Distributors can create a market advantage for themselves and their customers by responding to shifts in consumer behaviors as well as providing marketing and advertising options that are aligned with current trends.

During The World Economic Forum at Davos a panel of experts including Jack Ma spoke about the importance of e-commerce in small businesses. His remarks forecasted the e-commerce future–one in which smart contractors will be viable and thriving because of their e-commerce capabilities. To be even more clear: e-commerce is a mandate and the next small business accelerant.

It’s time to get serious about understanding your customers on a behavioral rather than transactional level. The big retailers are armed with algorithms that enable them to predict our purchase patterns, lifestyle interests, habits, and financial positions. Small businesses don’t. But that shouldn’t stop us.

It’s high time for small business owners to begin seriously holding themselves accountable for a new type of measurement: How much do you really know about your customers’ behaviors and buying patterns? If you omitted “lead source” and “ticket price” from your answer what would be left? Odds are not that much.