"One area distributors can’t afford to ignore …this year is technology, which affects diverse business areas, including warehouse management, sales, customer service, logistics and e-commerce," states author Brent Grover in The Little Black Book of Strategic Planning for Distributors.

“For distributors, well-executed technology investments make a real difference. As such, it’s a good idea to consider the benefits of upgrading current systems.”

Brent Grover, managing partner of Evergreen Consulting LLC and adviser to the distribution channel on strategic planning, mergers and acquisitions, and profit improvement, states that as companies reflect on the past year’s successes and failures, the SWOT analysis provides an ideal framework for discussion.

A thorough examination of a company’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats can uncover aspects of customer relationships, product strategies and other areas than will help or hinder growth in the new year.

If your company is still doing many processes manually because of inefficient software, taking a look at industry-specific software like that offered by Tribute, Inc. is in order. Tribute provides enterprise-wide software to distributors and fabricators in the fluid power, fluid handling, hose, sealing, belting, automation, motion control and related industries and has been focused on this niche for over 30 years.

Tribute partners with many major manufacturers, has over 30 years of industry knowledge, and the unique tools you need to streamline business processes, cut costs, save time, improve margins, and most importantly, improve the ability to serve your customer and give you the competitive edge.

With real time phone support and online options, on-site training and implementation, self-directed user’s group, industry-specific tools and more, Tribute is the software for successful industrial distributors.

As Grover states, “Having the right technological tools and being able to use them well will be a differentiator in 2013. Distributors who are honest with themselves about how poor technology can threaten business goals will have a clear view of potential opportunities to turn those weaknesses into strengths.”

To read more of Grover’s informative articles, including: Five strategic planning mistakes, Funding Strategic Initiatives, and Distribution Trends in 2013, visit his website at http://strategicplanningfordistributors.com.