Grainger introduces new mobile platform
Grainger announced a new mobile Web site that customers can access to look up information and order products using smart phones and tablet PCs.
In its latest year-end report, the company attributed about 25 percent, or $2 billion of its $8.1 billion sales in 2011, to eCommerce.
In announcing the new platform, the company cited a study by Forrester Research that suggested that there will be nearly 100 million smartphones in use in the U.S. by the end of 2011. New mobile technology is changing how people control the information important to them.
As part of its marketing effort promoting the mobile Web site, Grainger developed five tips to help customers think about how to make technology work.
1) Technology should work the way you work. Fifty-one percent of Americans used their cell phone to go online in the last month. By 2014, more people will find information online using cell phones rather than desktops. Take advantage of sites like Grainger’s new mobile website which improves your access to critical features on Grainger.com no matter your location – job site, truck, plant floor, garage or maintenance shop. Grainger’s mobile web platform and enhancements to Grainger.com make online experiences faster, easier and more personal.
2) Don’t Put Things Off – Get Answers When You Need Them. Today, most operations and maintenance professionals spend less time at their desks. To be the most effective, make sure you have access to resources where you need them, when you need them.
For some, that may mean starting to shop in the office on Grainger.com, then working with a partner who wants to use the Grainger catalog like they have for decades, or being in the field alongside associates and using a mobile phone to find the right product and ordering it on the spot. Your resources should be interactive as well. Features like click to chat, can provide immediate answers to help complete projects quickly.
3) One Minute of Set Up = Hours of Time Saved. Also according to Forrester Research, businesses can save $10 - $20 per order when they automate purchasing processes. The Grainger.com Online Ordering Solutions offer an efficient way to shop for and order supplies, keep track of how much you’re spending, and integrate your order process.
4) Multi-Task. It Can Be Fun, Or At Least Easy. Standing in line: Use your smartphone to check e-mails or review and approve the orders in your in-box. On the job site and need a product: use your smartphone to search for products. Grainger continues to invest in eCommerce to provide features such as Real-Time Product Availability that answer questions such as: Do they have it? Where can I get it? How can I get it?
5) Don’t start from scratch every time you start a new project. Do you perform the same task over and over again? Then, create a short cut. Use tools like Grainger’s personal lists that let you create lists for specific items that you order frequently. More than a simple list, you use your personal lists to quickly place orders, share your lists with people working with you, and keep a record of your previous purchases for fast accounting later.
Click here to learn more about Grainger's new mobile platform.
INDUSTRIAL SUPPLY MAGAZINE
The May/June issue of Industrial Supply magazine features an in-depth cover story about GHX Industrial. Plus, we're featuring articles by contributing writers Dr. Bharani Nagarathnam and Frank Hurtte, as well as interviews with numerous product and distribution industry experts.
