A close relationship with technology providers can drive business success. However, while dealers excel in customer relationships and product knowledge, many struggle with integrating and leveraging modern technology to optimise their operations. This gap can hinder growth, leaving dealers at a disadvantage in our competitive industry and increasingly digital landscape.
From implementing intelligent automation software that streamlines repetitive tasks to adopting advanced CRM systems, technology providers offer a range of solutions tailored to the unique needs of dealers. These partnerships allow dealers to focus on their core strengths while benefiting from cutting-edge technology that improves efficiency, reduces costs and augments every customer touchpoint.
Calidore – Tailored technology
In the rapidly changing business supplies industry, staying competitive requires a strategic approach to technology adoption, says Calidore Director Richard Olds.
Technology is evolving exponentially, and to stay relevant for 2025 and beyond, dealers must embrace technology to thrive and remain competitive. Integrating CRM, ERP and e-commerce solutions has become foundational to success. In this context, a one-size-fits-all approach is no longer viable. Dealers require customised solutions that scale and adapt to higher demand while maintaining high-quality standards.
Recognising this need, in 2023, Calidore joined forces with the Stronger Business Partners Group – a coalition of tech companies specialising in all aspects of digital business solutions.
Through this partnership, Calidore has enhanced its product portfolio and gained additional expertise and resources in cloud technology, back-office software, development tools and digital marketing. This ensures that Calidore remains at the forefront of innovation.
Futureproofing
As businesses look towards the future, equipping teams with the latest back-office and e-commerce solutions is critical, as is considering a broader perspective that integrates cloud services, web shops, digital marketing, EDI, APIs, and AI.
Cloud computing offers numerous advantages, allowing users to access system features and files without the need to save data on their PCs. Dealers hosted on Calidore’s Cloud gain advantages such as reduced costs, improved security and seamless scalability – no matter the size of the business.
A responsive, integrated and SEO-friendly web shop is vital for maintaining seamless customer access across all devices. This adaptability not only boosts customer satisfaction, expands market reach and drives sales but also appeals to a broader audience, especially those who favour mobile and tablet devices.
Through centralising data entry, an integrated solution reduces errors and guarantees accurate information by avoiding duplication across various platforms. For a web-focused company to succeed, a CMS is essential, and Calidore’s offerings are equipped to meet this need.
Digital marketing plays a crucial role in achieving success in today’s business landscape. Techniques such as SEO and email marketing have revolutionised how businesses engage with their audiences. They enhance online visibility, build brand recognition and expand audience outreach. Calidore’s digital marketing services are affordable and provide real-time interaction, personalised messaging and data-driven ideas.
APIs enable seamless communication between software systems, resulting in automation, reduced manual labour, enhanced productivity and cost efficiency. Calidore’s APIs facilitate integration with systems such as Evo-X, Sage, Xero and QuickBooks while allowing for custom solutions tailored to service maintenance and print applications.
Finally, the significance of AI in our daily lives cannot be ignored. Utilising automation for repetitive tasks and data-driven insights can empower dealers to improve decision-making. By offering round-the-clock assistance, chatbots can improve response times and increase customer satisfaction, with purchasing behaviour on a web shop analysed by AI to offer tailored product recommendations. Beyond 2025, every business will benefit from AI.
For more information, visit: Calidore.co.uk
Comgem – Struggling to keep up?
Comgem offers an integrated solution for growth-driven resellers.
In an era of relentless digital transformation, the business supplies industry is undergoing a seismic shift. For resellers, keeping pace with these changes is not just a matter of survival – it’s a pathway to expansion, and those relying on outdated and inflexible systems are being held back.
To thrive in this fast-moving environment, resellers must adopt integrated solutions that adapt swiftly to market changes, streamline operations and enhance the overall customer experience.
A comprehensive platform such as Comgem provides a solution that meets these needs and fuels sustainable growth by providing a 360° view of the business, simplifying processes and eliminating data silos. It integrates back-office operations, websites, e-commerce and marketing tools into one powerful platform.
