Your customers expect speed, accuracy and consistency in every interaction. But for many distributors, outdated manual processes and fragmented systems stand in their way.
AI agents can change that.
On the surface, AI agents may not seem much different from other automation tools. But AI agents don’t just automate tasks; they can improve how distributors serve customers. AI agents aren’t just programmed to follow rules – they learn, adapt and act. They anticipate problems before they happen. And they take on repetitive tasks, so your team can focus on delivering value.
They are the next evolution of AI.
They also require little human intervention. For example, OCR-based automation may extract order data from an email but still require human verification before putting it in the ERP. AI agents would understand the context of the email, pull the order data, update all systems, check the warehouse, apply rules (ie, customer pricing or delivery requirements) and complete the order. All without the human touch.
AI agents have the potential to significantly improve the B2B customer experience.
B2B buyers now use an average of 10 channels to interact in their purchasing journey, according to McKinsey. But too often, distributors struggle to keep up. An XM Institute study found that 69% of practitioners cite competing priorities as a significant obstacle to improving customer experience. And more than half blame technology limitations, including poor system integration.
AI agents can bridge this gap.
Customer experience matters. The difference between acquiring and not acquiring a customer could be the time it takes to return a quote. It also matters in retaining customers: If your experience is slow, error-ridden and inconsistent across channels, your customers may not stick around for the long haul.
You can’t provide the experience customers are looking for today, however, without a combination of a great team and the right technology.
Here’s how AI agents will change the game when it comes to customer experience:
They will reduce friction.
AI agents can remove friction by tackling the most time-consuming manual processes first, like automating order intake, validating pricing and invoice matching. That can drive a smoother experience on the front end of a transaction whether customers are ordering via email, EDI or an online portal.
They’ll allow distributors to be faster and more accurate.
Speed and accuracy are critical for distributors, where delays and errors can have ripple effects on your customers’ operations. AI agents can instantly process orders, validate pricing and update inventory in real time, minimizing costly mistakes – resulting in a more reliable customer experience.
They will improve responsiveness.
Customers need quick answers, especially when requesting quotes or checking order status. For example, AI agents can reduce response times by automating RFQ processing, cutting the turnaround time from hours to minutes. They can also handle routine inquiries, freeing up sales and customer service teams to focus on higher-value interactions.
They are proactive.
AI agents can anticipate customer needs. With predictive analytics, for example, they can identify stockouts before they happen and suggest alternative products for a customer. This helps customers avoid disruptions and ensures they always have the right products when they need them.
I’m not suggesting you replace your people with AI agents. They aren’t robots waiting to step in and do your team’s work. Instead, they can help your team do more, faster:
- Freeing sales reps for higher-value conversations
- Reducing miscommunication and errors and boosting trust with your team
- Helping you scale without compromising service in a tight labor market
Distributors that embrace AI agents will have a clear advantage. Faster order cycles mean happier customers. Fewer mistakes equals fewer returns and fewer disputes.
This all leads to a better customer experience, which is a win-win for both the customer, your team and the bottom line.
Sahitya Senapathy is the CEO of Endeavor.ai, an Agentic AI sales order management automation solution for manufacturers and distributors. Before founding Endeavor.ai, Sahitya led AI teams at Palantir, where he implemented Generative AI at Fortune 500 manufacturing and distribution companies. He was also a founding team member of AWS AI research building Amazon Q, the infrastructure for Amazon's LLM-like ChatGPT. He was the youngest-ever government contractor in American history, joining the U.S. Air Force at 16 years old and building autonomous drones with a secret-level clearance. Sahitya has been featured in Business Insider, Fortune, Axios and more. Reach him at sahitya@endeavorai.com.