Maintenance and Modifications
Rhobi Offers Virtual Parts Marketplace
Online parts marketplace Rhobi (reinventing how online business integrates) “is the biggest technological advance for parts ordering and inventory since th

Online parts marketplace Rhobi (reinventing how online business integrates) “is the biggest technological advance for parts ordering and inventory since the fax machine,” asserts Steve Edwards, COO of Fort Smith, Ark.-based Rhobi. Edwards had a parts supply company and was unhappy with his options for software that would let his reps see up-to-date inventory, order parts and communicate with the company. “The software that was available at the time ranged from $8,000 on the low end to hundreds of thousands on the high end,” he said.

Edwards contacted a friend and asked for help. “Rod Burton was a programmer, and between the two of us we began to develop a plan for software that would meet our needs.” The result was Rhobi, and Burton became the company’s chief technical officer.