A Game-Changer, Built for your Business

Today’s consumers are demanding. They not only want a choice in where and how to buy but they also demand low/no cost delivery and fulfilment options to suit their needs. As a distributor, you face a choice - you can either give them what they want or watch as they vote with their wallets.

How can you transform your distribution business and deliver the perfect customer experience? By delivering a truly Omni channel process.

As a distributor you probably haven’t thought much about Omni channel commerce, but it just means giving the consumer a choice of where to engage with the retailer or supplier, and delivering a seamless consumer shopping experience. A perfect order made through Omni channel commerce will be shipped for free within a day or two. It will be accurate, complete, damage-free, easily returned, and competitively priced.

If you want to be successful in an Omni channel world, your wholesale distribution business needs to connect all of its core business systems – and that means integrating the operations of their supply chain, CRM, retail channels, inventory and other processes. The problem is, in the real world most companies still have disconnected systems that don’t share data and can’t automatically pass an order from one point to the next.

To have the edge, you need a fully integrated, Omni channel suite of products that seamlessly connects all of your business operations. Your wholesale distribution business needs NetSuite. With NetSuite, you can manage every part of your business through a single platform. All of your business data is connected and you can meet the demands of modern consumers while improving your efficiency and increasing profits.

Distribution models are going through unprecedented changes. What worked a decade ago is no longer up to scratch. B2B customers want self-service tools with instant access to product information through their mobile devices. And consumers are beginning to buy directly from wholesalers and manufacturers through easy-to-use Ecommerce websites.

How can distribution businesses evolve to meet the demands of 21st century customers? Here are a few keys to optimizing your wholesale distribution business for today’s constantly evolving landscape.

B2B buyers are increasingly tech-focused. Today’s generation of managers and procurement professionals shop on their iPads and smartphones and expect to go online to purchase corporate supplies at any time. They want slick, highly functional ecommerce websites where they can do everything in one place. If a supplier makes online purchasing difficult for them, they’ll simply go elsewhere. This generational shift is happening now and will only get quicker. So wholesale distributors must embrace ecommerce as the critical hub of their businesses, and not treat it as a simply a ‘nice to have’.

Buyers are hungry for information – and they want access to it 24/7. If your ecommerce website provides them with credible content which supports their purchasing decision, they are more likely to buy from you.
Good content also improves search engine ranking and site traffic as well as fuelling your social media and email marketing efforts. You can harness these activities and make them work together for you - pushing out great content and creating a reputation as a source for credible information in your market or industry.

Distributors must create opportunities and nurture relationships with their B2B customers and partners. Why not offer your suppliers opportunities to communicate with and connect to your end customers. Everything you do should be aimed at making business better for your suppliers.

To increase customer loyalty you need to experiment continuously. Make sure you have platform that can support your dreams. A platform that will let you grow and scale quickly, offering you the chance to implement new solutions as your business grows.

Operating a successful wholesale distribution business requires keeping pace with changes in technology, workforce demographics, customer needs, pricing models. and much more. A business also has to react and adjust to changes in the overall economy and the manufacturing industry. These challenges often put smaller, independent distributors at a disadvantage to national or international operations. With limited resources, independents may suffer from poor inventory management, outdated technology, insufficient finances to support growth, and the like. When these struggles become evident, even loyal customers may feel obliged to move to a distributor who can offer more products for less money.

But it doesn’t have to be this way.

NetSuite levels the playing field with a solution that modernizes your distribution infrastructure, enabling independents to operate efficiently and compete more readily against larger players. Additionally, NetSuite grows with your business so you stay ahead of the curve year after year. By implementing the right technology to accentuate your particular offering of services and expertise, your wholesale distribution business can compete and succeed.

Can you receive orders through multiple channels including online, phone, EDI and more?
How quickly can you convert orders to cash?

NetSuite expands your orders to the Omni channel and fast tracks your order-to-cash processes with built-in flows that eliminate manual bottlenecks, remove cumbersome rekeying, and reduce errors.

Orders in the Omni channel

• Receive orders through EDI, web orders, direct sales, partner sales, point of sale and more.
• Segment reporting to measure performance by order channel.
• Gain real-time visibility across all channels on orders, customers, inventory and more.

Order to Cash

• Easily convert quotes to orders, orders to fulfilment, invoicing to payment and more with automated, built-in processes.
• Improve quote accuracy, eliminate billing errors, and strengthen revenue recognition.
• Increase revenue and customer lifetime value.

Customer Profitability
Measure success on a per customer level.

Cost to Serve
Understand what each customer costs.

Profitability by Segment
Improve efficiency with deep profit metrics.

Do you have a centralized, optimized purchasing process?
Can you easily use sales forecasts to influence your supply orders?

NetSuite ensures transparency and control throughout the purchasing process, builds favourable supplier relationships, and provides deep insights into performance and forecasting.

Suppliers and Procurement

• Analyse supplier performance.
• Collaborate with suppliers in real time through the Supplier Portal.
• Create a centralized purchasing process.
• Build a real-time approval workflow based on PO amount.
• Ensure purchasing compliance.
• Handle supplier payments efficiently.

