Gone are the days when customers took a back seat to your business processes. To compete in a modern business environment, you need to realize that, like it or not, the customer is king. Keeping your customers satisfied and loyal can mean the success of your business. Ignore them at your peril.
If you are a distribution firm looking to compete in a modern business environment, it is important to take advantage of the new technology that integrates your business processes and helps you find new ways to reach customers.
A report by Aberdeen Group, market research consultants, published a report on the future of ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) in the distribution industry. The report, , identified the differences between businesses that were leaders, followers, or laggards, and found that in our increasingly competitive business market, leading companies are overwhelmingly embracing technology in order to get ahead of their competition.
What Leaders Do Differently
Customers in all areas of business are more demanding and better informed than in times past, and they realize that they have choices. Today’s wholesalers and distributors are faced with a challenge. Online sales have opened new channels that customers use research and order products. These channels also enable competitors to enter and service new markets. Therefore, in order to get ahead, top performers must provide the right products, at the right price, to the right customers, and on time. Implementing a customer-centric ERP that facilitates the use of product and customer data makes good business sense.
According to the report, leaders have focused on the following concepts as they strive to improve distribution processes and improve customer interactions:
- E-commerce Integration: Leaders are 39% more likely to have eCommerce integrated into their ERP solution
- Customer Self-Service: Leaders are 72% more likely to have customer self-service portals.
- Real-Time Insight: Leaders are 31% more likely to have real-time visibility into the status of all their processes and data.
- A Focus on Forecasting: Leaders are more successful in planning for demand, as they are nearly three times as likely to be able to perform demand planning and forecasting.
- Open to Data Sharing: From the supplier to the customer, leaders know how to discuss and use their data. According to Aberdeen, leaders are 46% more likely to be able to share data with both customers and suppliers.
can be your organization’s foundation for ensuring customer satisfaction, at a lower cost. As you compete for new customers, improve your relationships with your suppliers, and focus on the growth in your organization, it pays to have the technology that will facilitate your goals.
ERP delivers adaptable cloud and mobile technology with a unique all-inclusive user licensing model, enabling a complete, real-time view of your business anytime, anywhere. Through our worldwide network of partners, Acumatica provides the full suite of integrated business management applications, including Financials, Distribution, Manufacturing, Project Accounting, and CRM.
If you’d like to know more about how Acumatica can help your distribution organization be more customer-centric and move ahead of your competition,
By CAL Business Solutions
