Seattle Fish Prospects Easier with Real-Time Pricing and Inventory

The Problem: Time-Consuming Order Management and Lack of Customer-Facing Product Catalog, Limiting Sales Growth

Seattle Fish Company, a leading seafood and meat distributor serving restaurants across Colorado, faced common challenges in the food distribution industry — inefficient order management, with no way for customers to discover new product.Their DSRs (Distributor Sales Representatives) spent a significant portion of their time manually taking orders, processing transactions, and chasing down payments, which limited their ability to provide consultative selling and focus on revenue-generating activities.

Jim Locatell, a sales representative at Seattle Fish, explained the struggle: “Before Pepper, I had to juggle taking orders while driving, pulling over to write things down, or trying to remember details for later. It made it hard to have meaningful conversations with my customers about their needs.”

Moreover, sales reps found it challenging to introduce new products to clients. Without a centralized, user-friendly digital catalog, customers often ordered the same items repeatedly without discovering Seattle Fish’s broader range of offerings. The lack of automation in pricing and payment processes further complicated operations, sometimes leading to pricing inconsistencies and delayed payments.

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The Solution: A Rich Product Catalog and Real-Time Pricing Make It Easier to Buy and Sell

Seattle Fish turned to Pepper’s white-label app to streamline their sales process and enhance the customer experience. By integrating Pepper’s digital platform, Seattle Fish’s customers could now browse a full catalog, place orders, and manage payments seamlessly.

From Order Takers to Problem Solvers

With the app handling order placements, sales reps could shift their focus from manual entry to value-added activities such as consultative selling. “Instead of being order takers, we became problem solvers,” said Phil Newton, a Denver-based sales rep. “I can now use my time to help customers make more profitable choices, like switching from bone-in short ribs to boneless chuck flap when it makes more financial sense for them.”

Increased Sales Through AI-Driven Suggestions

The app’s AI-powered recommendation engine also played a crucial role in increasing sales volume. As customers browsed for specific items, they discovered additional products they might not have initially considered. “A chef searching for calamari might come across black cod or specialty scallops they didn’t know we carried,” said Lockatell. “These small discoveries lead to increased order values and better service.”

Price Consistency and Competitive Edge

The pricing automation feature was another game-changer. Traditionally, adjusting pricing for fluctuating seafood costs required multiple phone calls and manual intervention. Pepper’s dynamic pricing tool allowed reps to set and maintain margin consistency while reacting quickly to market changes. “If I need to be highly competitive on New York strip steaks, I can adjust pricing in real time and compensate by optimizing margins elsewhere,” explained Newton. “It’s something I simply couldn’t do before.”

A Consistent Marketing Database

An unexpected benefit of being on a Pepper app was the ability to have trusted and clear contact information for everyone interested in their products. As Savanna Ronco, head of brand and marketing explains:

“Before Pepper, the sales reps were doing the predominance of communication. They might text, they might call, they might email, but it was really hard for us to get a marketing database together. So one of the things that we were most excited about is being able to put products in front of customers, and communicate with them in a way that we could speak directly to them from a marketing perspective, and it didn't have to filter through the sales reps”

Frictionless Payment Processing

Another key advantage was the seamless payment integration. Before using Pepper, customers often delayed payments, leading to cash flow disruptions. With the app’s auto-pay feature, Seattle Fish saw a significant reduction in late payments. “Now, I don’t have to chase checks—it’s all automated,” said Locatel. “This means I can focus on selling, not on collections.”

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The Results: More Sales, More Efficiency, and Happier Customers

Since implementing Pepper, Seattle Fish has seen tangible improvements in its sales operations and customer engagement.

• More Time for Selling: Sales reps report spending 25% less time on manual order processing, allowing them to invest more effort in building client relationships and increasing sales.
• Higher Order Values: Customers using the app consistently purchase a wider variety of products, thanks to AI-powered recommendations and a transparent digital catalog.
• Improved Cash Flow: The shift to digital payments has reduced the number of late payments, improving overall cash flow for the company.
• Stronger Customer Loyalty: The ease of use and efficiency of the app have enhanced customer satisfaction, leading to increased repeat business.

Phil Newton summed up the impact best: “I’ve grown one of my accounts by nearly 1,000% in just 60 days, simply because they have better access to our catalog and pricing. That’s the power of Pepper.”

Conclusion

By embracing Pepper’s white-label app, Seattle Fish has transformed its sales process, allowing reps to become strategic partners to their customers rather than just order processors. The combination of AI-driven recommendations, automated pricing, and streamlined payments has led to increased efficiency and profitability.

For food distributors looking to scale operations while improving customer relationships, Seattle Fish’s experience with Pepper serves as a compelling case study on the power of digital transformation.

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