The Perfect Trilogy of Apps for Wholesalers, Distributors & Manufacturers

If you’re a wholesaler, distributor or manufacturer, then you’ll know that there are many unique operational challenges when it comes to selling products from stock B2B. In order to overcome these challenges, the various departments in your business require different tools to enable them to do their job well. But many businesses will try to implement a ‘one size fits all’ solution and make it ‘work for everyone’. Truth is, one system simply cannot do everything for everyone.

In this article you’ll gain a thorough understanding of why a generic solution won’t work for your B2B wholesale, distributing, or manufacturing needs, and which systems are needed to create the perfect balance for enhanced operations across your whole team.

Why Generic Solutions Don’t Work for Complex B2B Needs

Think of it like this - imagine going into a clothes shop you like the look of, but everything only comes in one size. Reluctantly, you buy something in the hope that you’ll get some wear out of it (we’ve all done it!). But the reality is, you know it looks far too big, doesn’t suit you and you’ll probably shove it to the back of your wardrobe once you get home and never wear it again.

Your staff will have a similar feeling when it comes to the software you make them use for their job. If they’re given a ‘one size fits all system’ to work with, they too will realise it’s not fit for purpose, lose interest, and probably never use it either. And too right! Making someone use a piece of software that is just not designed for them and actually hinders them in their job role is a really bad idea.

To give you a more practical example - your Sales teams shouldn’t be wasting time rummaging around in the accounting system to get access to critical information about the customer that they should just have at their fingertips in the sales process - like any special pricing/discounts the customer normally gets, information about what they bought previously, their credit limits etc. Equally, they shouldn’t need to be badgering the Accounts team for them to print out spreadsheets of information (which will pretty much immediately become out of date). This not only reduces the productivity of your staff (both those spending time trying to find the information they need, as well as those who are being distracted finding the information out!) but it increases the likelihood of the information they’re using being inaccurate.

The Essential Trilogy of Apps for B2B Product Businesses

This brings us on to why B2B product businesses need integrated solutions. As discussed, a ‘one-size fits all’ system isn’t effective – day-to-day operations like fulfilling orders, creating invoices, and monitoring marketing campaigns, all rely on your team accessing several systems. A simple disconnect between these systems causes data silos which lead to operational inefficiency and poor customer experience - this is where the need for B2B integration software comes in!

But what is the right balance? Who needs what and why do they need it? What’s the perfect ecosystem of solutions for your business?

• What: To manage and keep track of payments/financial transactions e.g. invoicing, purchase orders etc.
• Who: For your Accounts/Finance teams.
• Aim: Business finance management and reporting.

Ensuring you equip your team with a top-quality Accounting/ERP system is key for a fully functioning and cohesive working environment. Your B2B product business will benefit from central access to vital data across departments - such as customer records, order transactions, and financial data – meaning your team can quickly identify discrepancies, track product performance, and resolve payment issues. More importantly, seamless integration ensures your teams are making financial decisions and creating reports using real-time data.

2. Inventory Management system

• What: To manage your stock control and inventory items.
• Who: For your Operations team.
• Aim: Efficiently keep track of stock count, movement and fulfil orders.

As a wholesaler, distributor, or manufacturer selling to hundreds or thousands of businesses, managing your stock intake and movement is crucial. Investing in a quality Inventory Management system gives you real-time visibility of your inventory levels, allowing your business to know exactly how much stock you have on hand at any given time.

3. A Stock-Aware CRM system

• What: To manage your Marketing & Sales activities (Leads/Opportunities, Quotes, Orders etc.).
• Who: For your Sales & Marketing teams (sometimes Customer Services/Support teams too).
• Aim: Integrate product, inventory and customer data to bring all key information together to streamline processes, increase sales and improve customer experiences.

For B2B product businesses, managing your stock is just as important as managing your customers – miscalculate and you’ll have nothing to sell, and your customers will go elsewhere! A Stock-Aware CRM system gives your customer-facing team members the necessary information on hand to attract new leads, close sales, and foster long-term relationships.

Integrating Your Solutions