Distribution
"Honestly, within our space there aren't a ton of apps,"
said Kevin Schubert, TTI's vice president of global Internet business, Ft. Worth, Tex. "There are a lot of mobile- optimized websites and functionality, but there aren't a lot of true mobile iOS and Android apps, although we do see that expanding as we move forward."
"Parts search is the driver on our website and mobile
application," said Shubert. But he believes that using apps to place and track orders is where the industry is headed.
"We're trying to engage with our customers in a variety
of platforms," said Schubert. "Ultimately, the customers decide how they want to engage with the distributor and the supply chain and we want to be wherever they are. This means by phone, email, conversation with a sales rep, or self service on the mobile device, mobile website, or full website," he added.
TTI recently added a barcode scanning feature to its Android app
that allows customers to search parts by scanning the part number barcodes by TTI's part numbers and manufacturer part numbers. Customers who are registered for TTI's ezBuy Web service can use the app to scan customer part number barcodes.
Taking the barcode scanning feature one step further, Heilind
Electronics offers tablet-based kanban programs. Currently, about 150 to 200 customers use the program.
"Kanban and JIT programs have been part of our industry for many
years. In the 1990s we started giving customers barcode scanners that could communicate to home base via a modem hookup, which was very popular," said Paul Burkholder, director of marketing and communications, Heilind Electronics Inc., Cleveland, Ohio. "The semi- intelligent scanners allowed customers to walk through the stockroom, scan barcodes and send a replenishment order to Heilind via the barcode scan."
"We've replaced those barcode scanners with tablets," said Burkholder. "While most any web-enabled device with a camera
26 | January/February 2013
"I like the idea that our app is designed for speed and convenience rather than designed to push people to our site," said John Sanders, vice president of supply chain management at Avnet Electronics Marketing Americas.
could perform this task, our preference is to provide the customer with a tablet already configured to scan barcodes using the camera on the back of the tablet."
Looking ahead, Burkholder
agreed that providing supply chain data will be the next step in the evolution of mobile connectivity in the
distribution channel. "We are as much a distributor of information as we are a distributor of components. Both our customers and suppliers rely on us for information that matters to them," said Burkholder.
"Our challenge and task is to make sure that the information they
want is available how they want to collect it, whether it's from a smart phone, tablet or PC," he added.
Distributors see value in allowing their purchasing customers to
monitor their supply chain activities from mobile devices. Avnet Electronics Marketing, for example, is one of the few distributors that allow purchasers and procurement professionals to monitor their day-to-day supply chain tasks via mobile apps. The key drivers were to provide its customers with more options, speed and convenience.
"We wanted to give them the ability to self-serve. The new
generation is processing a little different than when I grew up," said John Sanders, vice president of supply chain management at Avnet Electronics Marketing Americas, Phoenix, Ariz. "They are really on the fly; tablets are everywhere. It made sense to give them a tool where they can get information on the go."
Avnet offers mobile apps for its Supply Chain Central (SCC) and
POURS supply chain management services. The SCC mobile application allows users to check on their supply chain activities
www.electronics-sourcing.com
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36