D2DLink

[John P.]

Gerry,

I think your concerns with D2D and OEConnection are unfounded. At its core, the switch to ordering via Collisionlink is similar to the move we saw years ago from phone to fax.

We are the most active Collisionlink supplier in the nation. My experience has been that OEConnection really has no concern for *which* dealer a shop orders from. From the Chrysler, Ford, GM perspective, their goal is to sell more OE parts vs Aftermarket. I have seen very few shops (one or two) that considered Collisionlink a reason to buy from one supplier or another (and in both cases, they bought from another Collisionlink supplier). Pretty much every wholesale player in this area is on Collisionlink (CL) or will be in the near future.

From the supplier perspective, it's an awesome tool (both CL and D2D). We have seen our returns go down and our accuracy go up. It also saves significant time processing orders. Now, instead of hiring another specifier, you can prompt a number of your shops to use CL. The money you save more than pays for the cost of CL. Add D2D to the mix, and your specifier can go right from the CL order, locate and order the parts. There's no downside there.

The shops that use it, love it - provided they have a persistent internet connection (DLS, Cable, Satellite, etc.). For now, it's a waste of time setting up someone on dial up - it just annoys them to the point where they'll never like the product. Vikki from OEC tells me they are working on a dial up friendly version.

As for your concerns over the insurance companies... I don't see a problem there. In the past few years, insurance companies have steered their DRP shops towards a certain estimating product & digital cameras, In the same manner, I believe they may look at the use of CL as a means to increase parts order accuracy and limit returns. That's a win for you and the shop too.

We've worked with the product and company for over a year now and haven't found a down side.

[Gerry Laughlin]

John,
Like the majority of dealers I am not a wholesaler, so most of your points are lost on me. We are just a midsize dealer that concentrates on our internal sales. What I am taking issue with on D2DLink is pointed out clearly in your post, that "insurance companies have steered their DRP shops towards a certain estimating product & digital cameras, In the same manner, I believe they may look at the use of CL as a means to increase parts order accuracy and limit returns." Thru the use of these estimating systems we are being steered (forced) towards certain aftermarket and used suppliers, without any concern from the insurance company as to whether they regularly send us wrong or damaged parts, so I disagree with your assessment of the insurance companies motives. I worry that sooner or later the insurance companies will use this product to force me into lowering prices to them in our bodyshop.
If this was such a great product GM would not have to get us to sign up through extortion, the market would drive it's success.

Gerry Laughlin

[bpuckett]

I just received two order forms from EDS. One is for $150.00 to build a program that will extract the data D2D needs. The other is $300.00 for a software program that will report my inventory automatically. Has anyone else run into this problem with their dealer system suppliers?

[twfin]

Those that think aftermarket and LKQ parts suppliers will soon be on board CL, rethink that and remember who the main partners in the endeavor are (i.e., GM, Ford, Chrysler).
Why would they let CL send ordes to Keystone??

[Gerry Laughlin]

Tom,
I don't believe that D2DLink or CL will be used for aftermarket parts, I worry that it will be used to force me to compete with other dealers on pricing of OEM parts to MY OWN BODYSHOP. Tom you have built a good business based on excellent service and unbelievable availability, but how many times have other dealers walked into your longtime customers trying to get them to switch with unrealistic pricing and discounts. They have approached us but I stick with you guys because of the top-notch service. Insurance companies do not care didley about anything but price, and if one of these insurance companies were to decide that all orders for OEM parts from their DRP shops were to be put out for bid on CL you know someone out there is going to come back with a cost + 10% or 15% bid. I hate to sound like the Fox Mulder of the parts business, but look at how the insurance companies are handling glass, the glass shop comes into our shop, uses our stall space, and bills the insurance company directly. Our body shop used to get a 25% piece of that pie. We used to get markup on towing. That's gone. Our rental cars have to go out ten bucks below average because that is what one of the major rental companies charges them based on volume. It is probably a long way off, but I see a day when one of the dealers that believes he can run a profitable wholesale operation at cost plus 10% is dropping off sheet metal to my own bodyshop because he was the low bidder on CollisionLink.

The truth is out there!
Gerry Laughlin

[r-kobeti]

no problem w/price or format - updated daily - not weeks old like R+R locator - good investment

[wct54]

See New Topic:
D2D OEC Subscription Agreement

[This message has been edited by wct54 (edited 10-21-2002).]