In a highly competitive landscape that requires creativity and new ways of working from forward-thinking wholesalers, AI is driving collaboration to deliver progress.
Jess Douglas, Managing Director at The Wholesale Group, explores the rise of the technology and data-driven partnerships in the wholesale sector.
Collaboration has always been at the heart of wholesaling. From trade days and NPD sessions, to offers and innovation workshops, this is a sector built on relationships, feedback and shared learnings.
Buying groups have taken that to the next level, bringing together wholesaler members and suppliers within an ecosystem that remains focused on collective growth. In most cases, such is rarely achieved in isolation, as increased sales benefit every step of the supply chain.
Now, as the competitive landscape becomes more complex, collaboration is evolving. Increasingly, technology and data – enabled by the adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) – are helping buying groups, members and suppliers to work more closely together than ever before. Technology is transforming how information is collected, presented and shared – and, as a result, how decisions are made. In doing so, it’s facilitating a more sophisticated level of partnership across the wholesale sector.
Putting data first
For The Wholesale Group, data is the key to this shift. As a buying group working with 230 members and more than 400 suppliers, we generate significant volumes of information across sales, promotions, customer behaviour and market trends. Historically, that data was collected and displayed across different systems, available to different individuals with varying levels of expertise in data analysis. Fully harnessing its value, and easily sharing it securely with members or suppliers, was virtually impossible.
Now, using our DASHai solution, those data streams are far more integrated and accessible. Any individual with access rights can get up-to-the-minute information, in whatever format they need, within a matter of seconds. Crucially, they can share it with members and suppliers as required. That might mean identifying where volumes are growing, highlighting underperforming categories, or spotting emerging opportunities across different regions, to give just three specific examples.
Exploring the benefits
For suppliers, this level of transparency is incredibly valuable. Rather than trying to piece together fragmented information, they can see more clearly (and in real time) how their products are performing across the group and where opportunities might exist. In turn, that allows them to work more closely with our members to develop targeted strategies that drive growth for all.
Equally, our members benefit from having better information at their fingertips. With AI helping to process and interpret complex datasets, they can make decisions around stock, ranging and promotions with greater confidence. In a sector where margins are tight and demand patterns can change quickly, having access to accurate insights can make a significant difference.
Introducing DASHAi
The most successful digital tools are those that remove friction from everyday processes, rather than adding complexity. Users shouldn’t need extensive training or technical expertise to benefit from them. Instead, technology should meet people where they already are, helping them access information quickly and communicate more effectively.
This was the rationale behind our internal business intelligence solution, DASHAi (formerly Jake), which was developed in partnership with SHOPAi.
The key is that DASHAi was designed with a human-first mindset. Rather than forcing users to navigate multiple systems or learn new software interfaces, it allows them to access information simply by sending an email in their own conversational style.
Behind the scenes, the technology brings together data from across our organisation, using every possible dataset, and external sources too. Users can ask questions in plain language and receive clear responses that draw on those datasets, with full insight and understanding of our business because it’s a bespoke product.
Crucially, the system checks that the individual has access rights to the data, before explaining how it arrived at the answer, ensuring transparency and supporting compliance with any future legislation.
And if that’s not enough, there are no security issues either. No information is shared externally with public models such as ChatGPT, Claude or similar – everything is kept secure within our own ecosystem.
Ethical use
AI has huge potential. Of course, there are ethical considerations and we have to be mindful of adopting technology in a safe, compliant and accountable way. At The Wholesale Group we overcome this challenge in part by making sure there is human validation before any response is shared.
Importantly, this is not about replacing people with technology. Wholesale remains a relationship-driven industry, and that will not change. Instead, AI acts as an enabler, giving people the tools they need to collaborate more effectively.
Ultimately, when everyone has access to better information, conversations become more productive. By combining internal sales data with external indicators such as commodity price movements, our members, supplier partners and central office can all anticipate spikes around key trading periods and use this information to make key business decisions. This data also allows our members to then adjust stock levels proactively and minimise both overstocking and out-of-stocks. Rather than relying purely on historic performance, we can all work together to plan ahead with greater confidence.
Looking ahead, collaboration will only become more important for the wholesale sector. Pressures such as economic uncertainty and changing consumer expectations require businesses to think creatively and work together more closely than ever before, and technology will play a central role in enabling that future. It’s time to embrace the opportunities and boost collaboration.
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