Better Product Information Starts with Data Standards

Better Product Information Starts with Data Standards

Sponsored by FleetPride, Inc.

Data management is central to an efficient maintenance operation, but where is your parts data coming from, and how good is it? The parts supply chain is feeding parts information into inventory and fleet management systems in so many different formats that it could be slowing you down.

Not having access to the most current parts on the market. Not having assurances that what you ordered will complete the repair. Returns and refunds. These all affect your fleet’s uptime.

The suppliers in the commercial vehicle parts supply chain have an opportunity to change that and generate greater efficiency for your organization by adopting a standardized parts information communication system. Contrary to what some in the industry may say, one does not currently exist, but it is being created.

The Auto Care Association’s Product Information Exchange Standard (PIES) that has been in place for nearly 20 years is now being expanded to accommodate the heavy duty vehicles in your fleet. By incorporating PIES into a supplier’s parts communication network, the data management systems used by your fleet will have expanded parts information, improved customer service from your parts providers, increased access to a greater inventory of parts options and minimized return rates.

This product data standard will help get you the right part, at the right place, at the right time. Parts manufacturers generating and adopting a standardized parts data communication system streamlines the information being sent down the parts supply chain, while at the same time, providing more information to the fleets on the form, fit and function of replacement parts. This gets parts to the market faster, improves your parts knowledge and generates maintenance efficiency through increased parts data.

Data managed the right way gives your fleet operation a competitive advantage and makes you more efficient. What are your parts suppliers doing to improve your data and help you maximize uptime? One thing they can do is participate in the creation of PIES for the commercial vehicle industry. By urging the manufacturers of the parts you use within your fleet to join the PIES project, your organization will have better, more accurate parts information on more than 8,200 key heavy duty vehicle components.

Improving your data management begins with having the right data coming into your operations systems. The PIES project, run by HDDA: Heavy Duty, a community dedicated to the full supply chain of the heavy vehicle marketplace, is working to do that for you. For more information on the PIES project and how it can benefit your fleet, visit standards.hdda.org.

This article was sponsored by FleetPride. For more information, please visit our website at fleetpride.com

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