Customer Relationship Management, or CRM, has been a tech buzzword since its business-wide emergence in the 1990s.

In short, CRM encompasses the relationship between a company and its customers, using technology to automate processes, reduce costs, and improve the overall business experience. Distributors of all sizes are beginning to embrace new methods to replace the "tried and true" tools such as notepads, phone and fax.

Distribution software vendors are now providing wholesalers with the capacity to achieve even greater efficiencies by automating a range of processes related to customer service, integrating e-mail and the Internet.

This allows wholesalers to manage customer needs and preferences on an individual basis, and deliver the type of personalized service that is expected in today's business environment, as well as required to differentiate companies in price-sensitive market sectors.

Distribution management software features a contact management module with a range of CRM functionality. In addition to providing wholesalers with detailed history, contact notes and scheduling tools for an unlimited number of customers and vendors, the system includes special-order management functionality to automate procurement processes—from purchase order to shipping and handling.

The end result provides distributors with the tools they need to maintain a competitive edge while simultaneously servicing their end customers more quickly and efficiently.

Schmidt's Wholesale, a single location PHCP (Plumbing-Heating-Cooling-Piping) distributor in central New York state, has been using DDi System for the past three years. Since the implementation, Schmidt's has continually optimized and expanded its use of the system by embracing advanced technologies, including CRM functionality.

This distributor is taking full advantage of features such as special-order management, sales-order procurement and critical inventory notification task messaging. They plan to further utilize the CRM and various showroom management features as they complete plans to revitalize their decorative bath showroom.

There are many wholesale distributors who continue to run their operations using paper-based systems that have filled their offices to capacity. With electronic document scanning and proof-of-delivery signature capture solutions, companies can improve inter-office communication and records management.

Electronic document scanning solutions enable distributors to digitally file customer purchase orders, customer payments, job submittals, project drawings, vendor packing lists and accounts payable invoices.

After scanning documents into the scanner, users can access those critical documents instantly. In fact, one innovative distributor uses the solution to scan about 200 faxed sales orders daily to the server, rather than archiving them in a filing cabinet.

Signature capture solutions can make the delivery process virtually paperless for drivers. These solutions allow distributors to automatically attach electronic signatures to appropriate sales orders by securing them through signature capture hardware.

As the distribution industry becomes more and more competitive, wholesalers are looking for solutions that can streamline and automate costly and time-consuming processes. As a result, they will be left with more time to deliver focused service levels to new and existing customers.