Distribution One celebrates 25th anniversary
Software provider Distribution One is celebrating its 25th anniversary as a developer of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software.
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| Larry Ward |
“Twenty-five years is an incredible milestone for us,” said Larry Ward, co-founder and president of Distribution One, who founded the company along with Dean Christianson, CEO. “Since inception, we have never deviated from our core vision of helping distributors be more efficient versions of themselves through the correct application of technology.”
Distribution One launched the company with a mission to provide distributors with a feature-rich, interconnected ERP software solution that reclaims efficiency through the automation of core procedures. Out of this entrepreneurial ambition grew the flagship distribution software called ERP-ONE.
Through technology advancements, competition from Amazon, and pandemic-related productivity disruptions, distribution methodologies have evolved significantly over the past 25 years with significant changes happening within this past year. Yet, throughout this supply-chain digital transformation, Distribution One’s technology has positioned customers to successfully adapt and compete through functionality like the ecommONE E-Commerce platform, Amazon connectivity, Credit Card Processing, API & EDI services, and Mobile Apps for remote productivity.
“When the pandemic started, our customers were better positioned than most thanks to ERP-ONE technologies," said Ward. "User productivity was supported by remote engagement through secure VPN connections and integrated mobile apps. And with fewer staff in the office, companies were able to provide safer social distancing environments for their essential on-site employees. On the sales side, distributors that had already established our integrated E-Commerce platform easily scaled to the increased activity during the industry-wide shift to online sales.”
Jim Maher, Director of Global Customer Success & Operations, helps drive the customer-first strategy. “The pandemic and its related supply-chain disruptions forced a lot of companies to prioritize spending on digital initiatives and adopt technologies at an accelerated pace. Many were surprised to find that what they expected to take years to research and implement actually took days or weeks to execute. It fundamentally changed how people value technology—and that’s a great thing," he said.
Maher added that Distribution One also had to make changes to how the company serves and communicates with customers. "We moved to a more digital platform to expand our customer support services. We also leveraged video conference technology in both our implementation process and our ongoing D1 University education initiatives. These steps were crucial to better serving and informing our customers as they adopted new technologies,” he said.
Serving customers across North America and Europe, Distribution One has offices in Mount Laurel, New Jersey, and Irving, Texas, and maintains a network of ERP specialists in eight states across the country. The company serves distributors in multiple industries: Fasteners, Industrial Supply, Specialty Tool & Hardware, Construction, Electrical, Plumbing & HVAC, San-Jan, Retail Fulfillment, Medical Equipment & Supplies, Paper & Packaging, Food Service, Automotive, and more.
“Looking ahead, Distribution One will be announcing information on a new ERP-ONE software release," Ward said. "We just unveiled a new digital HelpDesk platform and will be integrating our self-service documentation HelpSite into it. This year will also bring the news of an exciting partnership to provide tax code automation. And later this year, we will be launching multiple INNOVATE User Conferences in multiple cities across the U.S.”
INDUSTRIAL SUPPLY MAGAZINE
The March/April issue of Industrial Supply magazine features an in-depth cover story about Joyce Lansdale and Vallen. Plus, we're featuring articles by contributing writers Dirk Beveridge, Frank Hurtte, and David Kahle, as well as interviews with numerous product and distribution industry experts.
