Interview
Improving customer service with data
Bryony Andrews, EW Editor, speaks to Richard Appleton, Head of Digitalisation at the EDA
What have been some of your milestone EDATA achievements in the past 12 months?
We have a total of 86 manufacturer members now, and we are focusing on on-boarding our new members and continuing to work with our existing members to support them on their data journey.
We also had record attendance at the last Steering Group meeting, with even more of our manufacturers and wholesaler sponsors joining as Steering Group members.
A recent highlight for us was winning the award for Innovation of the Year at the Trade Association Forum Awards, for the EDATA data pool. I believe we won this because we are addressing real, practical problems for our members. Technology can be esoteric, but what we’re doing - helping businesses to progress on their digital journey - provides immediate benefi t, on a practical level, by driving digital and multi- channel sales. As well as more sales, EDATA also helps wholesalers improve their customer service. Better data equals better customer service.
What/how have you invested in the EDATA pool in the last 12 months? The EDA Board made a signifi cant strategic decision last year: to make EDATA free of charge to EDA member wholesalers. Half of our members have log-ins for the database, and a big focus for us is helping wholesalers to actually use
30 | electrical wholesalerMay 2024
ewnews.co.uk
the data now that it’s there. Enacting behavioural change to embrace digitalisation can be a challenge, especially for small businesses. We are spending time one-on-one with wholesalers to show them how they can change their habits and systems to maximise the benefi ts of product data, to improve their businesses and make sales. We also launched our Digitalisation Apprenticeships in 2023, to encourage companies to upskill their staff in digitalisation.
How will EDATA’s new link with Agathos Chalice ERP system benefi t wholesalers?
Linking the two systems gives Chalice customers
“A recent highlight for us was winning the award for Innovation of the Year at the Trade Association Forum Awards, for the EDATA data pool.”
direct access to rich product information from EDATA, with images and PDF product data sheets for thousands of products from leading manufacturers. It’s easy and convenient for wholesalers to use, with data provided in a simple PDF format that wholesalers can access and share
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