|
In July, 1997, two organizations which shared a large base of the same type of members and common goals merged. Board members of ABPA and the Bumper Recyclers Association of North America (BRANA) agreed that, with a changing marketplace, one Association could and should do the job of two. That merger resulted in a growth spurt of nearly 18 new members to ABPA which, to cover the interests of the bumper recyclers, also launched a special Bumpers Recyclers Division. Several years ago, in March of 1999, ABPA took over ownership and management of the Partslink program from ADP/Claims Solutions Group. Partslink is a universal numbering system by which the same parts applications are called by a common number, orientated to the existing OEM number. ADP developed the system beginning in March of 1993. The system, by agreement, was jointly owned by ABPA and ADP and was operated under contract by San Diego area based Data Derivatives. With ABPA gaining full ownership, the program has undergone dramatic changes and is now online through the Internet. Data Derivatives still maintains the program. A prospective subscriber can review ABPArtslink through ABPA's website which is also professionally managed by Nomad Media Lab, located in Newport, Or. A temporary user name and code word is continuously changed to allow prospective subscribers to ABPArtslink to view this program and to assess its benefits. The monthly participation fee is $150.00 for a member and $200.00 for a company with multiple sites. For that fee, the subscriber is totally dialed into the universal numbering system for inventory control and maintenance of competitive, alternative crash parts. Most recently, the site has been enhanced by a Cooling Catalog which covers components such as complete radiators, Air Conditioning condensers and cooling fans and components. Here's what the program delivers:
• Lists OEM parts pricing • Tracks OEM parts supersessions • Shows new parts and parts numbers • Tracks both OE & Partslink numbers • Makes Inventory Control faster (by months) • Updates CAPA parts information • Shows details of discontinued parts • Makes future bar-coding projects easier • Saves thousands on cataloging costs • Frees valuable staff time
Joining ABPA presents an excellent opportunity to sign up for the New & Improved ABPArtslink system--now owned and controlled by your industry association. That means, essentially, YOU! Because it's the ABPA members who determine the leadership and direction of the organization. Besides the Website and ABPArtslink, there are other programs available to the member. Each year, ABPA distributes to its membership at no additional charge, a hotel and travel discount book and card. This is a Directory which lists those hotels and motels which honor a 50 percent off rack rate for prebooked reservations. Some members report that the use of this Directory has saved them thousands of dollars as they mandate the travel of their sales staff. There is also a discount car rental program with Alamo. Additionally, ABPA endorses freightquote.com, an online program by which members can gain instant price quotes with no contracts or volume requirements for less than truck load hauls. There are multiple transportation modes with multiple carrier options and the program is fully automated from start to finish including rates, scheduling, BOLs, tracking and invoicing. ABPA also develops other programs and a credit card acceptance one--at a favorable rate--is also in the mill.
|
||
