Need DEX to Grow Your Business?

There are relatively few barriers to entry if a supplier wants to DEX with a retailer, and with a bit of planning, implementation can go quite smoothly. A small manufacturer may be interested in expanding their business to retailers that require DEX, but both the supplier and the consultant they are working with might not have much experience. Here are a few things to think about as you begin your DEX journey in Direct Store Delivery and how bMobile Route Software can make the process easier.

Setup

One of the most important aspects in a DEX implementation for a supplier may be in the communication channel that is set up with the retailers. Different retailers have different processes that suppliers must adhere to before the supplier will be allowed to DEX. At the product level, this might mean an audit of the product and price list that the supplier and retailer have to insure that they match. At the software level, it can mean a host of things. Many of the large chains have predefined technical specifications for what information must be included in a DEX transmission. Sometimes, even though the standard may list a certain piece of information as optional, the retailer will require it.

Certification of the software may also be necessary. This usually involves a trip to the retailer’s headquarters to run the software through a variety of scenarios that may happen in the DEX process. bMobile can flexibly integrate with various businesses such as Target, CVS, and more.

Software

The retailer’s solutions, although customized for their needs, may come with much of the DEX functionality built into certain modules that they must install and activate. The supplier’s solution may come with the route accounting software that is being used, but at times this software is not compatible. This may necessitate some customization of the software to make it DEX capable. Making the software capable will require that the invoice be translated into the proper DEX format, and translated back out of the format for reconciliation. The DEX software will also have to transfer identifying information and perform communications handshakes with the retailer’s system. bMobile Route Software can subvert these steps by being able to integrate with many different systems from the get-go. This makes the transition to DEX easy and efficient for both the organization and the driver/operator.

Integration

When the route accounting software is in place and DEX capable, it is important that the proper integration takes place with the suppliers system. Because the DEX process is the proof of delivery, it is important to record some of the information such as the digital signature from the transmission for later usage.

Expanding your direct store delivery operations to retailers that require DEX can be very profitable. It is important to make sure you have a software partner that understands DEX and can provide the best DSD solution for your business.

Interested in using bMobile Route Software to integrate DEX into your business? Don’t hesitate to Contact Us! We’ll help you set up all devices with our route software for all your DEX needs.

Adapted From Original Article by Gimme DSD; Posted With Permission