CE Pro July 2022 - 40

CE PRO DISTRIBUTORS GUIDE 2022
Operations
billing, online returns and
more. Across ADI, we implemented
a 'cashless initiative'
last year where we no longer
accept cash as a form of payment
at point of sale or on a
terms account. In addition to
ordering products, customers
can use the ADI Digital Branch
for account management.
They can log into their account
to see order history, track
shipments, access quotes, view
and pay invoices and submit
online returns.
Although it can be
disruptive to cashflow,
distributors advise buying
products earlier than ever.
time last year and why?
YODZIS: Better for sure,
but still challenging. I would
say we now know what to
expect, so extra planning,
longer forecasting and staying
flexible to take advantage
of any opportunities or
substitutions that do come
up have become the norm.
CE Pro: What is the most
important thing integrators
can do in terms of
their ordering, inventory,
etc., to improve their own
supply chain situation?
YODZIS: The best thing
integrators can do is learn
about substitute products
from vendors they may not
be used to purchasing but
that will allow them to get
their installations done. We
know that not every product
is going to be in stock,
so hear out your account
manager to understand
what products offer the
same functionality and are in
stock. We want to help integrators
keep moving forward
40 | CE Pro July 2022
CYNTHIA MENNA,
VP/GM Pro AV,
ADI Global Distribution
CE Pro: What specific
procedures have you implemented
to help alleviate
the supply chain crisis for
integrators?
CYNTHIA MENNA: ADI
has a strong supply chain and
logistics operation and we're
focused on providing our
customers with access to the
products they need, when
they need them. As our
industry continues to experience
supply chain shortages,
like most markets right now,
we're committed to working
with installations and understand
that homeowners are
looking to get projects done
on their timeline. Our team
is looking to support project
designs with in-stock solutions
that get the performance
integrators need.
closely with our supplier
partners to work to maintain
appropriate inventory levels.
Communication across the
supply chain remains key to
responding fast and efficiently
to any situation. Our demand
planning team collaborates
regularly with both our
suppliers and integrators to
monitor inventory levels and
quickly identify any potential
shortages. We conduct an
integrated business planning
process with suppliers to
understand their current
inventory, secondary and
tertiary component sourcing,
and levels of production so
that we can respond with additional
safety stock or order
expedites when appropriate.
Additionally, we stay closely
engaged with our carriers
to mitigate the potential for
container availability challenges
and port congestion.
CE Pro: Have you
implemented contactless
payment for integrators?
MENNA: Over the past few
years, we have focused on
service offerings that matched
the " new way " that people
were working, including contactless
transactions, paperless
CE Pro: When do you
foresee the supply chain
crisis subsiding?
MENNA: We are expecting
the supply chain disruptions
and the uncertainties we're
seeing across the industry to
remain throughout 2022, and
we'll continue to take every
step possible to try and
lessen the impact.
CE Pro: How would you
scale the supply chain situation
today versus this exact
time last year and why?
MENNA: From 2021 to
the present, our industry has
endured numerous supply
chain disruptions from logistics,
to component sourcing
and labor challenges. And at
ADI, we took an aggressive
approach early on to ensure
we would have supply for
an extended period of time,
however, the ability to acquire
new product replenishments
continues to worsen.
We have great relationships
with our supplier
partners and work very
closely with them to align on
forecasting, product supply
and inventory levels - and
continue to keep our customers
updated.
cepro.com
http://www.cepro.com
CE Pro July 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of CE Pro July 2022
