Who We Work With
We help distributors get more from the technology they already own
We work with a wide-range of durable-goods wholesalers that are looking for better ways to use information technology in their business. Some are concerned about streamlining their operations. Others want their primary system to talk
to other systems such as their web site. Many want to get better information to help them run their business. What they all have in common is that they're trying to get more from their existing technology.
Do any of these scenarios sound familiar?
Our industry is a low-margin business so we have to figure out better systems in order to make a profit. Otherwise, we don't make enough on our product to have much left. Technology is a tool that lets us make our systems better, but we need IT work done for us because we're not large enough to have people on staff.
It's too hard for our sales people to get their numbers. They have to come into the office and have someone run a report in order to see where they are for the month. This happens twice a week and when they're in the office, they're not making any sales. The data is right here on our system. So instead of wasting someone's time trying to get it, why don't we go ahead and give it to them? That way they have the numbers right in front of them and they can catch potential problems before they happen.
We want customers to be able to place orders on our web site. When orders are placed online we need them sent to our main system. Also product and pricing information needs to be sent back. An integrated web site would make it more convenient for our customers to check the products we carry and place orders. But more important is reducing the amount of customer inquiries and order entry we have to handle. That alone makes it worthwhile.
Our managers need to know how we're doing. Often, they get bogged down doing their jobs and wait until the last week of the month before they even check to see where we're at. They really need to know on a daily basis what the momentum of the billing is, but they're either on the road or just don't have time to run reports.
We need a way to determine who our truly profitable customers are. We have many customers who we don't know whether they're really making us money. Some customers are heavy direct business, some are not. Others are heavy truck delivery customers. Also it depends on how fast they pay. There may be alot of volume associated with each customer, but that doesn't guarantee we're making a profit. We need a way to analyze all our customers and say ok, what are the costs associated with each one?
Can you benefit from our services?
Our clients typically share many of the following characteristics. If they fit you, chances are we can help you use information technology more effectively.
- Know your business well - You understand the wholesale business and know how to be successful.
- Committed to improvement - You want your company to be better than the rest. You're not content with being "just average".
- Realize you can't know everything - You're prepared to draw on the expertise of professionals you can trust in order to achieve your goals.
- Willing to invest in your business - You know that prudent investments will produce good returns.
- Understand that solutions are possible - You're convinced that difficult situations can be resolved when there's a commitment to implementing effective solutions.
If this describes you, we can help you get more from the technology you already have in place. Next, learn about How We Work.