For Immediate Release
Imperial Trading To Roll Out iPad-Based Rebate Tracker
Solution From Ai2 To Assist Mobile Salespeople
CHICAGO – July 11, 2011 – Software development company Ai2 announced that Imperial Trading Company of Elmwood, Louisiana will automate the rebate tracking process for its salespeople and retailers. Imperal is a member of WAM, an organization that helps manufacturers work with distributors on volume discount buying programs. The solution is a variation of Ai2's ProSel application and will run on the Apple iPad.
The solution was developed in a joint effort between Ai2 and WAM, a private company that acts as an agent for distributors in the convenience store industry. WAM's main focus is the administration of the monthly programs that manufacturers sponsor to promote certain product lines. Rewards are available for distributors and retailers who purchase the required amount of product in a certain period of time. Distributors and retailers need to track their compliance with each program they enter, a procedure that was paper-based until now.
WAM is currently using a Scantron sheet that has to be manually fed into a machine, similar to the grading of tests in schools. The new iPad-based approach gives the distributors' outside salespeople the ability to remotely access any retailer's program status. This will help distributors monitor their progress in these programs and increase retailer compliance.
"I'm honored that WAM chose us to help their members with this app," said Douglas Katich, CEO for Ai2. "When salespeople can help their retailers by sorting through a mountain of data in a few seconds, they provide tremendous value and encourage customer loyalty," Katich added.
C.H. Pelias, a Greek immigrant, founded Imperial Trading in 1916 as a wholesale grocer for independent retail grocers in New Orleans. Through controlled growth and more than 15 acquisitions later, the third generation family business focused on the convenience store segment of wholesale distribution. In 2008, the Georges family expanded its service offering by acquiring The Harrison Company in Shreveport, Louisiana. The Imperial and Harrison Company became the country’s first Super Regional Distributor, approaching $1 billion in sales and servicing 3,000 retailers in 9 states. The Imperial Super Regional Distributor is the 9th largest convenience store wholesaler in the United States and the 10th largest private employer in their regional area. Their corporate office and 150,000-square-foot warehouse are located in Elmwood, Louisiana. For more about Imperial visit the company's website.
WAM is a private company based in Saginaw, MI. It is engaged in the structuring and implementation of programs designed to increase the sales of manufacturers, distributors and retailers who contract for WAM's services WAM decides which Convenience Products Distributors and which Manufacturers will be offered the opportunity to contract for its services. WAM is not structured as a buying group. Rather, WAM acts as an agent for distributors and the retailers they service with "preferred" suppliers. WAM retains a percentage of the revenue generated from suppliers for the distributor's sales and merchandising efforts. WAM pays each participating distributor its respective share on an annual basis. For more about WAM, visit the company's website.
Ai2 (formerly Access International) was founded in 1986 and is headquartered in downtown Chicago. Their applications are used by over 75,000 users each day to capture over 75 billion dollars in sales each year. Ai2 improves 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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