Tech Update: Mobile Technology Benefits Route Accounting/DSD

By Brian Albright, Integrated Solutions magazine

The retail industry was particularly hard hit by the recent recession, forcing both retailers and their suppliers to streamline operations wherever possible. For suppliers with DSD operations, that has meant finding more cost-effective ways to sell, deliver, and merchandise their goods — an effort that has placed more responsibilities on route drivers and field sales staff and increased the need for effective mobile computing solutions. "As businesses look for new ways to get lean, they frequently ask their field workforce to do more, which in turn requires mobile computing devices equally capable of doing more," says Bryan Wesolek, president of Data Ltd. "We see route accounting and DSD operations asked to take on merchandising responsibilities in the field that were previously reserved for a dedicated merchandising staff."