Tech Data Canada resellers have had less paperwork to deal with since the distributor launched its TD eBills program late last year.
Since 80 per cent of transactions were already completed electronically, introducing the eBills tool seemed like a natural progression, said David Spindler, director of e-business and business development at Tech Data Canada. “How a customer procures product from us is through EDI, XML and our Web site,” he said.
Initially the tool was introduced to 40 beta customers and now Spindler said a dozen resellers a day are using eBills since it went into production last December.
The beta testing involved a nucleus of customers of different sizes, explained Spindler, to give feedback on what features they want to see, how the system is managed and how they go to market.
“Our Web site was built by resellers for resellers. It’s the same with this tool,” he said. “We have a vision of what we want to accomplish as a company and we apply that but it’ll only work if customers embrace it, we look to our customers to give us that feedback.”
The program is being rolled out in two phases to ensure resellers are well-acquainted and comfortable with using the online tool. The first phase, called “presentment,” provides resellers with access to their online invoices and notifies them the next day by e-mail once an invoice has been billed.
The second phase, dubbed “payment,” will launch in April or May this year, according to Spindler. Once it is rolled out, resellers can begin making online payments against invoices as well as manage the invoice dispute process electronically.
It took Tech Data three years to develop the eBills program. The company focused primarily on key areas like next-day data retrieval, complete invoice detail, managed viewing rights and a high level of security.
To build an effective, secure system, Tech Data partnered with Transend Business Services to establish an added layer of security where resellers will be required to register for the program and set up user levels to authorize transactions.
“There’s a lot of legalities involved in payments and invoicing, so we wanted to make things like security a top priority,” said Spindler. “Our strategy is to meet all the resellers requirements around sharing of information and money.”
Toronto-based Technology Solutions was one partner that beta-tested TD eBills. The company’s vice-president, Cheryl Hicks, said the overall convenience of the tool is very important in day-to-day operations.
“We get our invoices the very next day by e-mail allowing us to complete our own invoices and send them out to customers on time,” said Hicks. In turn, she added, it has quickened the collection of accounts receivables. The one missing piece that Hicks hopes will arrive soon is the addition of serial numbers to the invoices.
According to Spindler, as of Feb. 5 serial numbers will be added to the tool as well. “We look at every question, every wish and then gauge whether that wish can be accomplished,” he said.
Spindler added that Tech Data does have some customers who are not interested in the program. “They like paper invoices, they’ve been honest about it and we appreciate that. We don’t please everybody with the tools we have – we have an open communication with our resellers.”