Five Profit Killers Every Distribution CFO Must Eliminate

Margins in distribution are razor thin and they're getting thinner. As a CFO or finance leader, you're expected to manage rising costs, squeeze additional profit from each transaction, and scale financial operations as your organization grows. But disconnected systems, poor visibility, and manual processes are holding you back from the real-time control you need.

This comprehensive whitepaper identifies the five most critical financial challenges facing US distributors today—and provides practical, field-tested solutions to overcome them. Based on insights from finance leaders across the distribution industry, this guide delivers the strategies you need to protect margins, improve cash flow, and accelerate financial performance.\

The five financial goals covered:

1. 1. Limited Visibility of Financials and Performance Data 86% of CFOs feel decisions about financial strategy are made without sufficient data. Learn how to centralize financial data and implement real-time dashboards for confident decision-making.
2. 2. Inventory Blind Spots Undermine Financial Control Discover how to achieve accurate inventory valuation across multiple locations and release cash tied up in excess stock through real-time visibility tools.
3. 3. Unpredictable Cash Flow Makes Planning Risky Master the automated order-to-cash processes and receivables monitoring that successful distributors use to improve working capital and reduce collection cycles.
4. 4. Margin Erosion from Inflexible Pricing Implement margin-based pricing rules and contract management systems that protect profitability even when supplier costs shift unexpectedly.
5. 5. Month-End Close Takes Too Long Streamline your close process with automated reconciliation, real-time posting, and standardized procedures that cut close time while improving accuracy.

Each challenge includes: 

• The specific problems finance leaders face
• Real business impact and financial consequences
• Proven solutions from successful distributors
• Implementation strategies and best practices