Managing complexity
Resellers are expected to offer an extensive range of products, but managing these can be a daunting task without the right tools. Comgem effortlessly handles even the most complex product catalogues. Data is imported directly from suppliers, supporting various product types – including bundles, variations and customisable options such as branded workwear – and offering flexible merchandising options.
In the age of big data, the ability to make informed decisions is a key competitive advantage. With Comgem’s real-time data and AI-powered analytics, resellers can make data-driven decisions that drive revenue, such as identifying sales opportunities, optimising pricing strategies and personalising the customer experience.
Elevating the experience
Today’s buyers demand a seamless and intuitive shopping experience, whether purchasing for personal use or managing large corporate accounts. Resellers need a platform that integrates their online store with back-office operations, marketing tools and customer management systems.
Comgem enhances the sales experience by providing tools that make purchasing easy. From personalised product recommendations to intuitive self-service options and targeted content and themes, the platform ensures clients have positive and engaging customer service.
The platform’s flexibility in content management allows users to maintain a consistent brand voice across all channels. The intuitive CMS enables resellers to manage a corporate website and online store content, creating a unified buying experience. Website design and content can be tailored to suit specific business needs. Furthermore, flexible merchandising and product management tools allow the design of unique product page templates and the addition of rich content, such as videos and 360° product views, to create visually stunning and informative catalogues.
Additionally, Comgem’s flexible pricing options enable resellers to implement various pricing strategies, set quantity breaks and account-specific, segment-based and contact-level pricing.
For more information, visit: Comgem.com
Office Power – A bird’s-eye view
EO Group co-CEO Richard Sinclair explains why utilising a single platform such as Office Power can provide a comprehensive view of customers.
In a fast-paced and customer-centric landscape, it is critical to deliver personalised experiences. This means ensuring all departments – from sales and operations to customer service – have access to the same real-time data to foster consistent and informed interactions with clients.
Unfortunately, many businesses still operate with disjointed systems that fail to provide an integrated perspective. These fragmented systems can lead to various data silos, with customer information being trapped in separate databases and inaccessible to the teams that need it most. The result? The potential for delivering a seamless, personalised customer experience is significantly hindered…
True customer focus
The answer to this issue lies in adopting a single-platform solution that centralises data management and provides a unified customer view, commonly known as a ‘Single Customer View.’ The Single Customer View allows businesses to consolidate customer data from various touchpoints, such as marketing channel communications, website interactions, sales calls and operations, all leading to a united and comprehensive profile.
With such a centralised system, businesses can leverage the power of segmentation and personalisation to drive enhanced customer engagement and sales. Real-time insights from integrated data truly empower companies to tailor their marketing strategies, improve customer growth and make more accurate stock and sales forecasts. These are all capabilities that are increasingly crucial in today’s competitive market.
Moreover, a Single Customer View significantly enhances the client experience across all points of contact. When customer service representatives, sales teams and operations staff access the same data, they can deliver consistent, relevant and timely interactions. Imagine a client reaches out to customer service via email, follows up with a phone call to the sales team, interacts with the website and even speaks with your delivery driver.
With a Single Customer View, each touchpoint would reflect the same up-to-date information about the customer’s needs and preferences, ensuring a seamless and satisfying experience. This level of personalisation not only meets but also exceeds expectations, resulting in a loyal and long-term relationship.
For more information, visit: Officepower.net
ECI Software Solutions – Unlocking the cloud for SMEs
ECI Software Solutions EvolutionX and FusionPlus Solution Consultant James Stacey explains why avoiding the cloud costs more than you think.
Using cloud technology is no longer just an option for businesses; it’s necessary for staying competitive. Despite this, many SMEs still have concerns about adopting cloud services, often due to fears of high costs and complex technology transitions. However, this reluctance can be much more costly in the long run than many business owners realise. Here are the reasons why.
High cost
A common misconception among SMEs is that maintaining traditional in-house IT systems and the teams required to support them is less expensive than moving to the cloud. But for those who take the time to add up all the costs of purchasing, managing and maintaining an on-prem IT infrastructure they usually find the total cost of ownership to be substantially more than they had envisaged.
