A Technology-Driven Enterprise

Vast-Auto Distribution has been tightly focused on ensuring that it makes good

use of practical technologies that make it more effective and efficient, and make it

easier for customers to do business with

the company. “This comes straight from our president, John Del Vasto,” says Tony Del Vasto, vice-president of Vast-Auto Ontario. “The philosophy is to acquire and implement the latest technology to help our business and our customer base.”

“And,” he adds, “we have been doing this for quite a while. We invest heavily in technology.” The leading-edge technologies that Vast-Auto has implemented run the gamut from warehouse floor wireless barcode scanners to point-of-sale tools, mainframe technologies, and the Web.

“We really do practice what we preach.” Among the most recently implemented is

the Web-based Net Value lookup and order- ing tool. With a fully transparent view of Vast- Auto inventories in Brampton, Toronto, and Montreal, jobber customers and their service dealer customers can access Vast-Auto’s entire product selection.

“And Net Value works in three different segments: members, second-call customers, and, more importantly, the installer through his servicing parts store,” says Bob McPherson, sales and mar- keting director.

“So far we have just focused on converting jobbers,” he offers. “In the first three months 65 had already adopted it.”

“It is a very slick Windows-based program,” says Del Vasto. “The interface is very easy to use. We have had tremendous success with our customers and the adoption rate continues to grow.

“With the use of technology, Vast-Auto can assist

parts stores with the optimization of store assortments and inventory using their latest inventory modelling tool that uses vehicle registrations in a trading area along with exclusive parts replacement rate by part type to reduce surplus inventory and increase coverage.

“Success for a parts store means having the right parts at the right place at the right time. With parts proliferation, maintaining the ideal balance of products is a challenge. We can help parts stores optimize inventories with the goal of elevating customer service, and controlling growing inventory requirements,” says Del Vasto.