Interview to Mikel Garay, manager of Ipargama
In the first place, it could explain us how it arises the project of Ipagarma Net, when and which service offers the company with this service?
Ipargama Net Was an idea that arose at the same time that Ipargama. In the 2006. I create Ipargama like centre of service of special steels, by what heads to customers of the company. When implementing the systems of gestión and when configuring the processes of the company foresaw in such a way that our customers could go in inside our system to see stocks, know prices, see if had rests that could cost them etc.
implanted in 2007 and this year gave us the prize Digital Company to the best project of application of the new technologies go in more than 1.000 projects.
The called e-commerce is seen by some ‘gurús' as one of the few services that today day contribute a plus in service and quality. In his case is like this? They have noticed an improvement in the perception that his customers have of you by this service?
Is an evidence that the e-commerce offers a lot of advantages but also is true that still there are some sectors in which it does not use , basically by psychological barriers or insecurities that remain in his businesses. Also it is true that each sector and subsector needs a tool of e-commerce to his measure in such a way that the key elements of a transaction in this sector collect perfectly. The e-commerce does not work when they use patterns of other businesses. Each one has to use his giving value to what gives it his market.
Which percentage of his customers use it regularly? In some case is the only method of purchase of a customer?
80% of our customers uses it daily and there is 10% of customers that only work through this channel.
It is necessary to take into account that by means of this tool only commercialise the materials that have in stock. For the rest of queries use the classical channels like couriers, the fax, the telephone, etc.
Until which point this service has allowed them keep a more flowed relation with his customers?
The advantages for our customers are many. On the one hand they can obtain bills, delivery notes and certificates of any request that have cursado with Ipargama, was through Ipargama Net as through Ipargama without mattering if it was does a month or 6 years.
Can obtain availability and price of agreement to his personalised conditions like customer anytime during 24 hours to the day and 365 days to the year. The offer is immediate with which does not be necessary to expect to that it was the commercial on duty or to that sends the offer by fax or couriers. Every year they elaborate more than 18.000 offers through this system without that any of our commercial move a finger.
Apply a discount for doing the request through Ipargama Net since this supposes a saving of costs for Ipargama. If we add this discount to the saving of time of the customer, the numbers go out.
Another very used service by the customers is the market of tips. Like centre of service of cut of steel have innumerable testas (rests) that remain of the bars. By means of Ipargama Net the customers choose the one who more interests them and this goes out to expedition automatically. Besides the inventory updates on-time with which if another customer goes in to the system a second afterwards will not see this testa.
This type of testas sell with a very interesting discount.
There is some case in which a steel can not sell through Ipagarma Net by his characteristics?
Himself. If the steel that looks for the customer has some exigencias that go out of his norm, it is necessary to treat the subject by other channels.
To finalise, which logistical needs and of stock has supposed them? And how they have resolved them?
Working of the traditional form is very difficult to implant a system like this. It does lacking to define all the processes in base to some parameters that the e-commerce can use, therefore the cost to implant something like this for an existent business is costlier that for a new business. Besides it is basic that the personnel work in base to some protocols very encorsetados so that all work well.
- Workshops that have to offer pieces with rapidity but with precision since the classical systems to do a calculation of orientative material no longer are valid nowadays by the fluctuation of the price of the steel.
- onsumidores Of steel of mechanical construction that require of requests and daily offers.
Instead, is not thought for those companies that need material that are not in the stock of Ipargama, neither that require greater quantities of which are recorded in the stock. Ipargama NET Does not have available greater lengths of the commercial neither is adapted for programs with deliveries postponed or specifications out of norm. For these cases, the company puts to disposal of the customers the systems of traditional contact (couriers, fax or telephone).
Advantages of Ipargama Net:
- Attention 24h, 365days/year
- Rapidity. It treats of a system ‘on-time' by what the answer on availability, price, etc. is immediate.
- Management of agile documentation. All the historical of documentation of the material delivered available with an only click.
- Intuitive software. Any person that was not habituada to use PC can move inside Ipargama Net with total ease.
- Market of tips. Possibility to purchase material to better price with all the guarantees of trazabilidad.
