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10 Great Reasons to Work with an Independent Distributor
- Independent distributors serve as a one-stop source. Like most businesses, your firm probably wants to increase efficiencies by working with fewer vendors. That's where an independent can help. They offer a wide array of printed products—such as labels, forms, plastic cards and mailers—to help your business run efficiently. But many distributors also provide promotional products (advertising specialties), office supplies, direct mail, commercial printing, digital printing and technology solutions, such as electronic forms. If you are looking for a highly complex product, an oddball item or a turnaround that seems impossible, turn to your independent distributor.
- Independent distributors provide services, not just products. Distributors specialize in inventory management—making sure you have what you need when you need it. They can offer up-to-date inventory reports, pick and pack services, distribution to multiple locations and fulfillment. But inventory management is just one facet of a distributor's service offering. They can help you manage mailing lists, design a point-of-purchase display, suggest a theme for an advertising campaign or help you implement a bar coded inventory system.
- Independent distributors stay abreast of technological developments. In today's fast-paced business environment, it's essential that your business partners stay ahead of the technology curve. Distributors are highly trained professionals who make it their job to stay up-to-date on variable imaging, data capture, e-commerce, bar coding and other technologies so you don't have to.
- Independent distributors offer custom solutions to your problems. They are not interested merely in selling a product to add to their bottom line. They prefer to sell solutions that will enhance your bottom line. Understanding your business is at the core of their business. They are consultants who can help make your internal processes more efficient, saving your company time and money. These problem-solvers know how to eliminate obsolete documents, combine documents for improved efficiency or convert documents to electronic forms when it makes sense. They also can analyze business processes to help you weigh the pros and cons of different technology solutions.
- Independent distributors can get the best product/price/delivery combination to meet your needs. Independents are not bound by the policies, product lines or production limitations of any single source of supply. By working with a wide array of manufacturers and business partners, they can deliver what you are looking for at a low cost. And, they can reduce freight costs by picking a manufacturer near your delivery site.
- Independent distributors sell the majority of products in the marketplace today. A recent research study produced by the Document Management Industries Association showed that distributors control 54 percent of the market for forms, labels, checks, direct mail and other business printing.
- Independent distributors offer topnotch customer service. Good customer service isn't just lip service for independent business products professionals. Distributors pride themselves by going above and beyond to do business exactly the way your company wants to do business. That means providing customized inventory reports and invoices designed the way you like to read them, meeting with you when—and as often as—you want to, and shipping and packaging items the way you want to simplify processing at your company.
- Independent distributors specialize in helping businesses of all sizes. They have experience working with local businesses that are just getting off the ground as well as national corporations with multiple locations. Because they serve clients in a variety of industries, they can use expertise gained in one industry to solve problems within your company.
- Independent distributors can help out in a crisis. Independents help their clients avoid inventory shortages and other emergency situations. If, however, a situation occurs beyond anyone's control, independents can assist you with rush orders, emergency consultations and trouble-shooting.
- Independent distributors are local businesspeople. Doing business with an independent distributor strengthens the local economy. They employ local people and support community causes right in your area. And local management means decision-makers who can get what you need are easily accessible.
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