For Your Wholesale Distribution Business
In the ever-changing Business to Business (B2B) world of wholesale distribution, supply chain automation can make or break a company’s reputation and bottom line. Whether you’re using in-house sales representatives or external teams who do presale or direct service delivery (DSD), the digital tools and features available to create and fulfill sales orders or lack thereof play a major role in the company’s success and sales.
According to McKinsey & Company, B2Bs that embrace digital solutions generate five times more revenue than others in the B2B field.
This is great news, however, it’s not just about getting on the digital trend bandwagon to increase sales. It’s about picking the right mobile solution for your wholesale business needs that will keep you and your customers happy, ultimately increasing sales.
In this post, I will review 5 tips for picking the right mobile software solutions company for your wholesale distribution business. Let’s go.
1 – Custom Features
It’s important when reviewing different mobile platforms you ask about features that meet your company’s specific needs and if custom features are available. One application, cannot meet the demands of all wholesale businesses, sometimes customization is necessary.
In addition, having a clear understanding of which features are important to maximizing sales in the field, such as easy sales order taking, custom e-catalog or pricing per customer, access to order history, suggested ordering, GPS tracking and routing when in the field, offline access when no WiFi or internet connection is available to name a few.
These features will help your reps sell, keeping sales up and customer shelves full.
2 – User-Friendly Application
Schedule a demo, if offered by the mobile software solution company you are interested in. You can get a good idea about the ins and out of the application but remember to trust your gut and eyes. If the application doesn’t look or feel user-friendly, it probably isn’t.
Your sales team needs to sell efficiently, with easy-to-use customer and product selection features, eCatalogs and pricing that updates in real-time, or suggested orders that provide sales reps, upselling/cross-selling opportunities etc…
The user experience should be purposeful and simple to use. So reps can focus on selling instead of wasting time with a confusing app.
3 – Great Customer Service
I can’t stress this tip enough, partnering with a company that values customer service with a live person, not answering machines or emails, is a must. Many times, companies offer quality applications, but even the best apps suffer downtime or have technical issues.
When this happens, you want to make sure you can speak to a live person, who can help with any problems you are experiencing.
Keep in mind you are not just investing in a mobile solution, you are investing in a business partner, who must support your business as you do.
4 – Seamless Integration
An application’s success will depend on how well it integrates with your company’s enterprise resource planning (ERP) system or in-house accounting system. Like dating, your either click or you don’t and move on.
When scheduling a demo of the application you are interested in, always ask if the digital app can support your current ERP system or accounting system. If the answer is no, you are going to need to move on and find another mobile software solution company to partner with.
5 – Affordable Software Solution
You found the perfect automation app, that will maximize sales, optimize workflows and processes, is user-friendly, and offers good customer service. Great! Now, let’s talk numbers.
Many “off-the-shelf” applications tend to be very expensive for small to midsize wholesale distribution businesses and usually not customizable. Don’t fret, many software solution companies offer no-obligation pricing quotes, take advantage, and price around. Where small to mid-size wholesale distributors choose to invest their funds impacts their bottom line greatly. Choosing the wrong digital solution can be expensive and make it difficult to manage B2B workflows as well as poor user experience by reps, which can adversely affect sales.
It’s important you take the time to shop around, for an automation application that offers custom features, is user-friendly, connects effortlessly with your ERP/accounting system, is affordable, and you have access to a live person when problems arise. Your investment must help sales reps sell so your business can flourish.
Orders in Seconds (OIS) is a mobile software solution company for wholesales distributors and manufacturers. We provide exceptional customer service, the very best technology to fit your needs at an affordable rate. We understand the challenges faced by B2Bs with the sales order management and automation process and provide effective solutions so your business stays competitive in the ever-changing marketplace. Schedule a free demo today.
