American Solutions for Business (PPAI 101656) has announced that it is now officially using PromoStandards to streamline its ecommerce platform to integrate with industry suppliers. PromoStandards is a group of industry IT professionals that focuses on the development of technology standards to enable system-to-system communication in an effort to reduce the cost of business between suppliers and distributors. Members collaborate to create open standards that enable industry participants to improve customer experience, reduce transactional friction and effectively execute their digital strategy.

“We are expanding to allow suppliers to load our product information management (PIM) system with product information and media content to be used for feeding to our ecommerce sites,” says Mike Schmitz, senior director of ecommerce for the Glenwood, Minnesota-based distributor.

ASB has completed setup for suppliers Hit and alphabroder and is preparing to implement Starline and BIC Graphic soon. Once completed, others will be added based on supplier need, capability and sales volume.

“This is a big step for our company and our industry,” says Justin Zavadil, ASB’s president. “Partnering with PromoStandards is a necessary step that will increase efficiency, customer service and ultimately—more sales.”

Jon Norris, PromoStandards’ chair of the board and vice president of operations for Starline, says, “Adding ASB to our growing list of integrated partners is a huge step forward for both Starline and the industry. PromoStandards allows our supply chain to streamline operational efficiencies and communications, allowing suppliers to focus on creating more value-add opportunities with great customers like ASB.”