Today’s distribution centers are not what they used to be – not even close. With the rise of the Internet and online shopping, the demand distribution centers face is much higher than in years prior. As online sales and in-store orders continue to rise, distributors are scrambling to fulfill orders as quickly as possible without losing the accuracy or quality their customers have come to expect. As anyone in the distribution industry knows, this can be a tall order.
While we all want to see our orders increase and our revenue grow, too much growth too fast can wreak havoc on the distribution center, especially if you do not possess the right tools and technology to handle such sudden growth. If your distribution company has experienced sudden sales growth over the past twelve months, you may be experiencing a number of inefficiencies or challenges, such as:
- Inventory shortages
- Displeased customers
- Data inaccuracies
- Disorganization in the distribution center
- Delayed shipments
- Higher overhead costs
ERP software fast tracks distributors to growth
As distributors struggle to keep up with customer demand, many are feeling the pressure to revitalize their operations and streamline their processes. The good news is that with some slight adjustments, you can excel in today’s new market without sacrificing the accuracy and quality your customers expect. The answer to your distribution inefficiencies is, in fact, fairly simple: technology. Particularly enterprise resource planning (ERP) technology.
Distributors rely on technology to streamline order fulfillment, procurement, and inventory management tasks. Using technology such as ERP software, distribution companies can stay ahead of demand and ensure that customers are receiving the right orders each and every time. ERP software (such as Sage 100 ERP) can help businesses keep pace and work out issues simultaneously so efficiency does not suffer.
ERP solutions also restore distributor’s confidence in their data and help them keep track of orders as they are made. Using ERP, distributors can handle every part of the order fulfillment process – from the second the order is made by the customer to the moment it goes out the warehouse door. With ERP software, no orders are lost accidentally and no customers are left waiting longer than necessary for their products. ERP brings order and organization back into the warehouse and distribution center without adding high costs.
Contact us today if your distribution operation could use some help managing growth.