Three Tips to Make it Through the Holiday Season - Distributor Edition

The holiday season is now in full swing! As print and promotion distributors it is a busy time of juggling last-minute client demands, constant inventory issues, and of course the dreading shipping companies! But nonetheless, this is where you all shine. The holiday season is a time for gift-giving, and nobody does gift-giving better than a distributor. It's in your blood. To help you through this crazy time of year we are sharing our top three tips to help you navigate all of your competing requests. 

1. Make it Personal - As much as your clients tell you how unique and special their needs are, they aren't really. Every company has the same goals this time of year to express their gratitude towards clients and employees for the year they have had, and entice them to take it to the next level in the new year. All of that comes in the form of providing momentos to express said appreciation, and we almost always relay back to the tried and true favorites. To make yourself stand out, try to personalize as much as possible. Instead of suggesting that your client give all their employees a branded leather journal with the company logo on it, take it up a notch by suggesting they also emboss the employee's name on the notebook. Use your software to build a quick store and let your employees or customers choose the personalization that they want on the item so that you can store all of that data in one place easily and remove manual processes. The added touch will have the employees feeling the love, and leave you with the added commission from the increased price tag per notebook. 

2. Rinse and Repeat - Do you have multiple clients offering the same items to their employees and clients? Rather than starting from scratch after each phone conversation, leverage your software solution to repeat popular items in just a few simple clicks. With the right solution, you can set up workflows to automate pricing tables, customization options, vendors, etc. Again, your clients might think their needs are special, but when you have five different companies all gifting the same branded Christmas ornaments, why not leverage technology to make your life easier?

3. Offer Pick and Pack Services - As we know, companies aren't all crowded around their conference rooms this year hosting big holiday parties and wearing ugly holiday sweaters. With a growing remote workforce, it is more challenging than ever for companies to reward their employees or clients with physical items. As distributors, you can help them navigate this complexity by partnering with suppliers that offer pick and pack services and can ship holiday gifts directly to the end recipients' homes. This adds a lot of logistical challenges, but with the right software solution, you can gather, manage, and route the correct shipping information for large groups of people directly to your desired vendors. With workflow automation features, you can even route specific recipients to certain vendors based on geography to optimize turnaround time. Your client will love you for this and so will those that receive these great gifts in the mail, directly at their homes!

If your current software solution does not award you these automation options it might be time to explore bigger horizons as you plan for your 2022 budget. Upgrading your software solution can save you money in the long run by streamlining your business processes and eliminating a lot of wasted time and energy on manual processes. Having a technology solution that can scale with your business is essential in any industry, but specifically in the print and promotional world. It is the difference between being able to say yes or no to your next big client request! Contact us today to discuss how OrderForge is revolutionizing how print and promo distributors run their businesses and allowing them to say YES every single time!

Happy Holiday!