Technology’s Influence
Adaptation of technology both by market merchants and customers affects how business is done.
“Technology has affected us in a positive way not only with our warehouse management system (WMS), but with customer ordering,” says Glenn Messinger, general manager of Baldor Boston in Chelsea, MA. “Customers can now go online and see what they want to order and their order history. We really try to utilize the website. Customers have reacted well to online ordering; they love it.”
Dominic Joseph Cavallaro III, general manager in charge of sales at John Cerasuolo Co. in Chelsea, MA, reports selling more via text messaging. “It’s amazing that I don’t even talk to half the people anymore,” he says. “Now everything is email or text.”
According to Maurice Crafts, purchasing and sales at Coosemans Boston, Chelsea, MA, increased digital ordering is a result of trust. “We see more email ordering because our buyers trust us to give them the right product,” he says. “They don’t need to rip the box open anymore. We open it, inspect it and know if that buyer is right for it. The buyers trust us to take care of them.”
Baldor’s hails its WMS system as another positive step in efficiency. “It has really helped us in terms of order fulfillment, tracking and inventory,” says Messinger. “And for training, we can give someone our WMS and within that day they are up to speed. It has helped us be more efficient and quicker in getting our trucks out on time.”
