Helping other Jobbers understand the need for CUSTOM DATA

This is a tough issue --how do we make more CARQUEST Jobbers understand what they are missing by not having a customizable report generator. This can be called a UNIVERSAL Report Writer or brand names like Crystal Reports ... but it is all meaning the same.

In J-Con we had the opportunity for Inventory to have a customizable report writer in menu # 2-20. That did part of the job and once you got more experienced you could figure out ways to take additional reports and 'stitch' then together to get additional data. What would you do - well - once in Excel you can SORT until you blue in the face -- when you sort on various fields typically the problems 'bubble' to the top or the bottom of the report.

In EXPLORIS the reports are limited and to make more FIXED reports can be hard -as you might want something but your neighbor wants something just a bit different. So if you can pick the data and generate your own report - you have data you can work with.

The problem -- many CARQUEST jobbers have not learned how to use programs like Excel. So the minority of CARQUEST jobbers that do - are still that --a minority. Understanding Excel offers you a whole new world of opportunity to see what the data is trying to tell you.

The problem -- many CARQUEST jobbers are NOT telling the key people ( Mike Allen - VP Independent Sales mike.allen@(NOSPAM)gpi.com (800) 876-1291 x 3528 -- or Dane Hunter - head of Exploris development dane.hunter@(NOSPAM)gpi.com (800) 876-1291 x 3316 ---remove the (NOSPAM) to use.

The problem -- many jobbers don't talk to other jobbers about sharing idea's and how to run their stores better. You may be doing something GREAT in inventory control - and your other CARQUEST jobber 30 miles away may be doing GREAT on collecting overdue $$ - share idea's on how to BOTH together getting smarter and more INNOVATIVE. Why do so many jobbers not trust one another ??????

With a UNIVERSAL REPORT WRITER you could do some ( or all - over way more --since this won't be the definitive list )
-search for parts with qty on hand that are replaced by some other part
-search for cash customers who are spending more than $xxxx dollars a year --so you can move them to a better billing schedule and grow your sales with that person
-if multi-store put a inventory list for any line -where you can compare sales performance and see how the weak store can improve on a sku by sku basis ( a biggie in our stores that we really miss that we had in J-Con
-look for customers who are NOT buying lines - and see how you can solve that problem
-run lists and look for parts with obsolete alternative part links
-take any field in the inventory - and you can run a report with that field showing --so you can work with that data - at present there are many data fields that can not be seen on a report - how can you look for problems in that field if you can only go thru thousands one at a time on the display screen - a report with sorting would allow you to QUICKLY spot these.

Raleigh is looking for feedback on their next move -- please - if you do NOT express your view --we may NEVER get the tools we need to properly run our own computer system the way we think we need to. It is having that individual customization with a UNIVERSAL REPORT WRITER that allows us this missing piece of the puzzle.

Now - get out there and start the process - if you don;t know Excel ( or the equiv type spreadsheeting tools like the FREE www.openoffice.org ) - now is a good time to start.

AND -- please e-mail or call these guys -- EXPRESS YOURSELF .... Mike Allen - VP Independent Sales mike.allen@(NOSPAM)gpi.com (800) 876-1291 x 3528 -- or Dane Hunter - head of Exploris development dane.hunter@(NOSPAM)gpi.com (800) 876-1291 x 3316 ---remove the (NOSPAM) to use.

Thanks
Greg Henderson

Click Here to see an Earlier article on Universal Report Writer