In the recently released Facing the Forces of Change book from the National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors, author Guy Blissett says that the rise of tablets has enabled distributors to facilitate a “deeper, more expansive discussion” about how to better serve customers.

In an interview with IMI’s sister company, Modern Distribution Management, he names four capabilities that tablets have helped enable:

• Sharing video clips of products and services and their applications
• Presenting what-if scenarios around ordering patterns and delivery schedules
• Enabling dynamic negotiating and pricing functionality
• Reviewing order status, history and future requirements

Blissett says: “The technology enables a different conversation, and the capture of information more dynamic, so the technology itself is less relevant than the processes and the interactions that we’re able to change by leveraging that technology. It’s a fine point – it’s one that I think a lot of executives get tripped up on.”