Your e-commerce manager just explained that the website can’t show real-time inventory because “the API doesn’t support it.” Your IT director says the new shipping integration will take three months because “the ERP’s API is limited.” Your vendor wants to send purchase orders electronically but your system “doesn’t have the right API endpoints.” You’re hearing […]
Michael had run the numbers three times, and they still didn’t look right. As CFO of a $60 million building materials distributor, he was evaluating two ERP proposals. Vendor A quoted $285,000 for implementation. Vendor B quoted $340,000. The obvious choice seemed clear—until his operations director asked a simple question. “What about the return? Not […]
“So here’s the requirement,” the ERP consultant said, adjusting his laptop screen. “You’ll need to configure your ATP logic to account for hard allocations while maintaining sufficient safety stock based on your reorder point calculations. We’ll set up your 3PL integration to handle ASN requirements and ensure proper FIFO rotation using your WMS lot tracking […]
Sarah’s stomach dropped as she watched the screen. It was 3 AM on a Tuesday, and her distribution company’s new ERP system—live for less than 48 hours—had just miscalculated the cost basis on 847 products. The finance team would arrive in four hours to close the month, only to discover that their inventory valuations were […]
Distribution companies researching software solutions encounter confusing terminology. Vendors describe products as “business management software,” “ERP systems,” “accounting platforms,” “inventory management solutions,” or “order management systems” often using terms interchangeably despite significant functional differences. This confusion costs businesses real money. Companies purchase “business management software” expecting comprehensive capabilities only to discover critical gaps requiring additional […]
When distributors evaluate ERP systems, initial price tags dominate discussions. Cloud ERP quotes showing $3,000 monthly subscriptions look expensive compared to on-premise software priced at $75,000 in perpetual licenses. Simple math suggests cloud costs $360,000 over ten years versus $75,000 upfront—a seemingly clear financial advantage for on-premise systems. This superficial analysis ignores the hidden costs […]
The difference between thriving distributors and struggling competitors often comes down to a single question: what are you actually measuring? Companies operating on gut feel and anecdotal evidence make decisions in the dark, reacting to problems weeks after they occur and missing opportunities hiding in plain sight within their operational data. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) […]
Most distribution companies reach $50 million in annual revenue through operational grit, strong customer relationships, and entrepreneurial determination. The systems, processes, and organizational structures that delivered this initial success, however, rarely scale to $500 million without fundamental transformation. The graveyard of stalled growth stories is littered with distributors whose ERP systems became growth bottlenecks rather […]
Your largest customer just called. Again. For the third time today. 8:47 AM: “Did you receive my order from yesterday? I haven’t gotten a confirmation.” 11:23 AM: “Can you check if you have the items in stock? I need to know before noon.” 2:36 PM: “Has it shipped yet? I need the tracking number for […]
Your distribution business has grown 40% over the past three years. Revenue is up. Customer count is up. Product lines have expanded. You’ve opened a second warehouse location. By every external measure, you’re succeeding. But internally, things feel harder than they should. Your warehouse manager complains that fulfilling orders takes twice as long as it […]
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