help us give friendly reminders each day that Acumatica testing needs to be part of those daily tasks.
Jared Cohen (shown here wearing the badge)CEO / Owner, Auto Action Group
I love their creativity and can’t wait to see them live on the software so they can experience all the benefits of running their business on Acumatica Cloud ERP!
Project Snapshot
Auto Action Group started this project right at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, which presented its own challenges. But we approached it with a plan to document their processes with flowcharts and swim lane diagrams, videos of their day-to-day activities, and collaboration tools to keep everyone in sync.
The Project Team
Auto Action Group involved several key team members, including the CEO, from the beginning in the project, which has enabled the success to date. Involvement and buy-in from top management is essential to manage the change that is required of an organization when they upgrade to any new ERP solution.
Key Drivers for Change
Auto Action Group was on a very old DOS-based system, DB3, that just could not keep up with the demands of today’s business, particularly timely and accurate reporting. They also wanted to be on a modern system.
In addition, they were using a home-grown web application for job management.
New System Requirements
The team at Auto Action Group agreed that what they needed was something packaged that could run their business from end to end. A configurable, off-the-shelf application, as they were tired of depending on one person to maintain their legacy system. In addition, they wanted:
Now that Auto Action Group is in the final stretch of their Acumatica deployment, they can see the benefits on the horizon, and are diligently testing and trying out the features.
Keys to Success
Now that the bulk of the project is in the rearview mirror, they had this advice to anyone looking to update their systems.
On September 15, 2020 we announced our automotive database management solution: AutoFitmentPlus. In an effort to better serve automotive aftermarket customers, we developed this comprehensive tool that combines fitment tracking and parts lookup with ACES and PIES reference specification data, packaged into an award-winning ERP system.
AutoFitmentPlus builds on the Fitment functionality that we released earlier this year, and is 80% through Phase I development. You can currently look up fitment for auto parts by year, make, model and other filters, ensuring that they get the right part, every time.
When we asked our customers what they wanted most from a fitment solution, we heard many of them lament having to enter in parts data at least twice, often more than that. Then at the end of the month some of them needed to manually create an Excel spreadsheet to send to SEMA in the PIES format. It was a huge drain on their time each month. AutoFitmentPlus allows customers to enter data ONCE, and then click a button to generate the PIES file they need, in the right format, in minutes.
The expanded AutoFitmentPlus tool has the go-to reference specification tables: ACES (Aftermarket Catalog Exchange Standard) and PIES (Product Information Exchange Standard) built right into it, allowing fast, easy file preparation and transmission and seamless direct access to the data.
“We wanted to help our customers eliminate manual lookups and have an easy way to quickly find parts that match their customers’ requests,” says our Founder, and CEO Patricia Bennett. “Integrating it with ACES and PIES just made sense, and saves our customers so much time and effort. Before AutoFitmentPlus, one customer spent upwards of 12 hours each month preparing their data file for upload to SEMA. Imagine getting that time back every month.”
In addition to parts lookup, the AutoFitmentPlus solution includes:
For subscribing members of the Auto Care Association, AutoFitmentPlus will also ensure the data you have in your ERP system is always up to date.
You can learn more in our AutoFitmentPlus blog post.
“We couldn’t be happier that PC Bennett is developing this automotive database management tool for their Acumatica audience. It speaks to their commitment to the automotive industry, and their depth of knowledge and passion for the fastest growing cloud ERP solution,” — Geoff Ashley, Vice President, Partner Strategy & Programs at Acumatica.
The Cost of Inaccurate Fitment Data
How many times have you had a customer order the wrong part? It sounds like a small thing. But if your order department is relying on paper catalogs or is looking up parts on multiple websites, not only are they spending more time taking orders, but you run a bigger risk of selling incompatible parts to your customers. At the least, it disappoints the customer and results in costly returns. At the worst, it can cost you their business.
As you know, managing your fitment information is an ongoing process. Vehicle standards change often. Without an integrated solution, you are left to manually maintain your database. Not only is it a huge task, but it is prone to errors and creates a lag in accurate data, paving the way for a bad customer experience.
Customers Don’t Realize They Can Search by More Than Brand
Additionally, customers often search for parts by brand, not realizing that there can be parts that fit multiple brands of vehicles. With an integrated fitment lookup that connects to your web store, you can educate your customers on how to search and serve up more compatible options. This will keep them on your site, buying parts from you instead of your competition.
Our fitment solution allows you to quickly and easily look up fitment data by year, make, model, and other filters like trim and engine type. It can be linked to ACES (Aftermarket Catalog Exchange Standard), as well. And did we mention that it connects to shopping cart?
You can also quickly create new items with images, color options, finishes, descriptions, specs and manufacturer’s data with just a few clicks. This will integrate to your shopping cart.
How Good is Our Fitment Solution?
We were demoing the software to a prospective customer last week. You know how those go, you can read the room, even if it is virtual, and feel how interested the audience is. We sensed that they were going through the motions, and hoping to get this final bit of research done so they could go with another product (for whatever reason). That is, until we showed them our fitment feature. Suddenly the energy of the room changed and the engagement level shot up. They were asking questions left and right and wanted to see more of the screens and options. They chose our solution over the rest.
Why Did We Focus on Fitment?
We have a passion for classic cars, fast cars and the racing industry. This love of cars and racing started with my father and it continues with me, my brother and my son. It’s one of the reasons people choose us over anyone else. It’s why we find it easy and actually fun to help automotive aftermarket industry. It’s why we’re continually updating and improving our solution to make sure it provides everything our clients need.
Get to know us a little better…peruse our gallery of photos, and lots of other handy resources on our Acumatica Automotive page.
Stop “Getting By” with an Outdated Fitment Process
And start using a solution that eliminates errors and takes guesswork out of fitting parts to vehicles. A solution that won’t cost a fortune, take forever to deploy, or be hard to use. A solution that:
Take a tour of our fitment module, and let us know what you think!
Patricia Bennett at SEMA 2018 Booth
