Essential Financial KPIs – Unlock the Power of Financial Metrics

Business owner and coach Bernie Smith guides the reader through a carefully chosen selection of the most important finance KPIs, and more importantly, how to put them into practice.

Take charge of your company’s success with the perfect mix of financial metrics. Download your step-by-step finance KPI guide now to unlock:

Formulas to help get you started right away with your freshly-chosen KPIs.

Clear definitions of the key finance KPIs you should be measuring.

Applicable case studies to show you step-by-step how each KPI works.

Download the guide here.

Sponsored by: Oracle NetSuite

MDM Guide: Tailor Your Tech Strategy to Win in Any Market

Whether via ERP improvements, AI infusion, eCommerce tools or all the above, improving customer experience is today’s top priority for nearly all wholesale distributors.

This new guide from MDM provides real-world examples from companies that recently innovated on this front and the ROI strategy and self-evaluation they underwent before making tech investments.

Download the guide here.

Sponsored by: DataXstream

A True Business License Compliance Framework Guide

Avalara solutions enable companies to centralize their business licenses, standardize their workflow for obtaining and renewing licenses, digitize their paperwork, and minimize their busy work.

This platform offers workflow tools tailored to specific business needs, enabling seamless collaboration from senior management to remote staff, ensuring ongoing compliance with a dynamic calendar, and reducing the time spent on repetitive tasks.

Download the guide here.

Sponsored by: Avalara

Insights, AI & More: What Distributors Are Doing to Improve the Customer Experience

For most of B2B distribution history, the deciding factor for customers came down to quality. The distributor with the better products, brands and available options had the advantage to win their business. As industrial, commercial and building supply markets became increasingly fragmented and competitive over time, the emphasis shifted to customer service.

To learn what distributors are doing on the Customer Experience front and deliver the buying experience that customers expect today, Modern Distribution Management partnered with Infor on a Spring 2023 research project. This resulting report illustrates current CX trends and the technologies that distributors are leveraging to meet and exceed customer expectations.

Download the guide now.

Sponsored by: Infor

10 Must-Haves for Distribution ERPs

If you’re in the market for a new ERP (enterprise resource planning) solution and are already starting to look at vendors, you’ll want to read this guide.

Every ERP has baseline features such as accounts payable, receivables, inventory tracking, forecasting. But there are other must-have features that can improve your margins, help you grow faster, and differentiate you from competitors. Plus, you should consider what you need to today – and what you’ll need in the upcoming years.

This eBook will help you determine what capabilities will be necessary to drive tangible value today and in the future. Use it to develop your technology roadmap and set the criteria for what you’ll need from an ERP vendor.

Download the guide now.

Sponsored by: Epicor

A Distributor’s Key to Staying Relevant

Digital transformation is accelerating throughout global businesses. What started as a leap of faith for many enterprises during the pandemic has become a true competitive advantage for those businesses embracing digital solutions.

The wholesale-distribution sector, typically a laggard when it comes to adopting new technologies and processes, must pursue digital transformation for the same reasons — primarily because their customers are demanding it.

Download the guide now.

Sponsored by: Nautical Commerce

2023 Research: The State of Data Analytics in Distribution

It’s all here. MDM’s latest research into the utilization of data analytics in distribution — including barriers, frequency, application areas, prioritization, planned investment and more.

The benefits of modern data analytics tools such as Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Business Intelligence (BI) software and Pricing Intelligence software are many. They take the guesswork out of decision-making. They provide real-time information at a time when speed is vital. They democratize data use across the organization and help distributors un-silo departments that were previously using disparate processes. They show distributors what their customers want — not just from a product demand standpoint, but how they want to buy it. That’s just for starters.

Download the guide now.

Sponsored by: White Cup

Distributors’ Keys to Cybersecurity Effectiveness

Digital transformation has revolutionized the distribution industry. Distribution customers can make purchases, access resources and find a more “Amazon-like” buying experience in just a few clicks thanks to the convenience afforded by the digital channels.

However, the instant accessibility provided by these digital avenues is a double-edged sword for distributors. On the security front, digitally stored data can be stolen or tainted by hackers, viruses and other cyber threats, and distributors need to ensure their information is properly protected at all times.

This report examines the current state of cybersecurity in distribution; how it should be prioritized in key areas of operations; what measures distributors can take; and where to find help along the way.

Download the guide now.

Sponsored by: Epicor

A Distributors Guide: How to Simplify Your Tech Stack to Fuel Growth

There is a tech tool for every challenge. The downside is that this can easily lead to decision paralysis — there is an overwhelming amount of options to pick from, and choosing the right tools and the right vendors for them is a challenge in itself.

But that doesn’t mean simplicity can’t still be the best path forward for today’s distributor. This report will detail the myriad market challenges facing distributors today, how distributors are addressing those challenges with increased use of technology, and how a simplified, consolidated technology approach is proving effective in this endeavor.

Download the guide now.

