Ensure you have the right technology in place or are optimizing your current systems to improve profitability and keep customers, says Bob Srdoch, owner, Laurel Consulting, in Increase ROI from Existing Technology.
Too many distributors are leaving dollars on the table because they haven't tapped into all the ways they can bolster customer relationships, Srdoch says. One example is offering a Microsoft QuickBooks interface for customers to make it easier for them to order products and process purchase orders.
Your sales force is another area where the technology can strengthen customer relationships. Mobile access to product, pricing and delivery information when they're with customers provides another compelling reason for those customers to not only keep their business with you but to potentially increase it.
“It’s such a big difference when your salespeople can be in front of a customer and with a level of confidence be able to say, ‘I can deliver that for you next week,’ or ‘I’m sorry, I’m not going to be able to deliver that to you at all, so you should go somewhere else,’” says Ranga Bodla, industry lead, wholesale distribution, NetSuite.
Read more about strengthening customer relationships with current systems in Increase ROI from Existing Technology.
