DDI System News & Information

Home improvement has been one of the strongest segments in retail since the recession. When homeowners are shopping to repair or remodel their homes, the ability to consult with an expert is an attractive option.

A major benefit of using an ERP solution in a modern business is that you can manage many core business areas with just one system. Financials, inventory management, purchasing management, and sales management are tied together allowing you maximum insight and control over operations. Keeping functions separate can cause a disconnect between departments, increasing the likelihood of data errors, duplication of functions or records, lack of visibility into the business as a whole, and overlooked opportunities for sales.

As distributors know, staying top-of-mind with your customers is critically important for customer retention and for generating necessary word-of-mouth recommendations. Your customers play a much needed role in advocating your message, strength and loyalty. As a result, we are seeing a trend in newly created Customer Experience (CX) teams to help deliver guided client journeys managed with the thoughtful experience they deserve.  Growing popularity in account-based marketing efforts and "white-glove" service is the new expectation, setting wholesale distributors apart from digital disruptions and competitors alike.

The challenge is for distributors to tap into their ERP systems and harness the customer insight they could have available.  This "all-access" look at buying habits, profiles and customer trends shapes conversations that drive customer engagement. The beauty of this combination in an ERP software is that each and every person using the system is just as knowledgeable as the other -- turning purchase managers into inventory control experts and service staff into customer engagement specialists.  

A well-integrated CRM allows distributors to be experts on their customers in a variety of ways:

When looking to upgrade to an ERP system, make sure to keep your accounting needs in mind. There are tools that ERP software can offer that can help you (or your in-house accountant) to keep the numbers in order and prevent any costly or time-consuming problems.

No matter your industry, dealing with warehouse problems can be a bottleneck to operations. In this article we'll go over 5 of the most common warehouse problems distributors face and how utilizing a comprehensive ERP system will make warehouse processes easier.

We were intrigued by an Aberdeen Group study we recendly came across on the topic of ERP flexibility and the idea of upgrading current software versus buying into a new system and/or provider.

A theme that continues to repeat in distribution and supply magazines refers to the need for distributors to embrace technology to simplify warehouse and business processes. The costs of not taking advantage of the capabilities available now and in the future are starting to add up.  If competitors are taking advantage of increased productivity, reduced process costs, improved control and better accuracy alongside real-time data, a distributor without an ERP system can be left behind before they realize it.

In Industrial Supply Magazine’s most recent issue, Howard Coleman emphasizes this need with his article, ‘The Future of DCs and Warehouses’. “Time after time, we see the need for better enterprise software and analytics utilization to support warehouse management.” states Coleman. "Fortunately, it’s not too late for wholesalers without an ERP system to begin the process of switching to an ERP.

What sets modern distributors apart from traditional ones? It comes down to five qualities - Growth, insight, efficiency, responsiveness, and collaboration – and the adaptation to modern technology, according to Dominic Telaro, the author of Industrial Supply magazine’s article, “Are You A Modern Distributor?”. Distributors face many challenges, from eliminating constraints that prevent growth and insight, to being able to be responsive and collaborate with partners. How do these qualities make distributors modern? In a sense, it boils down to technology: distributors that use the right technology can effectively handle these problems with the right tools.

In Industrial Distribution magazine’s article, “The Top 5 Warehouse Management Trends Of 2015”, Denny Hammack, President of Patterson Pope, analyzes the most important trends impacting warehouse management last year.  These trends included product recall handling and employee safety procedures, third party logistics, mobility for order placement and fulfillment, warehouse management for multi-channel operations, and automation improvements.

Organizations with business analytics and ERP are 123%  more likely to be able to plan for and forecast inventory needs and trends, according to a recent Aberdeen Group report. Using those analytics and ERP tools for inventory demand forecasting has allowed wholesale distributors to see improvements in profitability, sometimes up to 67% within a couple years.