The Uptime blog

I just returned from the 2008 ATA E-Business/ S1000D Forum in Budapest, Hungary. This was the first year that ATA (Air Transport Association) combined the E-Business and S1000D meetings. The resulting event concentrated more on authoring/tech pubs than on the aftermarket service and support focus of past years. Almost 300 people attended, which is larger than either of the two individual events in 2007 but smaller than the combined total from last year. It wasn’t clear to me if this drop-off was because of the location, the topics, or the economy.

This year’s event drew fewer airlines than last year (14) but those that attended were serious about improving maintenance processes and job cards. There were also many OEMs in attendance trying to learn how to implement the S1000D spec but a few wanted to learn how to improve customer support and field service through electronic catalogs. Enigma stood out as one of the only exhibitors solely focused on making service information usable to mechanics and technicians, and a number of airlines sought us out for a demo. Each one expressed an urgent need to reduce maintenance costs. So while the quantity of attendees was down, the quality seemed to be up.

One change from last year was an increase in the amount of competitive eavesdropping. I often noticed Boeing and Airbus people hovering around as I gave product demos. This was particularly amusing from Airbus because when they presented the A380 information system during one of the open sessions it looked a lot like the Enigma solution from 2002. However, during the presentation Airbus mentioned some problems around incremental updates so I guess they haven’t copied everything.

Regarding the event itself, ATA did a fantastic job planning and coordinating the location and the topics. The hotel was first-rate and the city was very pleasant, despite the fact that the Communists were marching to commemorate the failed 1956 Revolt and protesting all things democratic. (Perhaps that’s why my bag arrived home two days after I did.) For me, the whole event was a worthwhile adventure. I learned a few things that could improve our products, and I was able to meet potential customers and partners to discuss the business opportunities in the aviation aftermarket. Kudos to Brad Ballance and the ATA!

It’s a no-brainer that parts managers and service technicians need fast, easy access to the right parts and service information, all in a “one-stop-shop” application. In this mini-demo, I give you an overview of the multiple ways that one can search for parts and service information in the InService Electronic Parts Catalog (EPC).

When data is loaded into the EPC application, all of the content is indexed for fast and easy retrieval by the search system.  Click on the demo to see the following features:

Search All:  The Search All option looks for the desired text within all available sources of information: parts catalogs, maintenance manuals, product specs, sales collateral and any other information that has been included in the solution. This search option allows the use of conditional (Boolean) expressions such as “AND”, “OR” and ”NOT”.

Search Part:  The Search Part option looks for the desired text as a part number inside the illustrated parts catalog. This search option also allows the use of wildcard and truncation operators in the search field.

Search Center:  The Search Center provides the ability to perform more refined searches. This option allows unique search parameters for parts catalogs and product information, broken down by product type, family and model as well as part number, description and free text.

Search Results:  The Search Results display a list of links to information that matches the search criteria. The user can sort the search results by a particular column or filter the search results by applying a specific product model.

 

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The September 19 issue of AftermarketNews reported, “A hot debate has ensued as to whether the industry ever can, or should, get rid of paper cats. The results of NCMA’s recent survey of counter professionals shows usage of paper versus electronic remains nearly tied, with paper catalogs at 86 percent and e-cats at 84 percent.” That research came from the National Catalog Managers Association (NCMA), which is a professional society within the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA). The data showed that 86 percent of parts counter professionals use manufacturers’ paper catalogs, 84 percent use full-line electronic catalogs, 70 percent use manufacturers’ web catalogs and 32 percent use manufacturers’ CDs.

The following week, September 26, the e-zine  did a follow-up report, which asked parts professionals where they turn initially to look up parts information.  Not surprisingly, it turns out that parts pros go to an electronic parts catalog a whopping 90% of the time; they resort to flipping through the pages of a paper OEM catalog only if they can’t find what they need in the electronic parts catalog. This makes sense, since the world has grown accustomed to searching for information online.

We at Enigma see a growing demand for our electronic parts catalog software, not only because it makes life easier for parts managers, but because it makes it easier for manufacturers to create, distribute and update parts and service information to their dealer networks and distributors.

Scott Luckett, vice president, technology standards and solutions for the AAIA, had this to say:  “When parts professionals first turn to the electronic source 90 percent of the time, shouldn’t parts manufacturers allocate 90 percent of their cataloging resources into this medium? If electronic catalog content got 90 percent of the attention and resources, it wouldn’t be long before paper catalogs were truly obsolete.”

Thanks Scott, for that ringing endorsement of electronic part catalogs!  We agree that when it comes to part catalogs, electronic is the way to go if possible. But we also realize that not every part manager, service technician or dealer has reliable internet access, so the Enigma software makes it possible to distribute parts catalogs via DVD or paper. Furthermore, when technical information needs to be printed out the electronic catalog will automatically provide it in a consistent and usable format. Maybe “paper cats“ (gee, I like that phrase!) will go on the endangered species list in the next few years. In this case it won’t be a bad thing, but for the time being it is important to offer our customers multiple options and maximum flexibility.