Sponsored by: Enavate

Suppliers Speak: The State of Inventory Management Visibility

The supply chain situation entered 2023 in much better shape than which it entered 2022, but the inventory lessons of the past two years were apparent: Just-in-time is too prone to disruption to remain the industry standard in the post-pandemic world.

In this report, we will examine new research from Modern Distribution Management that shed light on the current state of inventory management practices among distributors and manufacturers.

Download the guide now.

Sponsored by: Sikich

The Inventory Management Solution that Positions Your Business for Success

Is your warehouse overflowing with the wrong SKUs? Are you finding your mounting Excel spreadsheets less and less useful? Do you depend on manual, tedious processes to keep your inventory management afloat? If so, you are not alone. The wholesale distribution industry is stuck between aged, legacy systems and modern business needs.

A poor inventory management strategy can have a detrimental impact to distributors. High inventory costs, fluctuating inventory turnover, unnecessary order duplication, errors in reporting, lost customers and additional costs all wreak havoc on your business strategy.

That’s why an inventory management system is so important.

In this eBook, we share how a good inventory management system can help ease distributors pain points. Topics include good management strategies, solutions to ever-changing customer demand and key questions to ask if your inventory management system isn’t giving you the information you need to be successful.

Download the guide now.

Marketplace Suite Spot℠

The Marketplace Suite Spot℠ report evaluates the top marketplace development technologies businesses can use to create, launch, and grow an ecommerce marketplace. Some of these marketplace enablement technologies require integration with a standalone ecommerce platform to operate, some include that customer-facing catalog/cart/checkout functionality along with marketplace-specific functionality. The report contains vendor information, platform capabilities, ideal market fit, and more including several comparison visuals in order to gain a clearer understanding of the leading options in this space.

Download the guide now.

Industry Outlook 2023

Nearly three years after the COVID-19 pandemic began, distribution business conditions are still far from “normal,” as in what they were in late 2019. While improved in most areas of pandemic-led disruption, 2022 was the third-straight year that distributors had to navigate major challenges of inflationary pricing, supply chain bottlenecks and a labor pool that has been difficult to attract and retain. Those factors were amid the ongoing challenge of a digital transformation that the entire distribution landscape had already embarked on pre-2020 but was forced to accelerate by B2B buyers’ rapidly evolving preference for a digital buying experience.

With 2022 now behind us, let’s look at the current state of forces impacting distributors, what 2023 may have in store and how distributors can navigate conflicting market signals.

Download the guide now.

How and Where Distributors Can Leverage Automation in 2023

As companies have struggled to pivot normal operating procedures over the past few years, automation tools have rapidly emerged as levers to not just manage stretched employee resources, but to support a deeper business model transformation. Automation – often referred to as Robotic Process Automation (RPA) – typically yields the highest and fastest return-on-investment of any technology deployment, especially in early adoption stages.

In this report, we’ll examine ways in which distributors are navigating this journey, expanding the use of automation across every area of the business – customer-facing, back-office, warehouse and delivery. We’ll share insights from a distributor that has created transformational leverage through process automation. And we’ll also offer a few tips on how to frame your own successful automation deployment.

Download the guide now.

Sponsored by: Infor

Revenue Intelligence: The Defining Advantage in Post-Pandemic Markets

Since the onset of the pandemic, Modern Distribution Management has identified key differentiators between distribution organizations challenged to tread water and those able to strengthen profitability and customer loyalty. The biggest differentiator is how the successful organizations effectively use data analytics tools across operations, sales and marketing, while struggling organizations are holding on to the status quo. And the gap is widening.

This report distills MDM research from the past two years to provide a roadmap for how distributors can use advanced analytics best practices to drive revenue growth and profit despite (and often because of) a volatile market environment.

Download the guide now.

Sponsored by: White Cup

The State of Digital Platforms in Distribution

As technology, buying behaviors and influence from the B2C market disrupt the distribution industry, models that worked for decades are no longer effective. Distributors are adopting new platforms, ecosystems and tools to ensure they can fulfill demand across a variety of channels and deliver the additional value commercial buyers demand.

Download this free report to learn how distributors must innovate to meet the changing landscape.

Download the guide now.

Sponsored by: Big Commerce

5 Big Business Challenges Solved by Business Intelligence Software

Distributors find their most significant business challenges are typically centered in five areas. In this guide we look at 5 big business challenges solved by Business Intelligence software. Like a powerful flashlight, Business Intelligence (BI) can “shine a light” on these areas to reveal trends and the root causes. Business Intelligence will lend powerful insights for solving challenges and help improve business outcomes.

BI keeps you on top of trends to solve many modern distribution problems before they start. With BI, you have insightful and actionable information right at your fingertips to solve these nagging business problems. Now you can stop “fighting fires,” to operate more proactively, and focus more of your efforts on growing your business.

Download your free guide to learn how you can use BI to solve business challenges from day one.

Download the guide now.

