Benefits

Improve Profit Margins
Special Pricing Authorizations (SPAs) came into existence over 40 years ago as a mechanism to allow manufacturers to respond to the needs of specific customers in specific markets. In the ensuing years, the use of SPAs has proliferated, resulting in complex processes to claim SPAs.

• Import manufacturers' customer-specific pricing and contracts into DDI's price structure
• Streamlined rebate reporting for SPA claim filing
• Export to Excel compatible data file
• Processed monthly, SPA claims are available in real-time
• Format DDI's SPA claims to manufacturer guidelines with basic MS Excel spreadsheet experience

DDI's comprehensive Price Matrix provides distributors with the flexibility to fine-tune prices and raise profitability. Eliminate manually driven pricing methods, while tuning your selling prices to increase margin on slow selling products and exploiting less price-sensitive product lines.

Advanced Trade Services Content Integration
Mapped Trade Service data automates many aspects of distributor pricing. Take advantage of manufacturer provided structures including velocity codes and extended price columns

• Integrated Catalog Connect images and catalog cut sheets
• Accessible within DDI's inform software system or by your customer on your FastWeb enabled e-commerce site
• Parameter-driven Trade Service mapping for Trade Power Array conversions

Effectively Manage Your Inventory Investment
Automated purchasing system keeps stock levels optimized. Inform automatically tracks product demand, demand trend, sales exceptions, and lead times. Even with little inventory control expertise, distributors employing DDI's inform ERP system sophisticated forecasting will begin to achieve effective inventory management within months of implementation.

Automated Branch Replenishment
Improve inventory replenishment and inventory turns at all branches.

Improve Communications
Task messaging delivers user-specific tasks and information directly to your staff. Minimize paper printouts and replace them with real-time, actionable on-screen follow-ups. Automatically generated task messages include low inventory notification, credit hold orders, low gross profit orders, and special order item received. The DDI System provides over 35 user-specific notifications.

Save Time and Money
Minimize and even eliminate paper-based business processes using DDI's proven paperless workflows. Professionally formatted business documents can be laser-printed, faxed or e-mailed with ease. Single copy, process-specific sales orders and shipment confirmation eliminates pre-printed and multi-part forms. Optional signature capture eliminates proof-of-delivery hassles and most filing, while saving thousands of dollars annually.

Streamline Operations
Inform introduces better work flows that transform your business into a more efficient, smoother running operation. Real-time information flow, on-screen expediting notes, and intelligent task messaging help you create a smooth running operation that you and your staff will have confidence to rely on.