Even with all the changes in business process, at its core, distribution is still a relationship business. And distributors who leverage online tools to help manage and strengthen those relationships can gain a distinct advantage in a highly competitive market, according to Tom Gale, publisher of MDM, in Leveraging Relationships Online.
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Many distributors are still afraid of how having an online presence could hurt their businesses, from customers seeing something out of stock and going elsewhere to providing an easy way for price-sensitive buyers to find the lowest price.
But instead of thinking how the Internet might damage the relationships your company has built over the years, consider how it might strengthen them by giving customers and vendors more visibility and information on products, services, training and more.
The first step is to approach online communications differently from online marketing. Too many distributors have rushed to build online catalogs, for example, but can’t effectively handle email. Create distinct goals and objectives for each.
Related content:
The State of E-Commerce in Distribution
State of the Distribution Software Industry, Part 3: The Growing Role of the Internet
