16 Aug The Age of Customer-Centric Distribution and Wholesale
The C-suite no longer needs convincing that we are in the age of all things digital. Be it sales or the delivery channels. It was only a matter of time that we got to where we currently are. The pandemic has merely accelerated the journey. eCommerce is no longer just a nice-to-have but a must-have in the current business ecosystem. Customers are accustomed to the convenience of shopping online, and this trend increases demand and expectations. Failure to modernize your business operations will lead many businesses to drown in the ever-increasing competition within the digital economy. Distributors & wholesalers face challenges such as the need to reduce costs, manage growth expectations, and keeping up with the needs of customers. In this guide, we discuss how to overcome these challenges in the age of customer-centric distribution and wholesale.
Table Of Contents
Reducing Costs
Pick the low-hanging fruit first. Streamlining processes and optimizing your supply chain enables you to do more with a low resource impact. It allows for distributors and wholesalers to better manage inventory and maintain control over prices. Improving collaboration and customer service makes it simpler to meet customer demands and ensure customer satisfaction. How do you collaborate with your customers? By opening channels for customers to interact with the business.
Access to customer information
ERP provides a two-pronged approach for access to customer information. By centralizing your customer data, i.e. integrating your CRM & financial management, you ensure that your sales, marketing, and accounts team have a single version of the truth. Furthermore, with self-service capabilities, customers can access self-service portals to access their own order, account, and billing information. Through integrated analytics, distribution & wholesale, businesses leaders can make more informed decisions based on wholistic data. Even better, on a cloud-based ERP system, your team can access this information on the go making your business agile and responsive.
Always-on Visibility
With real-time visibility into the status of all processes and their data, the management of all the moving parts of your distribution & wholesale business is streamlined. Automated alerts can inform actions based on changes in demand, while data analytics mean that distributors can plan and forecast demand for better customer service and cost reduction, as well as inform changes in workflow. Why rely on costly and time-consuming legacy systems when you can improve your customer service and enhance customer satisfaction by connecting your supply chain, finance, and sales into a single interface.
As the need for eCommerce increases, so do customer expectations. Every business is one negative Google or Hellopeter review away from falling behind its competitors. Put your customers at the center of your business and invest in a system that is designed to improve your supply chain, sales, and finance processes, for the benefit of your business and your customers alike.
Need help choosing an ERP system for Distribution and Wholesale businesses? Let us guide you in selecting a solution that will empower you to thrive in the age of customer-centric distribution and wholesale. Drop us a line on 011 792 9521 or contact us via email.