AI is changing the way distributors sell.  

We gathered insights from a panel of industry experts hosted by Ian Heller, Co-Founder of Distribution Strategy Group, to explore how AI is helping distributors boost conversions, improve customer relationships and future-proof their sales strategies. 

The panelists included: 

• Kristen Thom, SVP of Customer Experience at White Cup 
• Varun Sridharan, Director of Science Development at Infor 
• Zach Pretzell, Account Executive at Endeavor 
• Chris Fisher, VP of eCommerce at ECI Software Solutions 

Did you miss our discussion on how distributors are using AI to drive sales effectiveness? Watch it on-demand. 

Here’s how distributors are using AI in sales: 

Finding and Prioritizing the Right Prospects 

One of AI’s biggest advantages is its ability to quickly and accurately identify high-potential prospects. Instead of relying on gut feel or manual sorting, AI analyzes customer data and buying patterns to surface the leads most likely to convert. Humans struggle to do this. 

“We don’t weigh up ratios. We don’t weigh up risk; we don’t see patterns necessarily that we’re not looking for,” Fisher said. AI closes this gap, allowing sales teams to focus their efforts where they will have the most significant impact, increasing conversion rates and boosting revenue. 

Pretzell said a proactive AI-enabled approach keeps qualified leads moving through the pipeline, giving reps more time to tailor outreach for better results. 

Automating Follow-Ups and Personalizing Customer Engagement 

AI ensures no lead or opportunity slips through the cracks. “What’s so exciting about AI is it helps cut through the layers of complexities,” Thom said. “You have thousands of customers, different locations and millions of SKUs.” 

Thom shared how AI is being used to automate routine sales tasks, such as abandoned cart reminders and reorders, freeing reps to focus on higher-impact conversations.  

“There are two layers to this,” she said. “The first is straight automation based on what we see from the customer. That helps distributors nudge customers to the next step. The other piece is enhancing the sales-to-customer relationship with deeper conversations to sell more.” 

More advanced AI systems go beyond simple reminders. They recommend products, flag unusual order behavior and suggest next steps on how to engage customers in relevant ways.  

Speeding Up Quotes and Improving Responsiveness 

AI also reduces quote turnaround time from days to hours, or even minutes in some cases. Pretzell said that faster quoting helps distributors stay competitive and close business faster. AI improves responsiveness beyond quoting, too. Sridharan shared how one distributor used AI to suggest alternative products when inventory was out of stock. 

By quickly identifying similar products, AI-powered tools improved the distributor’s speed and accuracy, increasing repeat business. 

Smarter Chatbots and Sales Support Tools 

While early chatbot implementations were often clunky and inefficient, the technology has evolved. They do more than answer FAQs. They can process orders, identify missing information and automatically follow up. When chatbots can proactively suggest products or help complete transactions, they become a powerful part of the sales toolkit, said Sridharan. 

That frees human sales reps to focus on relationship building. 

Increasing Cross-Selling and Upselling 

AI helps distributors spot missed opportunities: what customers should be buying but aren’t. Thom said distributors using AI-generated product recommendations have seen up to 10% margin increases. 

But it’s important that sales reps trust what AI is delivering, Thom said. “The key for us is having suggestions that the sales reps buy into right off the bat,” she said. That will significantly increase sales teams’ adoption and result in higher conversion rates.  

AI also helps identify strategic product combinations and seasonal buying patterns, said Sridharan. Fisher added that the closer you are to your Ideal Customer Profile, the more accurate the suggestions become. That means fewer missed opportunities and stronger customer retention. “Connecting deep analytics into our customer and market data helps sales understand where our opportunity is and go after those customers that we’re better equipped to serve,” Fisher said.  

Delivering Consistent Customer Experiences  

Buyers expect a seamless experience, whether they’re online, on mobile or talking to a sales rep. AI bridges the gap. For example, if a customer frequently reorders a product through your ecommerce platform, AI can prompt a sales rep to mention it during a phone call. This integrated view builds trust. 

“It’s really about that anticipatory relationship with your customer,” Thom said. “So, understanding how they buy and what they’ll need and how to improve their experience with your team.” 

AI also fills the knowledge gap between experienced employees and newer hires. “There are so many folks in distribution who have decades of experience,” Thom said. “That is a lot of knowledge to try to impart on someone new in a short amount of time.”  

Overcoming Implementation Challenges 

Despite the benefits, adopting AI isn’t without hurdles. Pretzell said one of the biggest obstacles is that employees fear for their jobs. Getting employees to embrace AI requires demonstrating how these tools can enhance their work, not eliminate it.  

Another significant challenge is managing expectations. “People see AI, they see it’s very powerful, and they just want it to do everything,” said Pretzell. Companies must take a phased approach, starting small and expanding as they gain confidence in the technology. 

Sridharan highlighted the importance of thoughtful integration. “Think of AI as a journey. It is not a one-time investment. Start seeing some small incremental value, do some thoughtful integration, and make sure there’s a deep understanding of both technology and human dynamics,” he said.  

Distributors must establish a strong feedback loop, continuously fine-tune their AI models, and ensure proper oversight. Otherwise, AI can easily be undermined by poor user experiences or inaccurate recommendations.  

The Road Ahead: AI as a Strategic Partner 

As AI evolves, it will move from being a helpful tool to a strategic advisor in the sales process. The panelists agreed: AI won’t replace your team. It will help them do more, do it better, and build stronger relationships along the way. 

But with great power comes great responsibility. Fisher warned that overpromising or misusing AI can damage trust. 

Success depends on thoughtful implementation, not just flashy tools. 

Want more? Watch our panel discussion on demand.