By Michael Israel
Founder, IgniteService
www.ignite-service.com

Having worked in the application software industry for more than 25 years, I know that certain fundamental elements must exist if both the software vendors themselves and their customers are to be successful.  The first and most obvious is that the software must satisfy the customers’ business requirements.  For example, you wouldn’t purchase inventory management software that was unable to keep track of your on-hand balances. 

A second crucial element is technology.  With the Internet permeating nearly everything we do these days, it’s not likely you would deploy a solution that didn’t take full advantage of Web technology.  And if your business involves mobile workers, as is nearly always the case with field service, you’ll certainly want to be sure you select software that includes state-of-the-art synchronization and wireless connectivity features.

So functionality and technology are important considerations in selecting a software solution.  An equally important factor, though, is the software vendor’s ability to help their customers implement the software, and integrate the software to other applications, such as back-office ERP systems.

Unfortunately, this crucial element isn’t always given adequate consideration during vendor evaluations.  As I said, I’ve been in the software business for a long time.  I’ve seen software implementations stretch far beyond what was expected or, worse, fail entirely because of poor implementation planning and execution.

For an electronic parts catalog (EPC) software deployment, this implementation planning may be even more important than it is for other types of software deployment.  I say that because EPC software relies heavily on data obtained from many diverse sources.  For example, parts drawings come from engineering, service information is generated by technical publications, service bulletins are created by technical support, part substitution updates are issued by engineering or manufacturing, and so on.  An experienced and skilled implementation team can help the customer identify all the various sources within their company from which information can be drawn to populate the EPC database.

Moreover, an experienced implementation team can integrate EPC software to the customer’s ERP, inventory control, e-commerce, and other legacy applications, giving the users a streamlined workflow, which saves them the aggravation of having to navigate between  screens  or applications to accomplish a single task.

A word of caution, however; don’t think the burden for a smooth implementation rests only with the software vendor.  It belongs equally to the customer.  Strong customer executive sponsorship and a willingness to commit the necessary resources to the implementation project are essential for success to be achieved.

OEMs want to sell more parts to their dealer networks, and the dealers want a simple way to order parts; therefore, it’s not surprising that the shopping cart features of Enigma InService Electronic Parts Catalog are highly valued by our customers because they help dealerships order OEM parts easily. The following podcast demonstrates how shopping carts contain information such as part number and description, price, quantity, and notes/comments, as well as dealership information (such as the dealership’s unique logo and billing/shipping addresses.)

Enigma InService EPC customers usually integrate their shopping carts with a back-office e-commerce system, which facilitates parts order tracking and fulfillment. The carts can be viewed online, emailed to someone, or printed out as a PDF file.  The shopping list displays those parts being ordered by the user and is associated with a specific shopping cart. The shopping list can be updated by removing parts, changing quantities, or adding additional cataloged or non-cataloged parts.

Keep in mind that the shopping cart functionality allows specific customer information and parts requisition activities to be standardized. Each shopping cart includes information specific to each customer and/or type of order. Multiple shopping carts can be defined and re-used to accelerate the creation and submission of parts orders.

Take a peek at the product podcast and let us know what you think. If you want to see more, I’d be happy to set up a thorough web demo for you.

 

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Manufacturing Business Technology recently announced its MBT 2008 Innovation Insight Awards, and among them was an Honorable Mention for Advanced Technology Services (ATS), a company that provides maintenance and repair services for manufacturing plants.

ATS received the kudos because they deployed Knowledgebase—their own proprietary database of processes, procedures and best practices for their field service technicians. What is interesting is that much of the content in this custom application came from the technicians themselves. Knowledgebase helps ATS to fix equipment faster, thereby reducing their customers’ downtime.

Here at Enigma we agree wholeheartedly with capturing and reusing technical expertise, which is why our products such as InService MRO, InService EPC and the Enigma 3C Platform all include a feature called eNotes. (For a mini product demo of this feature, see our August 15 podcast post.) 

While service manuals may contain some previously established best practices or proprietary techniques, eNotes allow mechanics to insert new comments connected to the original content. This lets companies capture feedback on-the-fly and also gives context to the comments because they are linked to the specific task that was being performed. eNotes are also available to other users (based on authorization/distribution rules). This makes it easy for other mechanics to learn from their peers and for OEMs to update documentation so that it reflects real world experience.

But it’s not just eNotes that make Enigma products useful; our products aggregate and deliver all product content in one place, in ways that streamline the entire maintenance execution process. The ability for service technicians to use a single application to pull relevant OEM information, whether parts information or service manuals, from multiple sources, is a tremendous advantage in the field or the service depot. The description of ATS’ Knowledgebase is impressive, but it sounds like an expensive solution. What is more impressive is that, today, any company can provide similar capabilities using Enigma’s out-of-the-box solutions.

