A connected distribution operation
Dependable availability, efficient fulfilment and sound margins are central to a successful distribution business. Purchasing, warehouse operations, sales and finance need a consistent view of what is available, what is committed and what is expected.
Hatton Locks implements distribution ERP and integrated business systems in South Africa, connecting purchasing, inventory management, sales, fulfilment, customer service and accounting. We combine practical processes with dependable information to help your team coordinate the operation and make better commercial decisions.
Whether you distribute locally sourced products, import goods, supply trade customers or operate across several warehouses, we work alongside you to improve service, strengthen control and support profitable growth.
Sales, quotations and customer commitments
Customers need accurate prices, dependable availability and delivery commitments they can trust. Your sales team needs to distinguish stock on hand from stock already reserved, goods awaiting inspection and incoming purchases.
Hatton Locks helps connect quotations and sales orders with inventory, purchasing and fulfilment. We establish clear processes for reservations, backorders, partial deliveries and changes to customer orders.
Customer-specific products, supplier references and substitute items can also influence the sale. We help organise that information so staff can identify the right product, explain available alternatives and understand the consequences of a commitment before confirming it.
Purchasing, replenishment and supplier performance
Good replenishment balances customer demand with the cash required to hold stock. Supplier lead times, minimum order quantities, seasonal demand and purchasing commitments all affect that balance.
We help connect purchase planning with sales demand, stock availability and replenishment rules. Routine purchasing becomes easier to review, while unusual requirements and urgent shortages receive the appropriate attention.
Supplier records and purchasing history provide visibility into agreed prices, expected deliveries and actual performance. Your team can follow outstanding orders, identify delays and assess how supplier reliability affects customer service and the amount of buffer stock the business needs.
Inventory management and warehouse operations
A warehouse full of stock is only useful when the team can locate, identify and move the correct goods reliably. Receiving errors, unrecorded movements and inconsistent picking can quickly undermine the accuracy of the system.
Hatton Locks helps establish warehouse processes for receiving, put-away, picking, packing, dispatch and stock counts. Clear locations, product labels and barcode workflows can support accuracy and reduce unnecessary handling.
We also help distinguish saleable stock from goods awaiting inspection, damaged items and returns. Where required, batch, serial and expiry records support traceability. Defined procedures for adjustments and discrepancies give managers a clearer view of stock losses and their causes.
Product information, packaging and traceability
Distributors often buy, store and sell the same product in different quantities. A supplier may deliver cartons, the warehouse may count individual units and a customer may order packs.
We help structure product records so units of measure, packaging quantities, barcodes and supplier references remain consistent across purchasing, warehousing and sales. Product variations and alternative codes need to lead staff to the correct item.
For products requiring traceability, records can connect supplier receipts with stock movements and customer deliveries. This helps the business investigate faults, identify affected batches or serial numbers and coordinate returns or recalls where necessary.
Trade pricing, customer accounts and ordering
Distribution pricing often reflects the customer relationship: negotiated terms, purchase quantities, product ranges and the cost of serving the account. Those arrangements need to be clear to sales staff and applied consistently.
Hatton Locks helps establish trade price lists, quantity discounts, promotional offers and approval rules. We connect pricing decisions with product costs and margin visibility so that commercial agreements can be assessed and maintained.
Customer accounts and online ordering can give trade customers access to relevant products, prices, orders and invoices. These services also reduce repeated administration and make it easier for your team to respond to enquiries using a shared transaction history.
Fulfilment, delivery and after-sales
An accepted order needs a dependable path through allocation, picking, dispatch and delivery. Customers should receive useful information when goods are ready, delayed or being supplied in separate shipments.
We help coordinate warehouse activity with delivery arrangements and customer communication. Clear order status, dispatch records and proof of delivery support the handover between the warehouse, carrier, customer service and finance teams.
After delivery, shortages, incorrect items, transit damage and product faults need a controlled response. We help connect returns, replacement goods, credit notes and warranty or supplier claims to the original transaction, with clear responsibility for returned stock and recovery of costs.
Distribution costing, accounting and working capital
Strong sales do not necessarily produce strong cash flow. Stock may remain unsold, customers may pay late and freight or other purchasing costs may reduce the expected margin.
Hatton Locks helps connect distribution transactions with accounting and commercial reporting. For importers, this can include visibility into attributable freight and other landed costs, with the treatment agreed with your finance team.
Reporting brings together stock ageing, inventory turnover, product and customer margins, outstanding purchases and receivables. Credit limits, payment terms and exception approvals help coordinate sales decisions with financial control. The aim is to improve availability and service while keeping the investment in stock and customer credit manageable.
How Hatton Locks works with distributors
We begin by understanding your product range, supplier relationships, warehouse operation and customer commitments. We identify where uncertainty, repeated work or weak controls affect fulfilment, margins and cash.
Our work can include process design, system configuration, product and customer data preparation, warehouse locations, pricing, opening stock, accounting connections and staff training. We test representative transactions, including pack conversions, backorders, partial deliveries, returns and stock discrepancies.
Implementation can progress in stages around the priorities of the business. We support launch and remain involved as your team improves replenishment, warehouse accuracy, customer service and management visibility.
Let’s discuss your distribution business
If you are introducing distribution systems, improving stock control, connecting warehouses or reducing pressure on working capital, Hatton Locks can help.
Talk to us about your operation, the challenges your team faces and the results you want to achieve.