Work Truck Solutions, an online platform that enables commercial inventory searches by body type and chassis, for both truck buyers and industry supply chain stakeholders, announced its new office location today in Troy, Michigan.
“The level of support that the OEMs have provided to help expand our services to their dealers, and the support that we are receiving from the industry at large, told us that our presence in the motor city is an important commitment to support our planned growth,” saysd Work Truck Solutions CEO Kathryn Schifferle. “We are not only expanding our network of dealers, we are integrating supply chain stakeholders, primarily body manufacturers and distributors, into our inventory and data network. By aggregating their data, we will be able to supply everyone with a clear picture of the market channel, and be able to create solutions to challenges inherent in this fragmented industry.”
Since 2015 Work Truck Solutions’ network grew from 77 dealers to well over 500 dealers; and the company expects to scale even more quickly in 2017. In 2016 it added ‘locator’ buttons onto key body manufacturer and distributor websites to help truck buyers locate dealers’ in-stock upfits (trucks and vans modified with vocational bodies and equipment). This includes vehicles from Class 1 through class 8.
The company describes its business model as follows: A buyer goes to their favorite dealer’s website and clicks on the “Work Truck” button. A visual carousel of body and chassis styles appears, and their second click takes the buyer to complete specs on the truck or van needed for their specific vocation. The buyer can then call or request online for that very truck. If the buyer knows the brand of body they want, they can go to that locator button to search for one on a local dealer’s lot.
Meanwhile, the dealers and body manufacturers have access to monthly analytics reports that show which chassis styles and body types were clicked, giving everyone a better feel for what customers need, and perhaps more importantly, which trucks to keep on lot, avoiding the potential 4 to 6 month delay if ordered, Work Truck Solutions says.
In addition to the most complete specs and images for work trucks, Work Truck Solutions also offers dealer access to its Dealer Trade Network, a market sharing and global search tool that enables dealers to share and track down commercial inventory on lots across the country. The company says the number of unique commercial vehicles and pickups currently being displayed in Work Truck Solutions’ inventory network, and available through their search tools, is scaling at an average of 20 percent per month.
