Interstate Batteries, a $1 billion, privately held company, has kicked off a project to integrate enterprise routing into its corporate marketing system, Market IQ. Based on Esri’s ArcGIS for Transportation Analytics, Market IQ will now provide routing data, sales orders, and marketing information to more than 300 independent and company-owned distributor partners to enhance delivery of Interstate Batteries (IB) products to dealers around the United States. The enhanced solution will allow IB partners to more strategically plan sales opportunities and optimize deliveries while reducing costs and wear and tear on vehicles.
Interstate Batteries will incorporate many different conditions to route finding including height, weight, and road restrictions for hazardous material.
"Esri was the only company that was able to accommodate the specialized routing we require to allow our partners to deliver batteries safely and efficiently," said Mike Darr, program manager for Interstate Batteries’ Market IQ program. "And it easily integrates into our existing system, which is already based on Esri technology—ArcGIS for Server."
Each of IB’s partners works directly with the Market IQ system, which is an intuitive, Microsoft-based application. Working through the new map-based interface, dealers will be able to more efficiently input and visualize orders by day, week, or month and optimize deliveries to better serve customers. The system’s flexibility will enable distributors to adapt their plans and routes to their own specific needs. For example, if a distributor has a specific time window available within a delivery route, he will be able to easily add to or edit the route to service new prospects or perform other activities.
"Interstate Batteries has been very forward thinking in how it is opening up data to its dealers. This innovative company is delivering the understanding and resources the distributors need to create more healthy business conditions," said Simon Thompson, director of commercial industry at Esri. "Location analytics tied with logistics is enabling local business growth that benefits everyone in the communities Interstate Batteries serves."
For more information on how Esri helps businesses understand and grow their markets, visit esri.com/business.