Distribution Software: One Click Equals Two Hours

Company Website

Time is money. For every minute your customer service rep is pulling customer files to answer a delivery question, you are losing money. Ditto for the time to process vendor rebates, calculate special pricing allowances, and run mid-month financial statements.

Imagine a world in which one click of the mouse equals one, two or three hours of time. With today's sophisticated electronic integration, you don't need to imagine. It's available for any size distributorship, with the initial investment dwarfing the return on investment.

One software system, DDI System, is designed specifically for the small- to medium-sized distributor.

"The DDI System provides us real-time customer service … no waiting for paperwork to be pulled or manually adjusted," says David Kawut, CEO of Supply King Inc. in Neptune City, N.J. "In addition to real-time information, our customer service has 'fast-key' access to the customer's complete profile, credit and purchase history."

For customers, that means immediate service and fast answers to their questions. For the company, that means saving hours of time and keeping customers satisfied.

"For each minute that we can save a distributor in manual paperwork, it's a minute they can use to constructively increase their profitability," says Adam Waller, president of DDI System LLC. "There are many nuances of the jan/san industry, such as customized pricing for different customers, that our software package addresses and provides the extra time-saving steps."

Reports to Grow Your Business
The right software package can provide vital information to grow your business. In seconds, the DDI System generates reports that profiles customers, evaluates sales force performance and analyzes product viability. Reports also pinpoint which products are selling the best, which vendor provides the best profit margins, and which products are becoming dead-weight.

Remote Log-in.
The DDI System also enables sales people to remotely log-on to the company system and download customer information before they make a sales call. In the midst of a call, they can bring up the most current pricing (even if it changed just an hour before) and place orders.

Automated Vendor Rebate
The right package also streamlines the accounting department.
"The DDI System calculates our vendor rebates in just one day, versus two to three days if we did it manually," says Ann Marie Nichols, general manager at Supply King Inc. "With 10 vendors on rebate programs, it's a significant time savings."


EDI – Electronic Data Integration
The future of profitability in the jan/san industry lies in the ability to electronically exchange information between vendor and distributor. Some companies are leading the way in implementing an EDI program, and others are just starting to gear up for this next wave of technology. The writing is on the wall — companies need to become EDI proficient or they will struggle to keep their competitive edge with pricing and timely delivery from manufacturers.
Supply King has started to venture into EDI technology with the current DDI System by implementing exchange of information from its main office to satellite locations, whether it is a salesperson or an accounts receivable staffer working out of her home.
"My mother has been handling our accounts receivable for several years," explains Bruce Crystal, COO of Supply King, Inc. "With the DDI System, she opens up her desktop at home and just clicks on the DDi icon. From there, she can access the full customer profile so when she calls on past-due accounts, she is fully informed and can answer any questions they have.
"With our addition of the signature capture program, which electronically captures the delivery signature, she can access, view and forward delivery slips, invoices and any additional paperwork within minutes, all from the comfort of her home office.”
260 Saved Hours
"In fact, with the capture program upgrade, the DDI System saves us about 260 hours a year in our post-delivery paperwork. Instead of pushing paper, our staff can refocus their time on other tasks, such as solicitation," Crystal adds.
In this highly competitive industry, a software system such as the DDI System will provide you with a real edge over your competition. You'll see how quickly the minutes saved will add up to real profitability.

— By Virginia Petru