Accurate product data has always been important; after all, you want your customers to know they're buying the right thing. In the age of digital it's even more important, according to Michael Sprague, director of e-business development for Thomas Enterprise Solutions. But too many manufacturers and distributors haven't figured out how to share that information effectively.
In the latest episode of Executive Briefing, Sprague discusses why the issue of product data sharing is important and the consequences of not doing it well, including lost sales, more customer service costs and strained relationships.
The problem isn't insurmountable, Sprague says, but the first step is recognizing – and admitting – there is a problem. "This is a really sensitive subject," he said. "A lot of people know it's bad, and they didn't want to talk to us. They didn't want to have to be interviewed and tell us how really bad it is."
Access the latest episode of MDM Executive Briefing here to hear more from Sprague about the product data disconnect and how distributors and manufacturers can start to overcome the problem.
Also in this month's episode: Mark Kahn, president of Kahn Tools, talks about the challenges and benefits of being an online distributor and the company's focus on 'American Made.'
