Most leaders instinctively say ‘our employees’ – and, to an extent, they’re right. People are the engine of any wholesale operation. But in a sector navigating rising costs, regulatory shifts and the sharp chicanes of customer demand, success also depends on the partners who help keep your business firmly, efficiently on the road.

Nowhere is that more critical than in IT.

Think of your solution developers as your pit crew. Their understanding of your operational machine determines how well they can streamline your processes, tune your productivity and accelerate your competitive position. But if they don’t understand the track you’re racing on, they can’t prepare you for the challenges ahead.

That’s why we’ve been determined since day one that our development and growth strategies would be driven not only by technical advances and our own innovation but also – vitally – by the needs of our customers.

How do we stay tuned to wholesalers’ operational needs?

It’s a simple strategy. We continuously:

• Get on the road: All our colleagues, not just sales team, spend time with wholesalers at the coal face, hearing directly about operational frustrations, logistical challenges, cost drivers and emerging pressures, and constantly drip-feed this back to the developers to keep them grounded in the real world. In a world of remote assumptions, we think it’s business-critical approach, yet it’s astonishingly rare — and that just makes us more determined to keep doing it!
• Brainstorm with customers: Our developers and senior leaders also hold focused ‘huddle sessions’ with customers, brainstorming software innovations that would help them process more efficiently, use resources more productively and plan more effectively. These conversations shape our development roadmap as much as any internal planning.
• Release clear, practical product notes: Twice a year, STL Evo enterprise solution customers receive updates written in plain business language — not technical jargon — explaining new features, modules and best‑practice guidance. We actively encourage questions and suggestions.
• Staff a help desk with local experts: Our service desk is based in the UK, open every day except Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, and manned by real people: tech specialists who understand wholesale operations, not just how to read a tree-map of responses. All this customer experience intel is automatically shared across our teams.

You can hear more about our customer ethos from Sales Director, Clive Mallender in this post’s video

What wholesalers have told us recently — and how we’ve responded

In today’s climate, many operators are understandably cautious about large, disruptive IT projects. But standing still isn’t an option. The message we heard repeatedly was clear: focus on targeted improvements that strengthen customer appeal and operational efficiency: faster checkouts, more accurate and dynamic picking, coordinated multi‑channel ordering, smarter promotion management, and more.

So, we adapted our development strategy accordingly. Some of the recent outcomes include:

Decoupled ‘edge’ solutions

We’ve begun separating some of our most widely used functionality from our STL Evo enterprise solution, making them available as standalone offerings to wholesalers using other business management systems. It’s a pragmatic response to what the market asked for: flexibility without full‑scale ERP change.

• STL POS Evois a prime example. Launched at Parfetts’ state‑of‑the‑art Southampton depot last autumn, and already rolling out to wholesalers nationwide, it reimagined what cash‑and‑carry tilling could be. ERP‑agnostic, hardware‑agnostic and already DRS‑ready for the regulatory changes coming in October 2027, it reflects what happens when development is shaped by real operational need rather than theoretical design: easier, faster checkouts; greater trading uptime; and reduced costs. Find out more here: Point of Service – STL Technology Solutions
• Productivity‑boosting Android apps. We’ve also released standalone versions of our Android handhelds for multi‑function stock management. They enhance productivity, accountability and responsiveness — exactly the areas wholesalers told us they needed support in. Find out more: Mobile Terminals – STL Technology Solutions

Cloud‑based solutions for the next era

We’re also developing substantial cloud‑based solutions for foodservice and delivered wholesalers — designed for easy migration, incremental payments and minimal disruption. The first of these is targeting launch at the end of Q1 2027. Watch this space for news as it drops:

A final thought

Wholesale is evolving quickly, and technology must evolve with it, but it mustn’t accelerate so fast it detaches from operational realities. That’s why we’ll continue to keep our ear to the engine, eyes on the track, and our focus on helping wholesalers stay in control of the drive ahead. So, whether you’re a customer or not, if you want to explore where the sector is heading and what IT advances can — or could — do for your business, give us a call.