{"id":8173,"date":"2021-06-03T16:10:19","date_gmt":"2021-06-03T15:10:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/?p=8173"},"modified":"2026-01-16T12:46:41","modified_gmt":"2026-01-16T12:46:41","slug":"distributors-guide-micro-fulfilment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/distributors-guide-micro-fulfilment\/","title":{"rendered":"Be future-ready with the Distributor&#8217;s guide to micro-fulfilment"},"content":{"rendered":"<header class=\"entry-header has-dark-background-color entry-header--has-illustration entry-header--has-illustration--generic\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-header__row row align-center\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-lg-7 col-xlg-6 entry-header__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"component component-single-header\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-header__misc text--subtitle text--uppercase text--small\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/category\/strategy-legal-operations\/\" class=\"entry-header__link\">Strategy, Legal &amp; Operations<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-title-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"entry-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tBe future-ready with the Distributor&#8217;s guide to micro-fulfilment\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"entry-header__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t<div class=\"single-post-details container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2021-06-03T16:10:19+01:00\">3 June, 2021<\/time><\/span><span class=\"reading-time\"> min read<\/span>\n\t\t<button\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\tclass=\"social-share-button button button--icon button--secondary js-social-share-button\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-title=\"Be future-ready with the Distributor&#8217;s guide to micro-fulfilment\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/distributors-guide-micro-fulfilment\/\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-text=\"Please read this interesting article\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__share-label\">Share<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__copy-label\" hidden>Copy Link<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__copy-tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\" hidden>Copied<\/span>\n\t\t<\/button>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/header>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-author has-dark-background-color alignfull\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"co-authors\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-author-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"entry-author\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/author\/staceymcintosh\/\">\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2018\/11\/Stacey-McIntosh-350-1.jpg\" class=\"entry-author__image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<span class=\"entry-author__name\">Stacey McIntosh<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>The micro-fulfilment era, catapulted by the coronavirus pandemic, has created both challenges and opportunities for the distribution industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Whereas technology is the solution for distributors to thrive within this ever-changing landscape, the transportation and logistics sectors are slow to adapt, in comparison to others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To combat this, the <strong>Distributor&#8217;s guide to micro-fulfilment<\/strong> breaks down the components of a successful micro-fulfilment strategy, supported by global research into the trends disrupting the industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This guide also features insights from industry experts who specialise in supply chain digitalisation:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Ashwin Ramasamy:<\/strong> Founder of PipeCandy, a direct-to-consumer consulting firm with major distributors such as UPS, Australia Post, Royal Mail and Post Canada as clients.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Lisa Anderson:<\/strong> Founder of globally recognised <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lma-consultinggroup.com\/\">LMA consulting firm<\/a>, specialising in end-to-end supply chain transformation that maximises the customer experience and enables profitable and scalable business growth.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"#gate-59460e2c-24d6-4195-a8e2-9340acfbda21\">Download your free guide, Distributor&#8217;s guide to micro-fulfilment<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-micro-fulfilment-is-the-new-normal\">Micro-fulfilment is the new normal<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>According to EFT&#8217;s global Supply Chain Last Mile Report 2020, 65% of retail delivery and logistics providers worldwide believe increased delivery options to be their most important focus over the next three years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In addition, 35% of logistics industry professionals see ecommerce fulfilment as a trend that will be maintained or grown over the next 12 months, despite higher trade barriers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Distributors need to find new ways to partner with their customers to become more efficient for the end customer. That means re-imagining workflows and identifying where distributors can integrate to move closer to the end customer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This guide explores how distributors can use technology to support their customers in new ways, considering&#8230;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>What micro-fulfilment is and how it changes the distributor&#8217;s role<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The challenges with data, skills and cultural gaps that distributors must address<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How a sharing business model can be beneficial and how to minimise high investment costs<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How technology redefines collaboration for distributors<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What distributors should do to prepare for market changes in the future.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-demystify-the-future-with-micro-fulfilment\">Demystify the future with micro-fulfilment<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Download the Distributor&#8217;s guide to micro-fulfilment today and discover how technology can help you to navigate through the pandemic and build a successful micro-fulfilment strategy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"single-cta gated-content\">\n\t<div class=\"single-cta__positioner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__wrapper has-dark-background-color\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"single-cta__title h3\">Distributor&#8217;s guide to micro-fulfilment<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Discover how your firm can leverage technology so you can create partnerships and build revenue with last mile delivery.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\t\thref=\"#gate-59460e2c-24d6-4195-a8e2-9340acfbda21\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"single-cta__button button button--primary\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t>Download your free guide<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1064\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2021\/04\/GettyImages-537360382-1064x810.jpg\" class=\"single-cta__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2021\/04\/GettyImages-537360382-1064x810.jpg 1064w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 33vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n<div class=\"single-cta\">\n\t<div class=\"single-cta__positioner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__wrapper has-dark-background-color\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"single-cta__title h3\">Subscribe to the Sage Advice newsletter<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Join more than 500,000 UK readers and get the best business admin strategies and tactics, as well as actionable advice to help your company thrive, in your inbox every month.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\t\thref=\"#gate-b1a63862-3fa0-4a5e-bb67-c76b88bbc6b8\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"single-cta__button button button--primary\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t>Subscribe now<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1073797282-1-1440x810.jpg\" class=\"single-cta__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1073797282-1-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 33vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Distributor&#8217;s guide to micro-fulfilment explores how technology can help you navigate through current and future business circumstances.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":346,"featured_media":9093,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_sage_video":false,"post_featured_image_hide":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[139,9],"tags":[15,159],"business_type":[3],"lilypad":[],"context":[],"industry":[56],"persona":[68,70,71],"imagine_tag":[85,96],"coauthors":[353],"class_list":["post-8173","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-free-guides-templates","category-strategy-legal-operations","tag-grow-business","tag-midsized-business","business_type-medium-sized-business","industry-distribution"],"sage_meta":{"region":"en-gb","author_name":"Stacey McIntosh","featured_image":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2021\/04\/Kobayashi_2019_X3_EnterpriseMgmt_1131546.jpg","imagine_tags":{"85":"Distribution","96":"Medium 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