Sales Forecasts and Operational Planning

• Generate supply orders based on your sales forecasts.
• Reforecast and regenerate supply orders when forecasts change.
• Decrease lead times and increase your fill rates.
• Minimize stock outs and obsolete inventory.

Inventory Cost Management
Control costs to maximize profit potential.

Lead Time
Forecast accurately to ensure on hand supply.

Cash Flow Management
Support cash flow with purchasing controls.

Can you measure your inventory turns?
How do you track items across your warehouses?

Integrated tracking and control allows NetSuite customers to reduce inventory overhead and turn their inventory more quickly.

Inventory

• Track every turn of inventory.
• Know your inventory to sales ratios.
• Minimize stock outs and obsolete items.
• Leverage distribution centres and multiple branches.
• Reduce your inventory overhead.
• Analyse deep data metrics to improve efficiencies.

Material Handling

• Track lot numbers and serial controlled items.
• Support a wireless warehouse system.
• Meet regulation requirements (MSDS, FDA, and additional compliance documentation).
• Reduce resources tied to fulfilment processes.

Asset Management
Protect your business's value.

Fulfilment Costs
Analyse and reduce your cost to deliver.

Inventory Controls
Leverage advanced controls to ensure efficiency.

How efficient are your pick, pack and ship processes?
Are you in control of your shipping costs?

NetSuite's comprehensive fulfilment controls help you reduce your cycle times and shipping costs while increasing your on-time delivery rates.

Pick, Pack & Ship

• Reduce your number of picks.
• Improve efficiency with zone and wave picking.
• Prioritize picking by carrier pick up time.
• Efficiently implement change orders.
• Handle packing notes, cancellations, changes, and customer-specific labelling.
• Reduce shipping costs and time.
• Bill freight separately or inclusive with product.
• Manage a comprehensive set of shipping options.

Shipping Costs
Save on time and cost of shipping.

Cycle Time
Minimize the cycle to improve efficiency.

On-Time Delivery
Deliver consistently to meet customer demand.

How do you differentiate yourself and build awareness in the markets you serve?
Are you properly nurturing your leads, prospects and customers?

With NetSuite, real-time marketing metrics and comprehensive data empower your business to engage current customers while expanding to new markets.

Campaign Management

• Target your communications precisely.
• Monitor results with deep data and metrics.
• Measure ROI in real time.
• Nurture your leads, prospects and customers.
• Expand opportunities through marketing automation.

Segmentation

• Define your markets.
• Target leads, customers and prospects individually and by segment.
• Get a 360-degree view of your customers.
• Leverage data and insights to uncover new opportunities.

Customer Acquisition
Build your customer base for less cost.

Return on Investment
Measure ROI precisely and in real time.

Marketing Insights
Get more from your marketing dollars.

How do you manage leads and new contacts?
How do you maintain control around your pricing options?

NetSuite drives efficiency and visibility through the sales process, helping you build a sales effort that's second to none.

Opportunity Management

• Maximize your existing sales force.
• Route and track new leads automatically.
• Maintain visibility into your pipeline.
• Analyse productivity in real time.

Pricing Flexibility

• Develop flexible pricing schemes.
• Update pricing as needed.
• Offer promotions and track results.
• Segment pricing by customer, offer quantity discounts, and more.

Revenue Forecasts
Know what's coming and adapt more quickly.

Sales Efficiency
Increase revenue without adding headcount.

Pipeline Management
Monitor productivity at every step.

Does your support team have a 360-degree view of each customer?
Can you use support data to inform and improve your products and services?

NetSuite offers self-service support solutions to your customers while empowering your team to meet customer needs with detailed case management, efficient returns, and tracking for field services.

Case Management

• Empower your support team with a full view of each customer.
• Escalate customer tickets.
• Track product defects as you support customer returns.
• Schedule and dispatch field technicians.
• Bill field services by T&M, fixed cost or warranty.

Customer Self-Service

• Offer a comprehensive self-service customer portal.
• Provide access to orders for tracking and management.
• Deliver knowledge base content and FAQ.
• Reduce support time through self-service efforts.

Product Issues
Uncover problem areas through real-time support visibility.

Product Support Costs
Reduce support overhead with self-service options.

Cost to Close
Analyse your support operations to maximize efficiency.

Is Your Business Commerce-Ready?
Are You Engaging Your Customers Online?

At NetSuite, we believe that every business must plan for the future of commerce. Every industry is being disrupted by rapid changes in technology that are bringing Omni channel commerce to the mainstream. Customers, whether B2B or B2C, are demanding the opportunity to engage with their suppliers everywhere. It truly is an Omni channel world, and without the right technology supporting them, businesses are going to be left behind.

That's why Omni channel commerce isn't just a feature of NetSuite, it's the foundation on which our product is built. The features of our software all work together to drive one singular goal—helping you realize your business vision in an Omni channel world. Want to learn more? Take a look at the details on this page. Or, read more about how to transform, engage, and modernize your distribution business.