Online Custom-Product Design Gets Boost From NetVendor

ByDoug Bartholomew NetVendor Inc., a leader in B2B sell-side software, recently unveiled its NetVendor Sales Collaboration (NSC) package, which promises to streamline the sale of custom-engineered products through Web-based collaboration with customers. "Collaboration products like the NetVendor Sales Collaboration solution will allow us to significantly improve our customer-specific product design process by providing a real-time, full-function collaboration capability," says Michael Schmidt, IT manager of Teradyne Connection Systems, Nashua, N.H. "Design changes can be discussed, documented, and approved using real-time online collaboration." Schmidt adds that the collaboration is expected to improve the cycle time for approving new designs and implementing changes to existing designs." Sean McCloskey, president and CEO of Atlanta-based NetVendor, says the new system helps manufacturers boost sales by enabling them to forge tighter relationships with their customers. "NSC allows our customers to drastically compress the time involved in responding to a design request and making engineering changes to products," he explains. "Because of that, our customer -- the supplier -- stands a better chance of getting their products 'designed in' to an OEM's product." The NSC package permits the sharing of product specifications and drawings in an environment that is accessible regardless of geographic location. Companies also can offer their customers convenient and economical access to complex documentation, including large files and proprietary drawings.