IDIS 344 Final Exam Questions with All
Correct Answers Graded to Pass.
"How Distributors Should Respond to Amazon Business Marketplace" - Answer 1. Amazon
Business Marketplace and other "platform" models are different and disruptive in the ways they
are innovating on behalf of the customer.
2. Amazon Business Marketplace, launched in April 2016, reached one billion dollars in revenue
within a year; it's on track to achieve $10 billion in sales for 2018.
3. You are also exposing highly detailed data about products, customers and pricing to an
incredibly sophisticated company that is a relentless competitor.
4. Amazon is playing the "long game" while distributors are trying to hit short-term goals
"The early warning sign that you hired the wrong person" - Answer 1. It's not possible for
any manager to hire perfectly. The most sophisticated interview and assessment process can't
account for the incredible complexity and nuances of human behavior. But managers can act
quickly once they discover they've hired the wrong person.
2. Harold was a different person when the boss was not in the room. He did not want to adopt
better team skills.
E Commerce - Answer Maintaining business relationships and selling information, services,
and commodities by means of telecommunication networks.
-refers to trading of goods and services over the internet.
Top Reasons for not providing E Commerce - Answer 1. Field Sales reps will be upset.
2. Too hard to get the data to get started.
3. Our customers don't need it.
4. Distribution is a relationship business, and e commerce goes against that mindset.
5. We've already got E commerce (outdated)
6. It's too expensive to invest in right now.
7. Lack the expertise to implement it.
8. We're too busy.
Finding the Right Fit - ECommerce - Answer 1. Make it easier for customers to do their job on
your site.
2. Provide customer specific pricing rather than just list price or no price at all.
3. Seamless integration with your ERP is a necessity.
When looking for the right E commerce platform - Answer 1. Price
,2. ERP Integration
3. Support for B2B best practices.
E-commerce priorities for distributors - Answer 1. Increase new customers/orders.
2. Promote company brand.
3. Improve the customer experience.
4. Increase efficiency & operational cost savings.
5. Increase frequency of use & transactions.
6 Steps for Starting Successful Ecommerce Business - Answer 1. Plan for your online
business.
2. Ask customers what they need/want from an e-commerce site.
3. Build your e-commerce infrastructure.
4. Deliver big with a well planned supply chain.
5. Attract Customers
6. Grow your reputation & grow your business.
expense components for B2B e-commerce - Answer 1. Acquisition
2. On-going Operations
3. Efficiency & Productivity Objectives
4. Future Needs for Agility and Flexibility
5. Cost of Integration
6. Implementation
7. Cost of Content - Catalog, Customer Data, and online search data
8. Marketing
Top Challenges for Upgrading E-Commerce - Answer 1. Getting Consistent Data from
Suppliers
2. Uploading Accurate Product Data
3. Lack of Employee time to maintain
4. Lack of In House Technical Knowledge
5. Too Expensive
6. Can't Integrate it with Existing Technology
Overall Advantages of E-Commerce for Distributors - Answer 1. Keep Up W/ Competitors
, 2. Meet Needs of Customers
3. Attract New Customers
4. Increase Sales.
5. New/Improved Sales Processes
6. New ways to attract and interact with both current and new customers.
"Are You Ready for AI and should you care?" - Answer 1. AI learns and improves over time.
2. Customers will eventually start interacting with AI and expecting distributors to start
providing those capabilities.
3. Distributors will need experts who understand AI and suppliers who can give distributors the
required data to set up new AI systems.
"As Digital Rises, Soft Skills Training becomes more critical" - Answer 1. Training programs
should focus on time management, leadership, professionalism, and communication.
2. WISE conference focused on public speaking, developing a personal brand, communicating a
clear and actionable message, understanding your own communication style and how to work
with others', work-life balance.
Leveraging Technology - Answer "It's about a process not just Technology."
"Technology is the means, not an end."
"It helps you do what you do mo' better!"
Challenge for Distributors for the "Holy, Holy Grail" - Answer How do you integrate all three?
-CRM
-ERP
-Social Media
TO GAIN A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE!
Overcoming the Challenge for Distributors for the "Holy, Holy Grail" - Answer Break the
stovepipes!
Companies need to spread the information throughout the company instead of restricting
information flow to vertical lines of control.
Sales Cycle - Answer 1. Front End: Lead-> Opportunity (What CRM focuses on)
2. Back End: Quote-> Order (What ERP focuses on)
Correct Answers Graded to Pass.
