Jim Ridley

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