How Can Wholesalers Optimise Workflow for Growth

Wholesalers operate with tight margins and large volumes, with operational frictions that can easily lower profits. In this case, growth then depends on reliable stocking, quick order handling, and a clear view of what is happening across all your sites and suppliers.

There are two tools that can primarily support this type of workflow structure.

• A reliable ERP configured through focused ERP implementation services
• Consistent access delivered through RDS as a service from companies like BlackBox

Together, these tools remove friction from daily operations and create a workflow that is both steady and scalable.

Wholesaling needs constant coordination of orders, stocks, couriers, and customers. If you still use outdated tools like spreadsheets and paper notes, they can create delays that may seem insignificant but can ultimately impact revenue. For example, a delay in receiving, a miscount in stock, or a copied and pasted order can appear minor on its own. Over time, these small slips add up and hurt revenue.

But when you fix the workflow, staff make fewer mistakes, customers receive goods on time, and you get a proper view of projections and growth that is steadier and more predictable. Let’s explore the three essential areas wholesalers should focus on to optimise workflow for growth.

1. Make ERP Your Operational Backbone

With ERP implementations, wholesalers can have one clear system that connects stocks, orders, accounts, and any other data in the process. It also reduces duplications and improves the quality of reporting. Research shows that modern ERP projects produce strong returns as they tighten control of inventory and improve forecasting.

A good implementation begins with discovery as teams sit with your staff and map what actually happens when an order comes in, when goods are picked, when returns are processed, and when invoices are raised. This step surfaces all the manual steps and side paths that slow work down.

The next step is design, so the focus is on standardising and simplifying. You choose one clean way to receive purchase orders, one routine for booking stock into the warehouse, and one approach to invoicing. The ERP is configured to support the agreed process. The system removes hidden variations between sites and makes training new staff much easier.

During ERP implementation, data migration should be considered as the third pillar and must be carefully planned. That means cleaning and moving old data, including fixing duplicate customer records, aligning product codes, and confirming stock levels before the cutover.

When the backbone is in place, wholesalers gain a single source of truth for stock, orders, purchasing, and accounts. Everyone sees the same information, and managers can track live backlogs, ageing stock, and key customers in one view. This leads to better forecasting and fewer last-minute fixes.

2. Give Reliable RDS Access

Access is equally crucial, so adding remote access to line-of-business apps can also be helpful. RDS is perfect for wholesalers with multiple depots because it allows teams to access ERP, WMS, and accounting systems, among other things, from warehouses, offices, branches, homes, or even while travelling.

This removes the need for local installs and cuts desktop support. It also makes software updates and permissions changes simple because they are managed in one place. If a device is lost, the data remains secure because it lives in the central environment, not on the device itself.

Likewise, when you open a new depot, you don’t have to build a full local stack. You can simply connect staff to the existing environment through RDS. They see the same ERP, the same workflows, and the same reports from day one, which makes growth quicker and less risky.

3. Secure Gains With People and Metrics

Even with strong systems, workflow improvements don’t last unless people and metrics line up behind them. Start with simple, clear written procedures that match the ERP screens. If the system shows a standard flow for receiving stock, the procedure should use the same language and steps. This reduces confusion and avoids staff incentivising their own shortcuts.

Role-based permissions also play a part, as they give each role access to the screen and tasks they need and remove everything else. This keeps work focused and reduces the chance of accidental changes to sensitive data. When combined with RDS as a service, the control remains the same at every site.

Measurements are also key, so choose a small set of numbers that show whether workflows are improving. Common choices in wholesale include order leadtime, pick accuracy, inventory trucks and overdue debts. The ERP provides the data behind these measures. RDS ensures that reports and dashboards are available to managers at the head office, at branches and at home.

Once you can see these numbers clearly, you can run small experiments. For example, you might adjust picking routes in one depot and track the effect on lead time and error rates. As every site runs the same ERP and accesses it through the same RDS environment, it is easier to copy a successful change to other locations.

In Conclusion

Workflow improvement and growth in wholesaling don’t require a dramatic transformation. All it needs is a solid core system and reliable access.

ERP implementation services give you a structured way to redesign and standardise the work that drives your business. RDS makes those systems available to every person who needs them.

Together, they turn scattered activity into a single repeatable engine for growth.