Memory distributor Simms International this week launched Simms Direct, a Web site designed to provide resellers with real-time Web-based access to its ordering, inventory, accounts and warehousing systems.
The site is built around Navision's Commerce Portal software and will save Simms up to $80,000 per annum by reducing the current 60 per cent of inbound calls that are requests for pricing and availability, according to Danny Moore, Simms International's director. Simms invested $200,000 over one year to develop the site.
Moore hopes that resellers will immediately begin using the site to purchase product and check availability, but the ultimate goal for the site is its planned B2B functionality. Simms will allow its e-commerce-savvy partners to hook directly into the back end of its ERP system, allowing them to drop shipments, see their credit history and track orders.
"Most of our competitors have a front-end Web interface, information from which is taken and manually reloaded into the ERP system," Moore claimed. "But through Simms Direct, our customers can enter orders directly into our ERP system via the Web, accurately check the very latest prices and stock availability online, arrange drop shipments and even track the progress of back orders or access information about their accounts with us."
The back-end integration was carried out by Navision solution centre Aston Naviteam, while the front-end Web interface was developed by Netbridge.
The announcement comes a month after Simms sold off its storage business to Ingram Micro. As such, the site will focus on driving Simms' distribution of Kingston Technology, Sony and Imation products.