US enterprise software developer VAI has kickstarted 2024 by joining forces with Proton, an AI-powered customer relationship management (CRM) specialist, in a move that promises to strengthen its offerings for mid-market distribution companies.
Under the new alliance, VAI will embed Proton’s sales-focused AI technology directly into its enterprise resource planning (ERP) platforms. This will arm its users with predictive analytics to identify the most promising sales opportunities within their customer base.
“VAI’s ERP expertise combined with Proton’s CRM smarts form a powerful solution for driving sales productivity and operational efficiency,” said Ralph Sosbee, VAI’s director of e-commerce.
The partnership aligns with VAI’s push into smarter business software enabled by artificial intelligence, as it faces rising competition from nimble cloud-based rivals.
Proton’s tech provides a “unified approach” to anticipate and meet the needs of both customers and sales teams, according to Mr Sosbee. This includes personalised product suggestions for online shoppers, as well as prompts to sales reps on the most effective ways to target prospective customers.
The move could also help VAI capitalise on booming demand for software that helps distributors manage supply chain stresses. Researchers peg the market for specialised “wholesale distribution software” to expand at a compound annual rate of 11 per cent through 2026.
San Francisco-based Proton claims that its customers typically enjoy a fivefold return on investment in higher profit margins when deploying its tech.
“Our collaboration with VAI merges mutual strengths to provide complete sales enhancement,” said Proton chief executive Benj Cohen.