Integrating CxCommerce 

CxCommerce is more than a website. It is a powerful platform integrated with a distributor’s business systems to provide employees and customers with a richer information experience. “Integrating CxCommerce with your business applications also eliminates silos and helps streamline your internal processes,” says Ram Chandrasekar (Chandra), Founder and CEO of PhaseZero. Having a track record of great success, Chandra has been involved in transforming businesses and operations by commercializing internet, enterprise software, mobile, web and analytics technologies for more than 25 years.

Today, serving all major industries, such as automotive, industrial, high-tech consumer packaged goods, aerospace, and manufacturing, “we make it a point to accelerate digital sales through an enhanced customer experience, providing cutting-edge and built-for-the-industry digital commerce capabilities though our platform.” Apart from Dana, PhaseZero makes digital sales possible for other fortune 500 companies and SMB distributors such as PBS Truck Parts, CommPar, SPT, General Truck Parts, etc.

The digital transformation strategy

To enter the digital economy, PhaseZero helps its customers by carefully creating the plan of action and leveraging technology. Keeping in mind the present state and the future goal, PhaseZero implements a step-by-step digital transformation strategy. Most of their clients are high volume manufacturers with a large number of SKUs in their catalogs as they deal with complex engineered products sold through multiple channels. As the SKU complexity is very high in these cases, they face a hard time to identify and validate the parts customers would be looking for. To resolve this dilemma, PhaseZero implements and executes a digital transformation strategy as a service. “This is where our cloud-based software as a service model helps immensely,” points out Chandra.

The company addresses this from the very first engagement with a client, which is created via a seed stage. They then help them to select and analyze their digital transformation portfolio, which is followed by the launch state. For PhaseZero, the seed stage means conducting conversations with stakeholders, understanding their markets and products, and identifying up to 3-4 digital opportunities for the client. “Finally, we prioritize an initiative for a proof of vision to launch with early adaptors.”

Accelerating digital commerce journey while mitigating the execution risks

Apart from the major challenges of managing large vehicle databases and catalogs and ensuring proper parts fitment mapping, the aftermarket companies are now striving to find ways to enhance customer engagement and fulfill customer demands, especially due to the COVID-19 crisis. “Customer preferences were changing even before the crisis. Business buyers increasingly want the same level of convenience they experience in their personal lives,” says Chandra. They want to search for products, buy, track orders, and manage their accounts online—or have the option to order online and pick up in store. On top of that, safety is now a concern for both employees and customers, with pandemic spike.

E-commerce with the focus on differentiating customer experience is now a table stake and a must-have for business of all sizes and complexity. “The manufacturing and distribution businesses are now adding retail-inspired delivery and pickup options, including timely communication with the customers,” states Chandra. As per the McKinsey & Company’s recent report, about 30 percent of consumers intend to continue using self-checkouts after the crisis. Additionally, up to 40 percent of consumers have switched stores and brands for better digital commerce experience. “We consider this as an opportunity to create a modern, digital commerce experience for the customers and the employees, quickly and affordably, without changing any of their current back-end systems through CxCommerce.”

Even in the midst of an evolving market, PhaseZero allows companies to empower their customers and sales, along with their customer service teams to find precisely the right part for the job, confirm it’s available, and get it to the customers fast. “We know digital commerce, we know the manufacturing, distribution and the overall go-to-market channels needs of our target industries, and we appreciate the essential role companies are playing today. That’s why we created a modern digital commerce and experience cloud tailored to the industry and business,” concludes Chandra.