"How Distributors Should Respond to Amazon Business Marketplace" - Answer 1. Amazon
Business Marketplace and other "platform" models are different and disruptive in the ways they
are innovating on behalf of the customer.
2. Amazon Business Marketplace, launched in April 2016, reached one billion dollars in revenue
within a year; it's on track to achieve $10 billion in sales for 2018.
3. You are also exposing highly detailed data about products, customers and pricing to an
incredibly sophisticated company that is a relentless competitor.
4. Amazon is playing the "long game" while distributors are trying to hit short-term goals
"The early warning sign that you hired the wrong person" - Answer 1. It's not possible for
any manager to hire perfectly. The most sophisticated interview and assessment process can't
account for the incredible complexity and nuances of human behavior. But managers can act
quickly once they discover they've hired the wrong person.
2. Harold was a different person when the boss was not in the room. He did not want to adopt
better team skills.
E Commerce - Answer Maintaining business relationships and selling information, services,
and commodities by means of telecommunication networks.
-refers to trading of goods and services over the internet.
Top Reasons for not providing E Commerce - Answer 1. Field Sales reps will be upset.
2. Too hard to get the data to get started.
3. Our customers don't need it.
4. Distribution is a relationship business, and e commerce goes against that mindset.
5. We've already got E commerce (outdated)
6. It's too expensive to invest in right now.
7. Lack the expertise to implement it.
8. We're too busy.
Finding the Right Fit - ECommerce - Answer 1. Make it easier for customers to do their job on
your site.
2. Provide customer specific pricing rather than just list price or no price at all.
3. Seamless integration with your ERP is a necessity.
When looking for the right E commerce platform - Answer 1. Price
,2. ERP Integration
3. Support for B2B best practices.
E-commerce priorities for distributors - Answer 1. Increase new customers/orders.
2. Promote company brand.
3. Improve the customer experience.
4. Increase efficiency & operational cost savings.
5. Increase frequency of use & transactions.
6 Steps for Starting Successful Ecommerce Business - Answer 1. Plan for your online
business.
2. Ask customers what they need/want from an e-commerce site.
3. Build your e-commerce infrastructure.
4. Deliver big with a well planned supply chain.
5. Attract Customers
6. Grow your reputation & grow your business.
expense components for B2B e-commerce - Answer 1. Acquisition
2. On-going Operations
3. Efficiency & Productivity Objectives
4. Future Needs for Agility and Flexibility
5. Cost of Integration
6. Implementation
7. Cost of Content - Catalog, Customer Data, and online search data
8. Marketing
Top Challenges for Upgrading E-Commerce - Answer 1. Getting Consistent Data from
Suppliers
2. Uploading Accurate Product Data
3. Lack of Employee time to maintain
4. Lack of In House Technical Knowledge
5. Too Expensive
6. Can't Integrate it with Existing Technology
Overall Advantages of E-Commerce for Distributors - Answer 1. Keep Up W/ Competitors
, 2. Meet Needs of Customers
3. Attract New Customers
4. Increase Sales.
5. New/Improved Sales Processes
6. New ways to attract and interact with both current and new customers.
"Are You Ready for AI and should you care?" - Answer 1. AI learns and improves over time.
2. Customers will eventually start interacting with AI and expecting distributors to start
providing those capabilities.
3. Distributors will need experts who understand AI and suppliers who can give distributors the
required data to set up new AI systems.
"As Digital Rises, Soft Skills Training becomes more critical" - Answer 1. Training programs
should focus on time management, leadership, professionalism, and communication.
2. WISE conference focused on public speaking, developing a personal brand, communicating a
clear and actionable message, understanding your own communication style and how to work
with others', work-life balance.
Leveraging Technology - Answer "It's about a process not just Technology."
"Technology is the means, not an end."
"It helps you do what you do mo' better!"
Challenge for Distributors for the "Holy, Holy Grail" - Answer How do you integrate all three?
-CRM
-ERP
-Social Media
TO GAIN A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE!
Overcoming the Challenge for Distributors for the "Holy, Holy Grail" - Answer Break the
stovepipes!
Companies need to spread the information throughout the company instead of restricting
information flow to vertical lines of control.
Sales Cycle - Answer 1. Front End: Lead-> Opportunity (What CRM focuses on)
2. Back End: Quote-> Order (What ERP focuses on)
