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A distribution CRM is a software tool for managing customers as well as products in a centralized location. This type of software comes with monitoring and reporting functionalities that help distributors manage customer information, track product orders, generate invoices/quotes, and automate marketing efforts.
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Those in the distribution industry, like any other business, stand to benefit by using customer relationship management (CRM) software—through increased customer satisfaction and sales, for instance. Also, as in other industries, our research finds that distributors want a CRM tool that offers features relevant to their field.
For distributors, customer relationships are tied very closely to the products they distribute; they fall in between the customer and the manufacturer whose products they're distributing. That's why the CRM tool they use should not just let them manage customers but also the products flowing to them.
There are plenty of software vendors that are aware if this need, and thus build or modify CRM tools to suit distributors' unique requirements.
In this buyer's guide, we'll look at the core features of distribution CRM software and what you should know before making a purchase.
Here's what we'll cover:
What is a distribution CRM?
Common features of distribution CRM
What type of buyer are you?
Key considerations
A distribution CRM is a software tool for managing customers as well as products in a centralized location. This type of software comes with monitoring and reporting functionalities that help distributors manage customer information, track product orders, generate invoices/quotes, and automate marketing efforts.
Tracking prospects, invoices, and payments in bpm'online
Distribution CRMs offer certain common functionalities that cater to a wide range of distribution businesses: food distribution, consumer packaged goods, fuel delivery, and so on.
Let's look at these functionalities more closely.
Contact management | Create a centralized database of customer data such as shipping address and phone number. |
Interaction tracking | Track communications with contacts via multiple channels, such as emails, chat conversations, and phone calls. |
Lead management | Capture and store details of potential clients, in a central location, and track their conversions. |
Quote management | Allow sales representatives to automatically generate price quotes of products for customers. |
Order and invoice management | Process orders and create invoices using shipping and billing details. |
Inventory management | Keep inventory records based on item size, color, and other attributes. Monitor stock levels. |
Warehouse management | Track how items are arranged and stored in the warehouse and optimize their storage for quick order processing. |
Workflow automation | Create and monitor tasks that sales agents need to complete as customers move along the sales pipeline. |
Document management | Store and track documents, such as bills of material, product quotes, and invoices in a centralized location. |
Reporting and analytics | Monitor and analyze the performance of your sales team with detailed reports and analytical dashboards. |
The right distribution CRM depends on the size and specific requirements of your business.
Here are three common types of distribution CRM buyers and their chief concerns:
To choose the right manufacturing CRM for your business, you must take into account factors such as total cost and integration requirements.
Let's look at these more closely:
Note: The applications selected in this article are examples to show a feature in context and are not intended as endorsements or recommendations. They have been obtained from sources believed to be reliable at the time of publication.