Choosing a CRM for a distribution company
A distribution company requires a CRM that provides real-time stock visibility during quoting, applies client-specific contractual pricing, supports field agents, exchanges EDI documents with retailers and syncs data with the existing ERP. A simple pipeline-only CRM is insufficient for these requirements.
The difference compared to a generalist CRM becomes clear in three scenarios: when an agent promises unavailable stock, when the quoted price deviates from the contract, and when a retailer's order must be confirmed within hours in a standard format.
Therefore, the selection criterion is not the number of features, but whether the system covers the entire chain of order, stock, delivery, invoice and payment, without manual re-entry and without replacing the accounting ERP.
Selection criteria for distribution
| Criterion | Why it matters | Question for the vendor |
|---|---|---|
| Stock at quoting | Prevents unfulfillable promises | Can the agent see available stock while creating the quote? |
| Contractual pricing | Protects margins | How are price lists applied per client and per volume? |
| Field agents | Covers mobile sales | Does it work offline and sync data later? |
| EDI with retailers | Prerequisite for collaboration | Which retail chains are already mapped? |
| ERP connectivity | Prevents double entry | What data flows between systems and in which direction? |
| Local support | Real response time | Who provides support and in which language? |
Frequently asked questions
Does it replace the ERP?
No. It acts as a smart operations layer over the existing ERP or, for companies without an ERP, as the primary business system.
How much does it cost for a distribution team?
The Essential package starts at 17 EUR per user per month with annual billing, while the Pro version, the most popular choice, starts at 22 EUR.
What happens with new retailers?
The EDI workflow is extended based on the specific technical requirements of each retail chain.
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Ultima actualizare: 2026-09-05