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IN DEPTH: Technology

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Giving customers access to their monthly statements and other information online provides customer accessibility as well as mobility. “The ability for dealers’ customers to place orders from anywhere using intuitive tools allows for a level of service above and beyond those typically found in the average lumberyard,”

Maiuri says. “Our customers can have their products available to their contractors 24/365 and enable those contractors to do business in almost a selfservice environment.”

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That capability appeals to many customers today. “Today, more professional contractors are Internet savvy and software reliant,” says John Niedzwiecki, president of BuilderLink. “The more dealers can help them effectively utilize their chosen software system, the closer they’ll be tied to them.”

That self-serve capability has some dealers concerned. “Dealers are worried about making their pricing available without the assistance of a sales person,” Niedzwiecki says. “Sales people fear a loss of contact or becoming irrelevant. But we let them add efficiency for their customers and reduce calls that can easily be handled without employee help and without alienating either party.”

Even so, some have yet to adopt mobile strategies. “Many outside salespeople still are using pads and pens,” Epicor’s Rigby says. “That represents a huge potential for mobile technology to improve their efficiency. Companies are realizing this and are investing in mobile devices and applications to ensure their sales force becomes consistent and efficient.”

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How customers access information also has changed, as mobile devices become more varied. “The adoption rate for new technologies is slower in this industry, especially with smartphone applications,” Computer Associates’ Sullivan says. “We’re seeing more customers use tablets and laptops rather than smartphones for some of our applications, such as creating orders in the field. There are more capabilities with a bigger screen and memory, particularly for onsite graphics.”

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