Penta Marine Engines Implements NetManage's e-Business Solution to Improve Services to Dealer Network
CUPERTINO, Calif.--Feb. 28, 2001--NetManage , a leading supplier of e-business access and application integration solutions, today announced the successful implementation of an extranet to serve the global dealer network of Volvo Penta, the marine and industrial power systems division of the Volvo Group. Created by Volvo Information Technology in just three months using NetManage's RUMBA OBJECTX technology, the system has vastly improved the efficiency of Volvo Penta's interface with its dealers.
The extranet gives dealers direct, user-friendly web access to AS/400 host applications at Volvo's Distribution Centre in Gothenburg, Sweden. NetManage's RUMBA OBJECTX Development Kit (ODK) enabled Volvo to create a real-time solution that allows dealers to order parts online, check the status and progress of previous orders, and view warranty and service information.
The RUMBA ODK includes an extensive library of ActiveX controls and JavaBeans equivalents, that customers like Volvo Penta can use to create customized e-business applications that require host connectivity. Packaged on a single CD, RUMBA ODK is a complete software developer tool kit that contains everything needed to speed the creation of high-quality applications. It includes in-depth documentation and sample applications.
Volvo Penta says the new system is designed to encourage dealers to conduct business online, and if they can facilitate the dealers work they are confident that this will lead to a larger number of more profitable deals for Volvo Penta.
Previous attempts to implement a dealer extranet had proven too complicated and difficult to use; many dealers still preferred to place orders by phone or fax. To overcome this resistance, Volvo Information Technology wanted to provide an efficient, web-based information and electronic ordering facility featuring a rich GUI, that could be rolled out effortlessly to end users.
"NetManage's RUMBA OBJECTX ODK technology enables Volvo Penta to build the bridges that connect legacy systems with e-business applications," said Zvi Alon, CEO and president of NetManage. "Our connectivity solutions let customers develop host access from a range of e-business applications including corporate portals, customer relationship management and the emerging mobile phone applications that access the Internet using the wireless application protocol."
The NetManage solution makes Volvo Penta's host information easier-to-use, ensuring a zero learning curve for end-users: dealers unfamiliar with AS/400 applications. When the system is accessed, selected screens from the AS/400 host are combined automatically to form a page with the Volvo look and feel. To dealers, the application looks just like a normal web page.
"The new Internet-based system has resulted in many positive changes," confirms one Volvo Penta dealer in Hamburg, Germany. "The extranet is much faster than our previous process and easier to learn. We receive order confirmation by e-mail or fax within minutes, informing us whether the goods are in stock and when they will be delivered."
The new system also makes it easy to check the history of customer accounts, allowing dealers to spot potential problems and advise customers accordingly.
"Say a customer has a defective water pump," explains the dealer. "We can access the system and see if any work has previously been done on that engine. If it emerges that the customer has already had two new water pumps during the past year, we know that the defect must be due to something else and we can focus on that instead."
About Volvo Penta
Volvo Penta is the division of the Volvo Group specializing in marine and industrial power systems. The company sells engines and parts for leisure boats, commercial craft and for numerous industrial applications through a 5,000-strong dealer network in some 120 countries worldwide. This makes it the most international company within the Volvo Group. Based in Gothenburg, Sweden, its orders are handled through the Volvo Distribution Centre in the same city.
About NetManage
Founded in 1990, NetManage, Inc. delivers information access, publishing, integration, and support solutions and services that maximize a company's investment in existing information systems and provide the bridge to the new Internet economy. Award-winning NetManage products and services offerings include a comprehensive portfolio of application integration software, host access software, centralized management, and live interactive support solutions that transform corporate information assets into powerful e-business solutions. NetManage sells and services products worldwide through its direct sales force, international subsidiaries, and authorized channel partners. For more information, visit http://www.netmanage.com, send e-mail to pr@netmanage.com or call 408/973-7171 (Pacific Time).
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