In a recently completed survey of 250 companies with direct-store-delivery (DSD) operations, nearly two-thirds of respondents stated that their businesses are becoming more complicated, according to survey sponsor Intermec, an Everett, Wash.-based subsidiary of Honeywell Scanning and Mobility. “Beverage companies are especially experiencing this as consumer and retailer demands for new products and packaging options are placing significant pressure on selling and distribution systems,” says Brian Schulte, director of industry marketing. To reduce their business complications and streamline processes such as monitoring performance data and managing personnel and inventory, many companies turn to DSD software and hardware solutions.
These solutions can help companies cut through the fog and gain a better understanding of their businesses, says Derek Curtis, vice president of sales for Minneapolis-based HighJump Software Inc.’s DSD solutions and mobile logistics group. “Increasingly, DSD software has to be more than just the backbone of an operation; it has to be the brains too,” he says. “In the beverage industry, knowing the why behind the what is half the battle. Our customers are demanding to know why something is happening, not simply that an event has already taken place. With this knowledge, a user can act more quickly to keep operations running smoothly.”