Pete Zimmerman

It has been a time of great global change and the JanSan industry has certainly felt the impacts, from the effects of the pandemic to the supply chain difficulties and related inflationary pressures of the past few years, to the steady march of technology delivering ever greater efficiencies, and the ever-accelerating trend of industry consolidation. Proactive distributors are quickly creating new business models that enable them to broaden their offerings and improve their capacity to offer end users solutions that go beyond products. The objective remains the same whether extended services or add-on services are used: to restore and reestablish the distributor's importance to facility managers and building service contractors.

Technology for supply and demand planning, or SDP, is more crucial than ever for businesses of all sizes and in all sectors. Artificial intelligence (AI)-powered SDP solutions help businesses plan inventory and make smarter purchasing decisions by leveraging historical data spanning several years. AI also assists businesses in comprehending "dead stock" by detecting unsold products to ensure they aren't reordered. 

ERP technology will see a significant shift in 2024, with a focus on cloud-based systems and integrated AI capabilities. These days, companies are searching for customizable, cloud-based systems with mobile capabilities, AI with real-time data analytics, and easy interaction with other digital tools, all in a secure environment.

According to the Insider Intelligence Retail Forecast for 2022, global retail sales are predicted to grow 5% in 2022 to exceed $27.33 trillion. With the rebound of brick-and-mortars, ecommerce spending growth is expected to slow, however it will still account for more than 20% of total global retail. The recovery of in-store retail this past year speaks to its resiliency and indicates that ecommerce’s rise to dominance will take longer than anticipated.

As shortages across the supply chain continue to capture global attention, some are turning to 2022 with higher expectations. For manufacturers, this could be the time and opportunity to shore up and tech enable operations end-to-end, investing in technology to expand production capabilities and open the way to an adaptable future.

As warehouse and distribution center operations continue to grow in both size and complexity, many businesses are scrambling to invest in automated solutions that enable them to keep pace with the demands of global e-commerce and customer expectations.