Cloud solutions, on the other hand, offer a streamlined approach to managing business processes and, therefore, reduce costs. Cloud-based systems also free up resources, enabling businesses to focus on core objectives like enhancing the customer experience or entering new markets rather than managing the IT infrastructure.
Cybersecurity benefits
One of the most compelling reasons to use the cloud is its robust cybersecurity. SMEs are increasingly targeted by cyberattacks and such incidents can have devastating financial consequences, including the cost of potential reputational damage and loss of customer trust.
However, cloud providers protect subscribers better than they can themselves by investing substantially in securing their infrastructure. This offers SMEs the high-level security measures they require without significant additional investment. The security aspect of cloud computing alone, by robustly protecting sensitive data, reduces the financial burden associated with managing security in-house.
Cloud adoption
For SMEs ready for the cloud, the path to adoption involves selecting a provider that can scale resources to match fluctuating needs, has a reliable performance track record, and has data centres optimally located to provide latency, data sovereignty and compliance.
Transitioning to the cloud should be meticulously planned by creating a detailed migration strategy with clear objectives for data security, cost management and training. It is also wise to consider backup and disaster recovery plans.
Finally, successful cloud adoption requires that all employees are comfortable and receive enough training to be proficient with the new systems. Comprehensive training tailored to various organisational roles is essential, and ongoing education encourages continuous improvement and problem solving.
Those who choose to avoid using the cloud run the risk of incurring substantially higher costs to do less than they would be able to achieve with cloud-supported software. In an era where digital agility is critical, understanding the substantial benefits and addressing the initial barriers to cloud adoption can enable SMEs to improve efficiency, security and growth. The cloud is no longer an option. For many, it is an indispensable asset.
For more information, visit: Ecisolutions.com
Document Genetics – Free your staff
Document Genetics Director Joe Hyde looks at how IA can improve dealers’ operations.
We’ve all experienced times in our lives when we’ve worked hard but not smart – some might call it being a ‘busy fool’. It’s that feeling you get when you’re stuck in a cycle of repeating the same mundane tasks, day in and day out, all the while wondering if there’s a better way. Well, there is. It’s called intelligent automation (IA) software.
IA combines elements of AI and automation to create systems capable of performing complex tasks autonomously or with minimal human intervention. The latest IA software can develop smart business processes and workflows that think, learn and adapt on their own. Ultimately, by automating monotonous tasks, IA saves time and frees valuable employees to concentrate on more strategic, core responsibilities.
Here are some key components and characteristics of IA software:
- AI: Utilises machine learning, natural language processing, computer vision and other AI technologies to understand, analyse and learn from data.
- Robotic process automation (RPA): Automates repetitive, rule-based tasks such as data entry, without the need for complex programming.
- Cognitive automation: Goes beyond traditional RPA by incorporating AI to handle unstructured data, make decisions and adapt to new situations.
- Machine learning (ML): Enables systems to improve performance and accuracy over time by learning from data.
- Natural language processing (NLP): Permits systems to understand and respond to human language, facilitating interactions such as those with chatbots and virtual assistants.
- Computer vision: Allows machines to interpret and make decisions based on visual inputs, such as images and videos.
- Analytics and data integration: Includes tools for data analysis, visualisation, and integration, providing insights to inform decision-making.
IA software is widely used across various industries to improve efficiency, reduce costs, enhance accuracy and deliver better customer experiences.
Examples of IA include the automated extraction of data from documents such as purchase invoices directly from email, eliminating the need for manual data entry. IA can also streamline the creation of risk assessments on the shop floor or provide a fully digital onboarding process for HR.
In fact, IA has the potential to drive improvements in any area of a business, whether you’re a manufacturing plant, a retailer, a wholesaler or a dealer.
For more information, visit: Document-genetics.co.uk
Prima Software – Transforming business operations
Changing software provider has been instrumental in improving KBS IT & Office Solutions’ business operations, customer relationships and sales growth.
