Dave Fechter

Technology tools offer distributors a lifeline to future prosperity. Charles Darwin theorized that it isn't the strongest species that survive, nor even the most intelligent, but the ones most responsive to change. For print distributors, the father of evolution's pronouncement underscores their need to adapt to the tools of technology if they hope to have a fighting chance in today's marketplace. "Distributors who don't have a technological edge will be lost," acknowledged Steve Stone, president of Western Business Forms, Fresno, Calif. While there's no substitute for solid salesmanship, those skills must be coupled with the convenience and efficiency that only technology provides in

Customers' expectations of competent, reliable distributors include offering the latest in business operations efficiencies. Can distributors be successful without technology? To put things in perspective, consider just one aspect of serving today's marketplace. John DeAngelis, president of Hauppauge, New York-based Bradley Marketing, recalls when the typical lead time for most standard products was six weeks. "Eventually, the industry migrated to four-week lead times. Now, two weeks—sometimes even five to 10 working days—is the norm," he observed. "Customers' expectations have risen in terms of having artwork and proofing turned around. They just can't wait any longer, which puts pressure on distributors." To remain