The State of Innovation 2023 | Must Read TABLE 13. Do you offer live chat customer service for buyer clients? Yes No PPAI 100 Distributors 64% 36% Distributors $250M+ 80% 20% Distributors $50M-$250M 53% 47% Distributors $10M-$50M 53% 47% Distributors $1M-$10M 57% 43% Distributors Under $1M 13% 88% Overall, more suppliers are offering live chat than distributors are. That’s puzzling considering that distributors interact with consumers, who expect on-demand attention from brands they’re interested in doing business with. For example, 59% of customers are more likely to buy when brands answer their queries in under a minute, according to Ifbyphone research. Implementing a live chat support system allows customers to receive immediate assistance, personalized guidance and real-time support whenever they need it. TABLE 14. When was your current ERP system originally installed? In the last year Past 5 Years Past 10 Years Past 15 Years More than 15 Years PPAI 100 Distributors 18% 36% 6% 9% 18% Distributors $250M+ 10% 30% 10% 0% 20% Distributors $50M-$250M 21% 37% 5% 11% 26% Distributors $10M-$50M 7% 47% 13% 13% 7% Although an ERP system may have been installed 10 years ago, that doesn’t mean the software hasn’t been upgraded with patches, fixes and new features over time. Regardless, industry leaders anticipate newer installations of ERP systems to increase across all distributor categories as technological advances make it more affordable and accessible. TABLE 15. When was the last full vendor update to your ERP system applied? In the last 6 months Last Year Last 3 Years Last 5 Years Last 10 Years PPAI 100 Distributors 55% 12% 3% 6% 3% Distributors $250M+ 90% 10% 0% 0% 0% Dist. $50M-$250M 53% 16% 5% 5% 16% Dist. $10M-$50M 50% 0% 7% 7% 0% Some distributors with under $1 million in revenue reported that they use SAGE, which updates on a regular basis. PPAI • OCTOBER 2023 • 55
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