Founded in 1988, KBS IT & Office Solutions started life as a provider of photocopiers, printers, scanners and fax machines. The company quickly established a key partnership with Ricoh, becoming Northern Ireland’s sole Ricoh Partner. Over the years, KBS adapted to the digital era by broadening its services to include MPS, IT managed services, cloud services, cybersecurity and office supplies.
Despite the success, KBS faced several challenges with its previous ERP system and, in response, decided to implement Prima Software’s ERP suite, switching from Sage 200 in May 2020 during the COVID-19 lockdown.
Says KBS Group Director Karen McKee: “From the very first engagement, we loved Prima’s consultative approach and style. The team asked the right questions, probed into areas that we had not considered before and allowed us to explore other ideas for the improvement of our business.”
The transition to Prima was met with enthusiasm from the KBS team. The onboarding process was smooth, with Prima providing exceptional support throughout the development and implementation stages. KBS staff have expressed appreciation for the ease of use and efficiency gains of the Prima ERP system, noting that it has simplified tasks and allowed them to focus more effectively on their core roles. With KBS experiencing significant improvements in its operations, the decision was made earlier this year to also move its e-commerce platform to Prima Software and its PrimaGO and Prima VANTAGE solutions.
“Our previous e-commerce platform was rigid and it was becoming clear that it didn’t sit with our evolving business objectives,” explains McKee. Maintaining and updating the system required significant additional resources, which added to the operational burden.
Moreover, the system’s limited functionality put KBS at a competitive disadvantage, and there was a noticeable lack of proactive communication from the vendor, resulting in a disconnect regarding KBS’s needs and challenges.
The previous e-commerce platform also suffered from several specific issues. It lacked full back-office integration, creating inefficiencies and placing a resource burden on the team. The client e-commerce experience was restricted, which hindered KBS’s ability to compete effectively. The system’s limitations affected the online sales strategy, making it difficult to showcase products and brands in a way that resonated with KBS’s brand identity and enhanced the client experience.
Smooth transition
According to McKee, PrimaGO has been instrumental in providing full back-end integration and real-time synchronisation, which has rationalised processes and reduced errors. The enhanced dashboards and data analytics have allowed internal account managers to monitor and evaluate performance more effectively.
The customisation options available with PrimaGO have enabled KBS to tailor the platform to better reflect its brand and business needs. Continuous investment in PrimaGO’s development has ensured that KBS benefits from ongoing advancements and improvements.
McKee says the migration of KBS’s webstore to PrimaGO has yielded several notable benefits. Online sales have increased and staff have been able to spend their time more effectively and focus on more strategic tasks. The transition has also resulted in cost savings, providing better budget management as the team expands.
“The full back-end integration has minimised errors and risks, leading to positive client feedback on enhanced speed, product access and overall functionality,” she adds.
Onwards and upwards
Since switching to Prima Software, KBS has observed substantial improvements in its operations. The streamlined processes have reduced the need for extensive resources across departments, resulting in smoother transitions from order placement to delivery. The advanced analytical capabilities provided by Prima have been crucial in acquiring valuable business insights.
Efficiency gains have been significant, with automation saving time and resources, enabling the team to focus on growth and strategic initiatives. The customer experience has improved with the added benefits offered to clients, leading to increased satisfaction.
The procurement and commercial teams have also benefited from automated applications, including direct EDI links to key vendors and automated purchasing routines. These enhancements have ensured accuracy and up-to-date vendor data, driving further efficiencies.
The positive effect of Prima on KBS’s sales is evident. States McKee: “We have experienced a 12% increase in new business capture and higher traffic across the webstore, reflecting the impact that the applications have delivered in driving internal efficiencies and boosting customer engagement.”
McKee praises Prima’s customer support, noting the company’s professionalism, courtesy and responsiveness. Looking to the future, KBS is exploring additional enhancements with Prima, considering the phased implementation of the Prima POD App and the potential of Prima ENGAGE, which is due to launch in Q4.
“One standout area for me is the significant impact of automation on client management. It’s been an incredible benefit for our account managers and sales support admin team,” says McKee.
For more information, visit: Primasoftware.co.uk
