PHILADELPHIA, June 14, 2004 /PRNewswire/ - Pembroke Consulting and the National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors (NAW) recently released a new study titled Facing the Forces of Change: The Road to Opportunity (http://www.nawpubs.org) identifying four major trends impacting wholesalers and distributors in the business-to-business supply chain out to 2008. The four key trends identified by the report are:
Fee-Based Services: Wholesalers and distributors in many industries are evolving from low-margin box movers to innovative value added services providers. Over 80 percent of the wholesaler-distributors surveyed plan to offer new fee-based services. Healthcare and high-tech are on the vanguard of this shift.
Customer Self-Service: Business customers are taking a more active role in the pre-sale and transaction portions of the buying process as comprehensive product information moves online. As a result, the salesforce's perceived value in educating customers about new products and in-use applications will be significantly eroded.
Strategic Sourcing: Business customers are gaining additional bargaining power by analyzing their internal spending data with spending analysis software. Aggressive sourcing tools such as online reverse auctions are here to stay and will continue to grow.
Core Business Competition: Competition for wholesale distribution's core logistics and fulfillment functions will greatly intensify. Eighty percent of the 200 largest logistics companies already offer pick-pack-ship services in direct competition to wholesale distribution. The report's findings are based upon responses from over 1,400 wholesale distribution and manufacturing executives. A free summary of the report is available for download here: http://www.pembrokeconsulting.com/pdfs/FTF-Overview-Fein.pdf
"This report offers a compelling and comprehensive view of the trends influencing value chains across nearly every industry," said Pembroke Consulti ng President Adam J. Fein, Ph.D. "These trends are accelerating as the economy continues to rebound, putting wholesalers and distributors on the forefront of a rapidly changing economy."
Fein will present the detailed findings of this study during the National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors' Technology & Logistics conference, held June 22 and 23 in Chicago. For information visit: http://www.nawmeetings.org/LC/technet/lctnagenda.html
With offices in Philadelphia and Chicago, Pembroke Consulting helps senior executives from wholesale distribution, manufacturing and B2B technology companies build and sustain market leadership. To learn more about the firm and its services visit www.PembrokeConsulting.com.
The National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors (www.naw.org) is a Washington, D.C.-based trade association representing the wholesale distribution industry.
