Correct, comprehensive and up-to-date catalogue data is crucial for success in the independent automotive aftermarket. That is why TecAlliance is introducing a series of measures to ensure excellent data quality in the TecDoc Catalogue. Data suppliers who meet the strict requirements have been awarded the "Premier Data Supplier" (PDS) seal of quality since summer 2021; currently 20 percent of the brands in the TecDoc Catalogue have achieved this premium status.

As part of a major data quality initiative, TecAlliance is introducing a new set of rules for TecDoc data suppliers combined with recommendations, KPIs and validations. In particular, the findings from the "TecDoc Quality Workshops", which TecAlliance organises regularly with data suppliers, data users and service providers, are being taken into account.

Investment in data quality pays off

Markus Leister, who heads the "Global Data" department at TMD Friction, is convinced that working together on data quality is an important investment for the success of all parties in the automotive aftermarket.

"We always strive to be customer-focused, so we manufacturers are glad that TecAlliance has initiated these measures. The DQM workshops were very helpful because they gave us the opportunity to discuss things with each other. At the end of the day, we can develop a better solution for our common customers, the traders. Of course, we are aware that we are sometimes confronted with an immense amount of work. But this is worth facing so that our data quality reaches the next level. Recognition as a “Premier Data Supplier” means that you really stand out from the crowd with your data quality," explains Leister.

Happier customers, fewer returns

The efforts to improve catalogue data are noticed and appreciated in the trade. Marcelo Silva, Managing Director of Auto Delta, one of the most important distributors in Portugal, reports: “All tools that allow us to provide better and more secure service to our partners are welcomed by all of us. Data, and especially data quality, are crucial for any business in the 21st century because they have a major impact on the purchasing decision. And better data quality also leads to a reduction in returns, which are a real scourge in the automotive aftermarket.”

Over 75 per cent of brands provide very good or excellent catalogue data

In the last evaluation of data quality in the TecDoc Catalogue in March 2022, 192 of the brands represented in the catalogue were awarded the “Premier Data Supplier” (PDS) status by TecAlliance. The requirements for data suppliers to receive this premium designation are very high and are continuously adapted to new market requirements.

“With the PDS status, we make sure that the quality of suppliers is not diluted and that the ‘Premier Data Supplier’ retains a certain value. For this reason, the validation not only checks the data logic, but also the data content,” explains Jürgen Mehlis, Executive Vice President Data Manager Products at TecAlliance.

Among other things, targeted extensions in the TecDoc data standard contain precise specifications for the differentiation attributes the data suppliers are allowed to use for their products. This means that, for example, all suppliers must use the same TecDoc attribute “outer diameter [mm]” to describe the brake disc diameter. Previously, suppliers had used up to 20 different TecDoc attributes to provide this information. The new precision makes it much easier to compare products in IAM catalogues.

In addition to the PDS brands, 546 additional brands have fulfilled the requirements for certification as a “Certified Data Supplier”, which ensures that the supplied catalogue data meet the specifications of the internationally recognised TecDoc standard.

Additional information on TecAlliance's data quality management initiative is available on the website http://tec.al/DQM.