All under control with one click

Optimized search results in real time

The telephone hotline ordering process previously used by repair shops could no longer cope with the volume and complexity of parts orders. The large number of stocked items in the same or similar categories, combined with number inaccuracies when announcing or entering spare part or vehicle identification numbers could generate incorrect orders, and led to frequent returns. For the repair shops, the process was tedious, time-consuming, and could delay repairs.

Also, for Europart, the error-prone ordering process was inefficient and unsatisfactory. Tailored pricing for different customer groups was possible only in personal discussions and impractical for central control. The high volume of returns was time-consuming and costly. In addition, considerable telephone support was required to address zero search hits or incorrect orders.

An innovative solution features improved ordering and organization

Europart provided the technical competence, and SoftwareONE the technological expertise. In tandem, they created the Europart Workshop Online System (EWOS), a multilingual e-commerce solution designed to meet the needs of Europart customers. The browser-based system brings together relevant product data, enriches it with information from several databases, and structures it to enable detailed online searches delivering a high number of hits. EWOS now accesses over 23 interfaces (APIs) from various database systems. New filter functions and various narrowing options enormously improve product searches. Regular optimization and control of search hits have reduced the zero-hit rate to a minimum. The result is a noticeable increase in customer satisfaction and conversion rates using the online store.

Europart can now provide repair shops with clear role assignments for each user using a dedicated roles and permissions system. The ordering process is more regulated, assigning clear responsibilities and permissions to employees while enabling individual pricing for different customer groups.

Because the ordering system has been optimized for mobile devices, customers can now access EWOS 3.0 from anywhere via their smartphone or tablet. And customers can place repeat orders quickly and easily via a barcode using mobile device cameras as scanners to guide them directly to appropriate products.

With a clear layout and intuitive navigation, customers can access various of new features designed to make daily work easier for repair shop employees. SoftwareONE helped Europart implement the following additional functions in EWOS:

• Creation and storage of watch lists and fleet data to quickly meet recurring spare parts needs
• Parts comparison function
• Maintenance and service data display
• Invoice and delivery bills retrieval in real time
• A wide range of interfaces to customers' ERP and DMS systems
• Parts identification via VIN
• Modern oil finder

EWOS 3.0 advantages at a glance

Europart has enormously simplified its ordering system for vehicle spare parts through digitization to optimize existing processes and save resources. The new e-commerce solution lays the foundation for a continuous expansion of products and services available in the EWOS online store. An intuitive ordering process and high-quality data ensure satisfied customers and have led to a sharp drop in erroneous order processes. As a result, Europart now benefits from significantly less effort for telephone support and accounting. The resources and costs saved in this way can now be invested by Europart in expanding and optimizing the repair shop online system.