No matter what we use, plastic plays an all-encompassing part in many of our daily routines. This durable material has multiple uses, with manufacturers producing hundreds of components for use in various businesses and industries. But what if you distribute said parts?
The Distribution Industry is on an upswing in sales as many firms boost strong numbers and solid performance indicators. For Plastics Distributors, adapting to these trends requires the right management and technology. This is something ERP systems are known for providing.
1. Better Inventory Control
When it comes to your Plastic products, the more the merrier has a nice ring to it. Having many products from your suppliers is a great attribute and provides customers with much variety.
However, too many items can result in a disorganized inventory with too much maintenance. Most basic inventory programs are based around manually inputting all of your available information. If you fail to keep track of a product’s availability, the results can be detrimental.
For instance, let’s assume you offer various Acrylic Tubes and a customer places an order for a specific one. Unfortunately, you discover you don’t have enough in stock to fulfill their request, resulting in a lost sale.
An ERP system removes such concerns by allowing for a more organized inventory. Offering more options to categorize your product catalog, you can configure notifications to avoid out-of-stock items. This will alert you to restock when the product runs below a certain number. Allowing for better product retrieval and a more accurate measurement of what’s available for your customers.
2. Stronger Supply Chain Visibility
In distributing your items, your supply chain is the mechanism which unites everything together. From the initial product request and purchase order to shipping and its final arrival, each aspect is critical. Yet many companies often lack a true connection between these elements.
On different occasions, it’s easy for these areas to be lacking connectivity and result in possible issues. This can result in frustrations and prevent these areas from being truly unified together.
With many ERP solutions, you can create checks and balances to organize your supply chains. When an order’s placed, it automatically generates the correct documents and keeps detailed records for every department. Allowing for your warehouse to be aware of the request and prepare accordingly.
Throughout each part, records are generated within your system that provides a general history of the order. The Sales department knows when they’re being shipped, the warehouse has its own detailed shipping information and the customer has what they need.
3. Understanding What Your Customers Want
Satisfying customer demand is essential to your continued success. In competition with your close rivals, you want something that gives you an edge over them. When distributing Plastic Components, having the best picture of your marketplace is very important.
However, predicting demand is a complicated mess for many distributors. Many firms ignore crucial customer histories or sales data that could have provided new opportunities. Even more pressing if you can’t find items you know are important for your sales.
By centralizing your workplace under an ERP system, it’s easier to retrieve relevant information. You can better find data that constructs stronger forecasts of ongoing and emerging trends within your industry.
Allowing for better decisions and a more substantial outlook can provide many benefits to your business. When put together, a quality ERP solution can provide much for your Plastics Distributor firm. With better control over your processes, you can be better prepared for the future and your success.
Learn more about the ERP solutions offered by Clients First Business Solutions:
- Acumatica, the cloud ERP
- Dynamics 365 Business Central, formerly known as Navision
- Dynamics 365 Finance & Operations, formerly Dynamics AX
- Epicor, the “go-to” for MTO or ETO manufacturers
- SAP Business One, an ERP solution for small to mid-sized companies