In this mini-demo of the InService Electronic Parts Catalog (EPC), Enigma Solution Specialist Rob Bannerman gives an overview of the eNote feature. 

The eNotes functionality enables parts managers and service technicians to collaborate by creating personal notes and comments within the InService EPC application. The user can create eNotes at several levels: on assemblies or individual parts for the full parts catalog, on individual parts in a specific parts catalog (by serial number), and on maintenance manuals, product specs, sales collateral, and other product information. These eNotes are then available for reference whenever the relevant application or maintenance information is displayed.  An eNote can be added publicly or privately, and users can also search under eNotes to find parts and assembly information.

Please click on the pop-up player to see this 2-minute demonstration.

 

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I thought of giving this blog post the title, “Yeah, what he said!” That’s how strongly I feel about the comments made by Scott Luckett at the 2008 Aftermarket eForum. Mr. Luckett is the vice president of Technology Standards and Solutions at the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association, so he is probably well qualified to speak on the topic of electronic data and the automotive aftermarket. His premise is that the lack of accurate electronic data is increasing the cost of doing business. I agree.

The problem is that Mr. Luckett oversimplifies a number of issues. He wants all aftermarket automotive data to be electronic. But what does that mean, what format should it be in? Should it be PDF, XML, Word? He talks as if getting the data into an electronic format and following certain standards is the answer. It’s not that simple. For example, the aerospace industry has strict data standards but that has not helped them achieve the electronic nirvana that Mr. Luckett envisions. Even though every aerospace manufacturer adheres to the same standards, the data still doesn’t integrate well. The problem of data interoperability is even worse in the automotive industry where there are more OEMs, more suppliers and fewer standards. The vast number of brands and trim packages ensures that agreement on standards, and how to interpret them, is a long way off.

The key to interoperability is not the data, but the software that uses that data. Mr. Luckett properly points out that Services Oriented Architecture (SOA) is the key technology for reliable interoperability. This is especially true for electronic parts catalogs (EPC), the starting point for most parts and service activity. Because of the difficulty in establishing usable data standards, the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA) should spend its’ time advocating that OEMs move to electronic data using SOA. This would help OEMs realize the benefits that modern technology brings to the aftermarket, without waiting for standards to be finalized. Such a strategy would simplify the deployment of innovative solutions that improve part selection and increase first time fix rates (FTFR), which benefits the customer, the OEM and the dealer. Furthermore, such a strategy helps preserve one of the OEMs’ chief worries—protecting intellectual property.

The Enigma InService Electronic Parts Catalog  (EPC) is a “one-stop shop” application that combines product and support information from multiple divisions and product lines, from multiple sources/systems, in multiple document formats. This podcast offers a mini product demo of the InService EPC solution and its service information functionality. 

In a nutshell, this functionality enables service technicians to look up a part, then reference the corresponding service documents and the links between them.  By clicking on the service information icon, installation instructions—including illustrations—appear for that part or assembly kit.  The end result is that service technicians are more efficient; they can more quickly find the relevant service documentation and make the necessary repairs.

 

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In a recent blog post titled “Parts is Parts…Or Is It Opportunity for OEMs?” Kristen Clark shares some analysis about automotive shoppers that indicates “year-over-year, 36% more customers are visiting parts websites, suggesting they may be looking to replace the parts before they replace the car.” As she breaks down the numbers it becomes clear that customers are not shopping for parts at the websites of the OEM or the OEM’s parts brand; instead, they are shopping for auto parts at independent retailers like NAPA and AutoZone.

This seems backward to me. To get new parts for an old Explorer the logical place to shop would be the Ford website. Yet, that’s not what happens, which raises a number of questions:

1. If aftermarket superstores have positioned themselves as a one-stop shop for all things automotive, how do the OEMs and dealers reverse this perception? Do any dealers have enough marketing clout to tackle this problem, or is it up to the OEMs?

2. What is the appropriate role for dealers in the aftermarket? Are they more interested in selling parts or services? For part sales, is their target audience the independent service station or the do-it-yourself car owner/weekend mechanic?

3. How can OEMs make it easy and cost-effective for customers to locate and purchase the correct parts while protecting the dealer/consumer relationship? Can the OEM manage the part ordering process and then hand-off the deal to a local dealer for order fulfillment?

Whether buying oil, shocks, fuzzy dice or mag wheels, people want a single location to get all the parts they need for their specific car. And they want it at a reasonable price. Enigma has the technology that addresses each of these questions. However the key to success will be innovative thinkers, at the OEMs and dealers, who have been empowered to use technology to forge tighter business relationships and deeper technology integrations between the OEM and dealer. If that can be achieved, then the infrastructure will be in place for the OEMs and dealers to beat the parts superstores at their own game.