In the 1970s Terminal Investment Corporation (TICO) noticed an opportunity to alleviate operating inefficiencies in port operations. In the 1980s to meet the unique needs of the terminal services industry, they began producing the Pro-Spotter, their own tractor. In 2008 they brought their tractor to the retail market and haven’t looked back since.
The Opportunity
Though they have found success for nearly half a decade, they realized a problem was emerging as the industry began to change. As Duncan Pindar, Executive Vice President for TICO puts it, “We are seeking to modernize and streamline the delivery of part information, making it easier for dealers and customers to find what they need, when they need it, and easily place orders.” Digital transformation is reaching every sector, and manufacturing is no different. Organizations that hold on to the old ways of doing business for too long could see themselves left behind, and TICO wanted to be ahead of the curve.
Onboarding
The GenAlpha team conducted a discovery meeting with TICO to understand their process and how our solutions can benefit them. TICO was looking for an eCommerce and eCatalog solution to help grow their aftermarket business. The expectations they had were to virtually eliminate delays in turnaround time for parts availability and to modernize and streamline the delivery of part information.
They wanted to make it easier for dealers and customers to find what they need when they need it and easily place orders. After a rigorous selection process, GenAlpha received the contract to provide these solutions. On why they chose GenAlpha, Duncan Pindar said, “GenAlpha’s Equip solution is exactly what we need, and their expertise in the aftermarket parts business makes them the perfect partner for this important effort.”
Launch
The project was first launched internally in late 2020 and then to 25 of their major dealers in early 2021. GenAlpha’s team supported TICO throughout the implementation and launch process and also continued to support them after. Ecommerce success doesn’t stop after product launch and having GenAlpha as a trusted partner for the entire journey ensures the platform meets customer needs and provides the best return on TICO’s investment. On what it’s like to work with the GenAlpha team, TICO’s Customer Service Manager Jessica Cope said, “The GenAlpha team is always quick to respond to any questions or issues I may have. I would highly recommend GenAlpha to others!”
The Results
While every step in the eCommerce process is important, most organizations’ main focus is the results. In ten months, here are some of the initial results:
According to Jessica Cope, some newly added features are having an impact “The feature that added shopping lists changed the way TICO customers use the site. They can now work on multiple trucks/customers simultaneously. Great addition to TICO Edge Parts.”
Inside TICO, employees said they were either satisfied or extremely satisfied with the site. The transition to get all of the largest dealers registered through the site ran without a hitch, and the dealer sentiment was that they have been waiting for a tool like this for a long time.
To learn more about how you can maximize your aftermarket sales contact us at genalpha.com, and discover the value an optimized eCommerce solution provides.