You're Already Past the Benchmark

Written by Nelson Valderrama | Jun 24, 2026

Hi,

NAW and MDM just published the largest study on data-driven decision-making just published the largest study on data-driven decision-making ever done in distribution — 426 senior leaders across 19 sectors. One finding stopped me cold.

Here's what they found on pricing:

73% of distributors expect a 2% or greater gross margin lift
Only 16% have actually achieved it
65% report no improvement at all

That's a hard number. Nearly nine in ten distributors chasing better pricing haven't crossed the 2% mark.

Then I looked at our data:

Every one of you is above that benchmark. As of May 2026, gross margin lift across our active customer base ranges from 2.2% to 5.3%, with several customers exceeding 9% inside their first six months.

You're not chasing the benchmark. You crossed it months ago.

Why this matters going into Q3

It's easy to read a research report and move on. But this data says something about the competitive landscape — and your place in it.

The 84% who haven't hit 2%+ aren't standing still. Between 58% and 61% expect to reach scaled use within the next 12 months. The lead you hold today won't stay this wide.

Right now you have what they don't: operating data, proven adoption, a working pricing cadence, and six months of performance to build on.

The report closes with a recommendation worth flagging: study distributors further along in their journey. You are that distributor. For Q3, the question isn't whether this works for your business — that's settled. It's where the next layer of value comes from.

What to look at before Q2 closes

We're closing out Q2 this week. Three things are worth a look before Q3 planning locks:

Your GM% direction, not just the headline. Where were you in December? Where are you now? The question is how to defend and extend the gains.
The one variable you haven't optimized. For some of you its coverage — more SKUs on the platform. For others, team adoption. For a few, it's the second piece: customers running pricing who haven't activated inventory optimization, or the reverse.
A working Q3 session, not a check-in. A real conversation about what's next.

I'm booking July QBRs now. Most customers want to dig into one of these:

Where the next 1–2 points of margin lift come from
Activating the second piece — pricing or inventory optimization
Adoption and coverage for stalled SKUs
Building the internal case for expanded deployment

If any of those resonate, let's get it on the calendar.

Book a Q3 QBR →

Just a straightforward conversation about what's achievable from here.

Nelson Valderrama
Founder & CEO, Intuilize
nelson@intuilize.com

Let’s uncover the full potential of your business together!

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