Third-Largest Convenience Store Product Distributor in U.S. to Outfit Sales Force with Advanced Handheld Software
CHICAGO – May 15, 2008 – Software provider Ai2, Inc. announced today that it would add Eby-Brown Co. of Naperville, IL to its growing customer family. Eby-Brown will implement Ai2's POW solution for its mobile field sales force, allowing the company to replace older hardware devices and give salespeople a wealth of customer and product information in the field.
A recent profile in Forbes magazine described Eby-Brown as follows:
“For over 100 years, Eby-Brown has stocked the shelves of America's small shops. The company distributes tobacco, candy and general merchandise to convenience stores throughout 28 states. From seven distribution centers, Eby-Brown services over 14,000 retail locations, making it the second largest convenience product distributor in the United States. The Wake family has owned and run the company for almost 50 years, with brothers Thomas and Richard Wake currently serving as co-chief executives.” For more on Eby-Brown, visit www.eby-brown.com.
POW® is Ai2'S mobile computing system for outside sales representatives who must generate daily orders and obtain regularly updated customer and product information. Using mobile handheld computers, POW® allows salespeople to scan, type, write, generate orders, receive messages and manage customer accounts with one convenient application.
Eby-Brown chose Ai2 for its longevity, commitment to the industry and its flexible POW® application, enabling Eby to replace outdated hardware with limited functionality. Eby-Brown anticipates the ability to better serve a demanding and rapidly changing industry with the use of Ai2’s software. Eby-Brown also seeks to increase their already large market share in the convenience store industry.
“It is a great honor to be chosen by one of the industry’s top distributors and a member of the Fortune 500,” said Ai2 CEO Douglas Katich. “We’re going to help them with automating their sales reps now, and we’re prepared to help them with customer order entry in the future.”
Ai2 is a 22-year old family owned and operated software firm headquartered in downtown Chicago. Their solutions are used by over 35,000 users each day to capture over 30 billion dollars in sales each year. Ai2 handles the order entry process for some of the nation’s largest distributors in foodservice, convenience store, grocery, beverage, hardware, medical, beauty and industrial supply. For more information about Ai2, visit www.ai2.com.
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Ai2 Media Contact
Ray Walsh
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