New research from Pembroke Consulting indicates technology investments by wholesalers and distributors will boom through 2008. The report titled Facing the Forces of Change: The Road to Opportunity included survey responses from more than 1,000 wholesale distribution executives.
Spending on computer hardware and software by wholesalers and distributors is forecast to exceed $80 billion in 2008, according to the study. Over the next four years, wholesale distribution executives plan to expand purchases most quickly in these areas:
- Online ordering
- Customer relationship management
- Salesforce automation
- Warehouse management systems
“Last year, wholesalers and distributors spent approximately $53 billion on computer hardware and software, equal to one out of every five dollars spent by US businesses,” said Pembroke Consulting President Adam J Fein, PhD. “In the coming years, distribution executives will invest in technologies that improve productivity, enhance existing service offerings, and meet new demands for customer self-service in B2B supply chains.”
Facing the Forces of Change: The Road to Opportunity was conducted by Pembroke Consulting on behalf of the Distribution Research and Education Foundation. The study is available for purchase online at www.nawpubs.org.
To learn more, visit www.PembrokeConsulting.com.