Many distributors struggle with identifying the right technology solutions, but a gap analysis is a great place to start, according to Brian Gardner, founder and lead evangelist of SalesProcess360 and author of ROI from CRM, in Use Tech to Work Smarter, Not Harder.

A gap analysis is an honest appraisal of inefficiencies throughout business operations and across all divisions, and it is an important first step in the process of bolstering a company's technological capabilities, he says.

According to Gardner, it is key to involve other departments in identifying the gaps outside their business areas, as they may have insights that the insiders don’t see.

Once gaps are identified, narrow them down by assessing each one and deciding on its difficulty and impact. The low difficulty and high impact gaps are the ones to focus on first.

By identifying and prioritizing areas that need improvement, distributors can focus on the technology solution that would best solve their top concerns.

Read more about how to overcome technology challenges in Use Tech to Work Smarter, Not Harder.