Before you read on, answer these three questions:

• Would you keep banking with a bank that didn’t offer ATMs or online banking?
• When was the last time you booked a flight with an airline that doesn’t offer online reservations?
• Do you every make purchases online after business hours without leaving your home?

Now put yourself in your wholesale distribution customers’ shoes, and answer those same questions.

Consider Convenience

Chances are your customers are ready for customer self-service. They are already enjoying this type of convenience in other areas of their home and work lives – possibly even from your competitors.

If your customers have to call or email to talk with someone in your front office (sales, customer service) in order to do business with you, those resources are the only portals to the information your customers need. Much like a bank teller or travel agent, your front office is the gatekeeper to the information in your ERP.

Self-Service Activities

Examples of activities that customers want to be able to self-serve include:

• Searching products – by category, SKU, keyword, favorites
• Retrieving product info (customer-specific pricing, inventory levels)
• Placing orders
• Checking order status
• Tracking shipments
• Viewing and paying invoices
• Managing account and contact information

Why It Helps You, Too

Fortunately, all of this information is already there in your back office ERP, whether it’s on-premise or cloud-hosted. You just need to unlock it! By giving your customers direct access to these activities, you’ll cut down on customer service expenses, free up resources, improve customer service, and ultimately sell more.

In partnership with the eCommerce experts at Website Pipeline, Southeast Computer Solutions can help you implement a cloud-based front office suite that integrates with your existing Sage ERP. This software suite will allow your customers to do business with you anywhere, anytime, and on any device.

Contact Southeast Computer Solutions today to learn more about wholesale distribution software.

About Southeast Computer Solutions

Southeast Computer Solutions is based in Miami, Florida, and has additional operations in Mexico. For over 30 years, we have positively impacted the success of small and mid-sized businesses with effective business management implementations that improve our clients’ operations. We listen, we are accessible, and we care. Learn more by visiting our website or calling 305-556-4697.