On February 3rd of this year, the IFDA ran a poll for distribution companies, and the results were surprising. The question asked was “Are your customers requesting more deliveries now than before the pandemic?”. The results were split nearly equally in three answers: Yes, No, and Do Not Know. While the even split between yes and no can be explained by the differing needs of customer bases, the fact that nearly a third of all polled were not sure of this vital piece of data is both surprising to observers and problematic.
Knowing your customers is one of the chief tenants to running a successful company, and is doubly true of distribution companies, where things like order history and delivery days are vital to the success of a client’s operation. Not knowing, or not having access to data about your clients can be a crippling disadvantage, especially in such trying times.
While the poll did not record what ERP solutions the respondents used, it is likely those who answered “Do Not Know” were operating on outdated systems. Modern, agile ERP systems such as Prime FoodService, built within the Acumatica framework, provide users the ability to track key data across multiple business functions, allowing for greater insight into operations, growth opportunities, and workflow gaps.
A key tool in this arsenal of information is Prime’s top of the line dashboard functionality. Offering insight across a wide range of data as well as a deep drill-down functionality, Prime’s dashboards place a world of relevant data at their user’s fingertips. Available from any device through Acumatica’s cloud-based, user friendly interface, these dashboards are easy to use, clear, and full of details needed to optimize distribution companies performance across the board, from inventory to financials.
Food distribution companies cannot afford to be lacking business-critical data, especially in regard to such vital areas such as ordering and inventory. By using a top of class ERP system like Prime FoodService, built within the Acumatica framework, companies can ensure they are never left in the dark.