Complete Story
09/27/2025
018. Balancing Innovation and Trust: How Distributors Win with AI
Instructor: Benjamin Cohen
Level of Complexity: Intermediate
1:30 PM - 4:00 PM
Distributors are sitting on mountains of data—from transactions, product catalogs, supplier feeds, and customer interactions—but very few know how to turn that data into a strategic advantage. This session will show how distributors can move beyond surface-level digital tools and use AI to transform messy, underutilized data into actionable insights that drive revenue, margin, and customer loyalty. Benj Cohen will share real-world examples of distributors who are using AI responsibly to grow margins and strengthen customer relationships. And while AI opens doors to growth, it also raises new questions: How do we protect customer trust? How do we balance innovation with risk? Benj will show leaders how to seize the AI opportunity while putting data security at the center of their strategy. Listed below are examples of activities Benj can incorporate into a workshop: Small groups map out their current data landscape (where data lives today) and highlight opportunities where AI could drive quick wins. Distributors rank AI opportunities for their own businesses based on impact, feasibility, and trust. Attendees practice asking “must-know” questions of an AI vendor to separate real value from hype.
Bookstore
Value-Added Selling (4th Edition)
Paul Reilly & Tom Reilly
“Value” is about more than just price. Good salespeople understand that and know what differentiates their products from that of competitors. Developments in technology, including price comparison apps and search engines, now provide consumers with more information than ever, making it much harder to value and sell your product. Additionally, millennials, who now comprise the largest population in the workforce, prefer to do things differently than prior generations. This updated fourth edition of Reilly’s classic guide examines the latest trends and technology that have impacted the market and provides expert advice on leveraging current technology to increase sales.
Value-Added Selling, 4th edition offers proven strategies and tactics to help you not only close more sales but improve repeat business without compromising on price. You’ll learn how to anticipate the needs, wants, and concerns of buyers from the very beginning of the sales process. The book shows how to compete more profitably by selling value, not price. Visit www.TomReillyTraining.com for more information on this important message.
