MDM's Emerging Technologies Series, published in 2011, looked at five key technologies that distributors are adopting to run their businesses better.
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The
Growth of Cloud Computing
Software as a service (SaaS) is anticipated to grow 20 percent to $12 billion in revenue this year, according to IT research
company Gartner. Yet in an industry with tight margins and a reluctance to invest in new technologies, SaaS, a variation of
cloud computing that is the use of Web-based services to support business processes, is viewed with a critical eye among distributors.
But as more companies adopt cloud technology for their business, the service is becoming difficult to ignore.
Demand
Booms for Pricing Analytics and Tools
Using technology to improve pricing is slowly but surely gaining a strong foothold in the distribution industry. In fact,
some experts have gone so far as to say that using technology to optimize pricing may no longer be a differentiator for distributors
in five years. Instead, what's called strategic pricing may be expected, much as more advanced inventory management tools
are now.
Distributors
Embrace Mobile Technology
Over the past two years, a significant shift has taken place in technology, away from the traditional home- or office-based
tools to technology that offers portability and accessibility. And while the development of new technologies often takes place
at the speed of light, the adoption rate of mobile technologies such as smartphones and tablets has risen at a nearly unheard-of
pace.
Business
Intelligence Tools Provide Actionable Data
Distributors have questions, and many are looking to business intelligence technology tools to get the answers. Why are customers
unprofitable? How can we work more closely with vendors to reduce costs? Why was margin off this quarter? Which salesperson
is contributing most to Gross Profit? Least? Data from the past is helping them gain a better understanding of trends to help
improve the future.
E-Commerce
Evolves for Distributors
Often when e-commerce is mentioned, Amazon.com comes to mind. And while that model is extremely successful in the business-to-consumer
market, it's a stretch for some to see how that model can be applied to business-to-business. This article looks at trends
in e-commerce and how distributors are approaching the challenges associated with implementing an effective e-commerce strategy.
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