eCOMMERCE

eCOMMERCE is a dynamic, web-based software product that streamlines the sales processes of metal service centers and metal distributors by empowering their customers and outside sales staff with an easy-to-use application to enter quote and order requests as well as view inventory using a reliable, scalable, real-time system that can operate over the Web, 24/7, and is fully integrated with STRATIX.

The major functions are:   

• Quotation Request Entry
• Order Request Entry
• Convert Quote to Order Request
• Create an order based on customer's Ready-to-Ship material
• Purchase material consigned to customer location 

Product Catalogue
INVEX eCOMMERCE includes multiple ways to look up items and stock so as to make the process as easy, seamless and fast as possible.  At the heart of the eCOMMERCE application is a multi-level product catalogue that enables customers to navigate various product attributes to identify the product, with as few clicks as possible. 

Additional features are provided that enable customers to enter quote/order requests based on prior history.

Apple iPad App
The  Web Customer Service and eCOMMERCE functions are also available as Apple iPad apps. These apps couple the functionality of the browser-based version of INVEX with the intuitive gesture support and user interface that iPad has pioneered. This extends these INVEX functions to higher mobility and functionality. The INVEX iPad apps will be available with STRATIX Release 9.2 in Summer 2012, and can be downloaded from the iTubes app store. The INVEX iPad apps are supported on all versions of the iPad and run on iOS5. 

Personalization & Branding
INVEX enables each company to personalize various aspects of the web applications in order to better integrate and brand these with the look-and-feel of their existing web portals. INVEX provides multiple branding opportunities to enable each company to alter the default visual characteristics in a straightforward fashion. This process is flexible and efficient and requires no specialized training.

All personalization & branding is performed via a style sheet that can be modified to make alterations to select INVEX visuals of the full web-browser application. These changes are then seamlessly made available to all INVEX user sessions. As an example, the following INVEX characteristics can be easily adjusted:

• Company Logo(s) at time of login & within the INVEX Header area
• Background colors
• Font - colors and sizes
• Footer notes (which can include links to external web pages)

Security Access & Customer Activity Monitor
INVEX uses role-based access and security to ensure end-users can only access information that is relevant to their role. Only ‘Registered Users’ are granted access to INVEX; ‘New Users’ must register to be provided limited access to INVEX.  This ensures Metal Service Centers can monitor the usage of their eCOMMERCE & Web Customer Service offering.

Customer User Configuration Options
INVEX permits each metal company to customize access to each INVEX function by Customer.  Each ‘Authorized Customer’ of the Metal Service Center can further configure the functions that are provided for each of their users.

eCOMMERCE Functions

• Quote/Order Request Entry
• Order Creation for Ready-to-Ship Material
• Purchase of Consignment Material

Quote/Order Request Creation
This function is used to create quote/order requests using a Product Catalog. Features are:

• Quick & Easy Product Catalog Navigation
  • Metal Price displayed
  • Flexible Search with drill-down capability (browse customized Product Catalog, use Order History, Part Number, browse ready material, etc.)
  • Document Attachments (for example, display PDF containing Material Specs)
• Full 'Add to Cart' Functionality
  • Includes re-sequence items, modify, delete, change destination, due date, etc.
• 'Add to Clipboard' Functionality (copy/move item to cart, etc.)
• Optional Remark Entry
• Customer Activity Data
  • Captures INVEX usage data for each customer
  • Includes duration of use, activity by function, products inquired
  • Session audit by customer includes the Customer User with a date stamp of login

Order Creation for Ready-to-Ship Material
Where a service center prepares material in advance for JIT/KANBAN type arrangements, Customers can access this integration to view the various inventory that is ready to be shipped for their part numbers.

Customers or salespeople acting on their behalf, can select all material ready to ship for a given part or can alternatively select specific tags for shipment. Once selected, the orders are moved to a Cart to create the order release.  Sales staff are advised via email of the new release. 

This is a great time saver for cases where customers control the material to be shipped.

Customers can use a Ship-Ready/Consigned Material listing to view all material that can be shipped. This listing can be downloaded, printed, or emailed.

Purchase of Consignment Material 
Ideal for business cases where a service center provides storage of material at the customer site on consignment. Features are similar to those for the Ready-to-Ship function, Order Creation, with the exception that, once the order is placed, the selected tags are reserved to the consignment sales order for processing and invoicing. 

This eliminates the need for service center staff to manually enter the consigned material used by customers.