To excel, distributors must successfully address the demands of a shifting environment. Despite increases in operational costs such as labor, customers expect faster turnaround, shorter lead times, and up-to-the-minute order and shipment information.
For many distributors, this means having to do more with less. Warehouse management systems can help optimize the movement and storage of goods, and CRM and ERP solutions can provide transactional data, but neglecting to optimize your workforce means missing out on what may be your greatest single opportunity to impact profit and service levels. In a labor-intensive industry like yours, effective labor management is the ideal place to begin process improvement.