WIX Brand Web Site Wins Merit Award from Association for Women in Communications

Monday, 04 March 2002

11 million hits and 400,000 visitors have earned the WIX Brand web site a reputation for being one of the most visited Internet destinations in the aftermarket. Its thoughtful design and well-executed approach to communications has also earned it a Merit Award for “World Wide Web Internet Focus on E-marketing/E-communications.”

The Association for Women in Communication has recently recognized the WIX Filters web site for being one of the foremost communicators on the Web. WIX Filters partnered with Hanson, Inc. a year and a half ago to help coordinate the development, deployment and hosting of the new site. The site continues to draw an extensive number of repeat visitors with 1/3 returning each month.

"We learned early on that, ‘we make filters’ — not interactive environments, said Rick Arcia, E-Commerce Coordinator for Wix Filtration Products Division. “That’s why we out-sourced Hanson’s team of talented web technologists to provide expertise in this area. In the past, outsourcing was seen mainly as a way of saving money. At WIX, outsourcing is, more importantly, a method of maximizing our channel reach to achieve business objectives and remain competitive."

Hanson developed the structure and content of the site using teams, which included beta testers from every department at WIX as well as every channel of distribution. This helped create an immediate connection to users at all levels of the value chain. Research surveys were also conducted to help keep WIX on the right path during its initial launch. Research on the user community will continue throughout the life of the site to provide continuous direction in asset creation, maintenance, and deployment. WIX has established an internal web team and appointed Rick Arcia as E-Commerce Coordinator to head up these projects, with assistance from Glenda Clark in site user administration.

WIX currently has three Extranet sites, a promotional tracking site and an Internet site. The Extranet sites include one each for WIX Filters, CARQUEST Filters and NAPA Filtration and Hydraulics Brand. Each offering is an Interactive Portal for both the sales force and customers of the respective brands. They provide up-to-date technical, promotional and sales tools in a form and function specially developed by the WIX/Hanson team.

Along with the Extranet sites, a promotional tracking system has also been created recently for the WIX/SMI Ultimate Speedway Promotion. The site allows Wix customers, counter people/sales personnel and service technicians to participate in an online version of a very traditional tally-card promotion. “To complete the loop we have also tied in our promotional merchandise partner, Robertson Marketing, and its proprietary backend fulfillment environment, Fullpond,” said Arcia. “We are adapting to our customers’ changing needs while providing them with a progressive format.”

Since 1939, Wix has been an innovator in filtration products. Wix designs, manufactures and distributes products for automotive, diesel, agricultural, industrial and specialty filter markets. Its product line includes oil, air, cabin interior, fuel, coolant, transmission and hydraulic filters for automobiles, trucks and off-road equipment. WIX is the #1 filter in NASCAR and the only filter Officially Licensed by NASCAR. Wix Filtration Products is part of Dana Corporation's Automotive Aftermarket Group, one of the world's largest independent suppliers to vehicle manufacturers and their related aftermarkets. WIX Filter's Internet address is www.wixfilters.com.

Dana Corporation is one of the world's largest suppliers of components, modules, and complete systems to global vehicle manufacturers and their related aftermarkets. Founded in 1904 and based in Toledo, Ohio, the company operates some 300 major facilities in 34 countries and employs nearly 70,000 people. The company reported sales of $10.3 billion in 2001. Dana's Internet address is www.dana.com.