13 May

Time to Move Your Wholesale Distribution Software to Cloud?

Read Time: 14 Minutes

Benefits of Cloud-Based Wholesale Distribution Software

Supply chains are changing. The new normal of data-driven procurement, inventory management and asset tracking has created a challenge for many organizations: As noted by Forbes, 78 percent of U.S. manufacturers anticipate a financial impact this year from changing market conditions.

This evolving landscape, however, speaks to a small symptom of a larger problem: Digital distribution divides. Enterprises and small businesses using a combination of legacy wholesale distribution software systems that occupy both local stacks and off-site servers now find themselves overwhelmed by the sheer amount of data to collect, analyze and apply at scale — combined with increasing customer expectations and enhanced reporting and tracking guidelines, it’s easy for fragmentation to become the forefront of enterprise resource planning.

The alternative? Cloud-based wholesale distribution software for small business that delivers total package potential to overcome critical line-of-business challenges.

Beyond Business as Usual

Rapid evolution of supply chain systems both highlights existing processes challenges and calls out emerging issues. As noted by research firm McKinsey, while reducing operational costs and better-managing inventory levels are the top two enterprise priorities over the next three years, five-year outlooks focus on improved customer service and product quality.

This speaks to the shifting nature of procurement, inventory management and supply chain control — transparency at scale is now critical for companies to stay competitive. The problem? Recognition of current challenges doesn’t guarantee resolution: Fragmented enterprise resource planning (ERP) tools often create communication issues that create company-wide blind spots across the manufacturing process.

Consider proprietary, legacy in-house ERP distribution solutions. Created in response to digital-first demands, these tools are often cumbersome and incommunicative — while they serve the purpose of collecting key data and empowering basic analytics, they’re often insular and ineffective when paired with more cutting-edge controls.

Benefits of Cloud-Based Wholesale Distribution Software

Moving to the cloud shifts the burden from local servers and software to off-site solutions. Delivered by a reputable, reliable provider, these cloud solutions make it possible to expand distribution scope without losing sight of the details.

While specific outcomes vary across industries and applications, cloud-based wholesale software offers three fundamental benefits:

1. Service at Scale — As noted by Deloitte, there’s a service shift underway in wholesale distribution, with B2C expectations now driving change across B2B initaitves. It makes sense: Staff and business partners familiar with the ease and accessibility of customer-facing eCommerce sites and purchase interactions want the same features and functions in B2B interactions.

While legacy systems may serve the purpose of collecting stock data or analyzing key transactions, they’re simply not designed to deliver service at scale. Cloud-based solutions take their design cues from customer demands but deliver in-depth data access and analysis to create an experience that is both consistent and comprehensive — without creating unnecessary complexity. 

1. Streamlined Stock — What do you have? Where is it? How long as it been there — and where is it going? This is the eternal challenge of stock and inventory management; if you have too much sitting in warehouses or coming off the line, you’re spending too much and may face financial challenges. If you can’t fulfill orders on-demand, you’re facing profit pitfalls. Cloud-based wholesale software lets you seize control of your stock by integrating key systems and services on-demand to ensure complete accountability — and visibility. 
2. System Oversight — Without the right information, teams can’t make the right decisions. Cloud-first solutions empower both in-house and mobile sales and service teams to quickly access customer histories, current stock levels and comprehensive quoting tools. While many existing ERP systems function by delivering just enough information to staff, cloud solutions deliver complete data access to inform improved decision making.

Breaking the Barrier

Ready to make the move and break business barriers? Sage has you covered. The Sage 300cloud offers finance, operations and inventory management at a fraction of the cost of traditional ERP for wholesale distribution, while cutting-edge Sage X3 solutions provide faster, more intuitive tailored business management solutions that conventional ERP.

It’s time for the total package. Take back your competitive advantage and boost your operational impact with Sage wholesale distribution software.

About Us:

We’re a Sage cloud business solution provider in Canada committed to helping businesses reach their full potential. From process manufacturing to discreet manufacturing, financial services and non-profits, IWI offers Sage solutions for your accounting, distribution, inventory management and other reporting systems.