One day in February, Eagan went on his computer system and used the Trading Partner Connect module to look into 3M's inventory for abrasives that he doesn't stock. The order, shipment and invoice to Oliver Van Horn were processed in the same day, with no mistakes, Eagan says. During the first quarter Oliver Van Horn sent nearly 300 purchase orders to 3M via the network. Eagan compares that to using 3M's extranet to locate a special disc. Streamlined orders, few errors Several firms trying out the trading hub point first to the streamlined exchange of purchase orders, invoices and shipping notices between distributors and suppliers.
Hunt compares that with other manufacturers' extranets.
Many of those give distributors a look at inventory but typically are not integrated with the distributors' ordering system, which means someone has to key in the information a second time. The system should also help customers make procurement decisions, Eagan says, because it solves the trouble matching and searching suppliers and distributors' product numbers. The real issue is there's a customer on the phone and if they can say, 'Yes, we've got it,' that's a real benefit. Hunt says 3M also benefits because the EDI purchase orders it receives through the hub have fewer errors than those through its extranet and require few if any customer service contact from 3M back to its distributors. Doug Lescarbeau, director of e-commerce at Loctite, another manufacturer that is trying out the hub, says Loctite receives 1,000 calls daily to customer service about pricing and availability.