AUTOVIA's Sweepstakes Contest Clicks With Customers; Customer Retention is Up as Automotive Repair Shops Get Comfortable Ordering Parts Over the Internet
4 December 2000
AUTOVIA's Sweepstakes Contest Clicks With Customers; Customer Retention is Up as Automotive Repair Shops Get Comfortable Ordering Parts Over the Internet
SACRAMENTO, Calif.--Dec. 4, 2000--As a way to help automotive repair shops improve their business practices, a leading automotive aftermarket e-commerce company is offering a sweepstakes contest that encourages shops to save significant operating costs by ordering parts through the Internet.AUTOVIA(TM), a Sacramento-based business-to-business company that connects repair shops with their local preferred distributors via the Internet, is currently holding daily drawings for repair shops and distributors that purchase parts through its online service. With each order, AUTOVIA buyers become eligible for a $500 daily prize. The program has not only been great for customer retention, it has also served as an incentive for repair shops that are still unsure about ordering parts through the Internet.
"We understand old habits are hard to break," said Rod Georgiu, founder and CEO of AUTOVIA. "The sweepstakes contest is our way of rewarding repair shops and their local distributors for making the important transition from the telephone to the computer. Businesses that are purchasing parts online are realizing how the Internet can help them do their jobs faster and with much more efficiency."
Repair shops and distributors using AUTOVIA's service are experiencing first-hand how the Internet can strip away time-consuming procedures that cost them thousands of dollars each year.
"There's no question that the sweepstakes contest is a huge incentive for my technicians, but it's not the only reason why we're ordering parts online," said Clay Overman of Clay's Automotive in Sacramento, Calif. "AUTOVIA has improved the way we do business. Our labor productivity has increased by 20 percent. What used to take 10-15 minutes to locate and order a part now literally takes seconds. In one instance, I ordered a part through AUTOVIA and it was sitting on my desk eight minutes later."
For Robert Service of Central Tune Up in Walnut Creek, Calif., AUTOVIA's service has been equally beneficial for his shop.
"AUTOVIA has created an atmosphere that has put a lot of pressure on vendors to do a better job performing and delivering," said Service, a two-time winner of the daily sweepstakes. "There seems to be a delivery truck here all the time and AUTOVIA's daily contests have been a driving force for making that happen."
About AUTOVIA, Inc.
AUTOVIA(TM) facilitates the procurement and distribution of automotive and truck replacement parts by connecting parts wholesalers and repair shops in local markets over the Internet. AUTOVIA's service utilizes a comprehensive electronic parts catalog and integrates directly into the wholesaler's business system. Repair shops are now in control of automating the traditional time-consuming process of searching for and ordering parts. AUTOVIA enhances existing business relationships between the automotive parts distributors and repair shops, as well as greatly improving their overall business operations by increasing sales, reducing part returns, and improving their staff productivity. Sellers significantly reduce their order processing cost, while buyers get their parts faster and have more time to perform repairs. Launched in 1998 by a team of leading automotive industry experts, including Rod Georgiu, founder of ALLDATA, AUTOVIA is backed by several venture funds, including Internet Capital Group , Crosspoint Ventures and Hearst Corporation. Its integrated web-based Electronic Parts Catalog includes more than 650 national brands. Based in Sacramento, AUTOVIA currently offers service in selected metropolitan markets and plans to expand into the nation's top markets. For more information about AUTOVIA visit http://www.autovia.net or call 888/795-4015.