Sponsored by: White Cup

Walking the Value Chain Tightrope: How Wholesale Distributors Will Survive and Thrive

Are you leaking profits? Are your margins so tight there’s no room for error? Are you having trouble balancing upstream and downstream partner demands? You’re not alone.

But…there’s a way to ensure this all adds up.

Download Vistex’s eBook: Walking the Value Chain Tightrope: How Wholesale Distributors Will Survive and Thrive. Use these actionable ideas and tips to survive and thrive despite the big squeeze. This eBook covers how to:

Maximize opportunities with your downstream partners
Achieve greater margins by exploiting your data
Reduce leaking profits and stem margin erosion
Gain an advantage by setting the right product mix

Download the eBook now.

Sponsored by: Vistex

Power Up Your ROI and Conversions with Search

How do digital marketers position themselves in the most effective way to present and sell their products? In today’s cut-throat world, a digital marketing strategy needs an edge that sets them apart from the competition.

Dive into our whitepaper where we share the secret weapon that leverages AI and data to increase ROI and conversions.

Download the whitepaper now.

Sponsored by: Bridgeline

Prioritizing Profits With Your Pricing Strategy

Less than 20% of your customer base makes up 80% of your profits. Chasing the wrong customers can cost you dearly – in time, resource investment, and opportunity loss.

To prioritize profit in your business strategy, distributors need to revamp their pricing strategy. Your sales team can move away from the ad hoc “deal desk” approach to a data-driven approach based on the perceived value they bring to their customers. A customer that values your services will pay more for those services.

Pricing has a solid trickle-down effect that goes well beyond winning the deal. A well-orchestrated pricing strategy sets the intention for your business. Eliminate unprofitable business pursuing and focus your efforts on those customers who have the promise to become more profitable.

Download the guide now.

Sponsored by: White Cup

Getting Your Sales Team to Adopt a New CRM Solution

User adoption is the key to achieving the greatest return on investment from your Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system and can give you an incredible edge over your competition.

You can lead your sales reps to the CRM waters, but how do you get them to drink and, more importantly, continue to come back to the CRM well again and again?

Over the years, White Cup has partnered with more than 1,000 companies worldwide to help them structure their CRM rollouts for optimal uptake. This report shares 11 things our experts say make all the difference in creating an engaged, enlightened, and fully CRM-empowered salesforce.

Download the whitepaper now.

Sponsored by: White Cup

Credit Where It’s Due

The worst of the pandemic might be over, but B2B point-of-purchase habits have evolved. And they’re unlikely to revert to what they were before. Data now points to a heightened need for quick, easy and trusted credit-approval options to reflect post-pandemic realities for distributors of all sizes.

According to research compiled by MDM and Credit Key, quickly securing lines of credit will be vital to B2B companies moving forward. Flexible financing will help suppliers and vendors stay stocked during eras of sustained growth and times of supply crisis.

As distributors have rapidly upgraded their technology, many e-commerce customers have gotten used to convenient, digital purchasing options while increasingly turning away from traditional buying options.

Companies now are looking for e-commerce specialists and B2B lenders who offer real-world, real-time solutions that allow businesses to focus on their true goals: offering top-line products and services to their target markets.

Download the whitepaper now.

Sponsored by: Credit Key

Winning Strategies for Customer Experience: Benchmarks & Best Practices

In this report, MDM Research benchmarks the state of distribution customer experience delivery and
identifies emerging best practices to keep customers engaged in a noisier and more transparent
marketplace.

Download the whitepaper now.

Sponsored by: Infor

Investment Banking Directory

Work with a banking partner that knows your business. Get detailed information on investment banks with expertise in the wholesale distribution industry.

Essential Financial KPIs – Unlock the Power of Financial Metrics

MDM Guide: Tailor Your Tech Strategy to Win in Any Market

A True Business License Compliance Framework Guide

Insights, AI & More: What Distributors Are Doing to Improve the Customer Experience

10 Must-Haves for Distribution ERPs

A Distributor’s Key to Staying Relevant

2023 Research: The State of Data Analytics in Distribution

Distributors’ Keys to Cybersecurity Effectiveness

A Distributors Guide: How to Simplify Your Tech Stack to Fuel Growth

Suppliers Speak: The State of Inventory Management Visibility

The Inventory Management Solution that Positions Your Business for Success

Marketplace Suite Spot℠

Industry Outlook 2023

How and Where Distributors Can Leverage Automation in 2023

Revenue Intelligence: The Defining Advantage in Post-Pandemic Markets

The State of Digital Platforms in Distribution

5 Big Business Challenges Solved by Business Intelligence Software

Walking the Value Chain Tightrope: How Wholesale Distributors Will Survive and Thrive

Power Up Your ROI and Conversions with Search

Prioritizing Profits With Your Pricing Strategy

Getting Your Sales Team to Adopt a New CRM Solution

Credit Where It’s Due

Winning Strategies for Customer Experience: Benchmarks & Best Practices

Investment Banking Directory

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