There is great uncertainty about how the Internet will actually be used by customers. The Internet will not replace traditional methods of ordering, such as fax machines and EDI systems. It's just another way to communicate between distributors and their customers, according to Adam J. Fein, president of Pembroke Consulting (www.PembrokeConsulting.com). Fein and Pembroke Consulting conducted and analyzed research for the newest addition in the NAW Distribution Research and Education Foundation's "Facing the Forces of Change" series, "Facing the Forces of Change: Future Scenarios for Wholesale Distribution."
Executives from all areas of the supply chain - manufacturers, distributors and end users - interviewed for the study agreed that the Internet is not a fad. But distributors need to ask themselves how they can use the Internet and other technologies to meet customer needs.