Evolving Distributors Winning with Tech Solutions

So many brands, so little time. Our industry has become highly diversified and there’s too much to keep track of without a technological assist. Today’s larger suppliers manage dozens of brands each with its own series of strategic initiatives and corresponding performance indicators or ‘KPIs’ to be tracked. When executing through the three tier-system, clear strategic plans and accountability for all these threads is paramount to healthy relationships between suppliers and distributor partners.

Increasingly, distributors are adopting technology like GreatVines to accommodate the need to optimize strategic market penetration and retail execution for a growing number of niche products/brands. Smart distributors are gaining a competitive advantage by leveraging state of the art technology solutions to drive sales by executing against strategic leading indicators; rather than the old method of spray and pray/push it out and see where it sticks.

Just how are distributors leveraging technology tools according to contemporary best practices? First and foremost, highly mobile cloud-based technology solutions build processes and methodologies into the applications, flexible enough to manage the disparate needs of a wide array of product lines, sales divisions and account assignments. Replicable and scalable, these sales execution processes improve control over workflows through goaling, account planning and execution of KPIs for truly strategic advancement of every product in the portfolio.

Using mobile devices, all salespeople can visualize their goals, plan by account and focus on the most important initiatives while managers stay informed on all activity in the field to coach, direct and support rep performance.

And it’s working! Distributors are seeing improved execution against strategic KPIs and increased sales volumes with less wasted time and incentive dollars. They’re fostering stronger, more positive relationships with their suppliers and healthier, more consistent and sustainable brand management.