AI distribution technology increases sales

By Vincent Tang, Regional VP, Asia, Epicor

Getting something from point A to point B is straightforward work. That's probably why many distributors still rely on human labour and paper tracking. While the distribution industry hasn't always been an early user of new technology, new tools are about to transform operations. And the future is exciting.

Artificial intelligence (AI) makes distribution faster and easier. Tools collect valuable data and suggest actions to streamline operations and boost profits. AI can predict consumer demand. And AI in distribution can give sales reps access to information to help them better serve their customers.

By using AI technology, distributors can grow their businesses in three areas:

Customer service and sales

Customers want to feel valued, and AI can be a distributor's secret weapon to providing great service.

For example, AI arms reps with information while they're on sales calls. Using a mobile device, they can check a customer's recent orders. They know if a product is available. They can get a delivery date. And they can check the current price. This information helps reps so they don't sell items that are out of stock and disappoint customers.

AI reports can also flag customers whose buying habits have changed. Sales reps can stop by their location at just the right time. By rebuilding relationships, they might prevent customers from placing an order with a competitor.

Inventory

Knowing how much inventory to keep is one of the most important decisions for distributors. AI can help companies avoid having to liquidate stale products or run out of a popular item.

AI analyses sales history, order patterns, and returns. It can also check commodity pricing, economic conditions, and even weather situations that might impact delivery. AI can then identify items that are selling well and automatically restock them when inventory is low. AI can also pinpoint items that aren't selling well and suggest a discount.

Operations

Warehouse operations impact sales for distributors by speeding up orders. AI can enable warehouse automation to aid the process. For example, AI makes voice-picking technology* better by improving speech recognition and hands-free operations.

Using robotics technology, in distribution centres can create faster and safer operations—and turn your boring distribution centre into a smart warehouse.

Eliminating the need to enter the same data multiple times has boosted data accuracy and forecasting while delivering a 360-degree view of the business. For example, Crystal Jade, one of the most prominent restaurant chains in Asia Pacific, has dramatically reduced information lead times and improved data availability and accuracy. They are able to derive consolidated financials and granular reporting across multiple stores or legal entities more efficiently and reduced their month-end closing from 12 to seven working days.

AI can help distributors grow and expand their businesses by improving logistics, profits, and customer service. With man and machine working side by side, customers, companies, and employees can all win.

*Voice-picking technology uses voice commands to select (pick) items for an order in a warehouse.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Fortinet enhances FortiRecon to align with CTEM framework

Fortinet, the global cybersecurity provider driving the convergence of networking and security, has turned the FortiRecon platform into a comprehensive solution aligned with the continuous threat exposure management (CTEM) framework. The latest release introduces expanded internal attack surface monitoring, adversary-centric dark web intelligence, and security orchestration, all in a unified platform. These enhancements help organisations proactively identify and prioritise real-world exposures, validate risks like an attacker would, and accelerate response. “CISOs and security teams are overwhelmed by growing attack surfaces and an endless stream of unprioritised alerts,” said Nirav Shah, Senior VP of Products and Solutions at Fortinet. “With the latest enhancements to FortiRecon , we’re giving organisations an attacker’s eye view of their internal and external exposures, backed by AI-powered threat intelligence from FortiGuard Labs, real-world validation, and automated response...
Read more

SentinelOne recognised as a 2025 Gartner Peer Insights Customers’ Choice for XDR

SentinelOne, a global provider of AI-powered security, has been named a Customers’ Choice in the 2025 Gartner Peer Insights ‘Voice of the Customer’ for Extended Detection and Response (XDR) report* – one of only two companies with this distinction. A hundred and forty-four users reviewed SentinelOne's Singularity Platform, and 97% said they would recommend the solution to respond to threats across endpoints with AI-powered security, while 97% rated the solution four stars or better.** “With the growing complexity of cyberthreats, organisations need more than siloed security—they need AI-powered, autonomous protection that delivers real-time detection and response across their entire attack surface. Customers have made it clear that SentinelOne’s XDR provides the intelligence, automation, and efficiency they need to stay ahead of threats and secure their environments with confidence,” said Ely Kahn, VP, Product Management, SentinelOne. Gartner defines extended detection and ...
Read more

AWS: AI adoption grows 20% in Singapore

Image
Amazon Web Services (AWS), an Amazon.com company, has found* that AI adoption continues to accelerate in Singapore. In the past year alone, 27,000 1 Singapore businesses adopted AI for the first time—equivalent to over three new adopters every hour. In sum, nearly 170,000 (48%) of businesses in Singapore have adopted AI 2 , up from approximately 143,000 (40%) a year ago. This represents a 20% year-over-year growth rate, AWS said. AI adoption is the strongest in the financial services industry (71%), followed by the technology sector ( software developers, data analytics firms, cloud service providers, and digital startups) at 70%, and healthcare at 63%. Among Singapore’s businesses that have adopted AI, 82% reported an increase in revenue, at an average increase of 19%, while 90% report significant productivity improvements. A large majority (85%) of those who have adopted AI say the technology is likely to increase their growth in the next year, and 89% expect an average of 17%...
Read more