Who doesn't know that consolidation is running rampant in the beer business? As breweries become more and more aggressive in encouraging the smaller distributors to become absorbed by the larger distributors, the key phrase seems to be "buy or sell." There appears to be no middle ground. Consequently, the distributors that are the "buyers" are becoming "super distributors." The challenge, for them, is to control this rapid growth, and at the same time, increase sales and profitability. The keyword is Control.
This consolidation and need for control has spawned the requirement for centralization. My company, DCI, has met this demand with a product called Routewan, which is based upon Citrix Winframe technology. Routewan allows a user to utilize PC's and PC Software connected as both a Local Area Network (LAN) and as a Wide Area Network (WAN). With the intense competition in technology, the cost for the necessary components to make this a reality, have come tumbling down. More and more businesses are turning to WAN's to centralize their PC-based systems. The key to Routewan is that only screen images are transmitted from the host server to the remote PC's. All of the processing, even that requested by the remote PC, is performed locally. And, this processing can even be done through the Internet!
During 1999, consolidation and centralization will become even more complex due to the issues presented by the Millennium changeover. Wholesalers will be faced with a multitude of concerns relative to getting prepared for Y2K. Those that "keep their eyes wide open" should be successful. The Y2K issue is multi-faceted. We should not think of it purely from a business standpoint. Never before has mankind faced an occurrence of this magnitude. It will indeed touch every aspect of our lives. For example, my wife was suggesting a family cruise to celebrate New Millennium Eve. But later she heard that the computer systems on board could potentially be a problem. Guess what family is not going on a cruise?
Make sure you ask questions. Don't assume that certain aspects of your business will be OK. Ask your vendor how they know that their hardware/software is Y2K compliant. What tests have they run to insure compliance? Align yourself with vendors you trust and respect. Be mindful of your purchases during the year and take careful stock of those things that you have purchased in the past. You don't want to be penny wise and pound foolish. If you have equipment that your business depends on, and you're not sure it's Y2K compliant, be mentally prepared to replace it. You have to weigh the cost of replacement against the possible cost of malfunction. These are tough decisions, but nonetheless, ones that need to be made. Don't focus on cost containment - focus on being prepared!
Bill Scheff is the president of Data Consultants, Inc., located in Centreville, Virginia.
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