We're proud that the renowned trade magazine Elektrowirtschaft has featured our work at Plato. As next-generation leaders – and as Plato's founding team – our mission is to help move wholesale forward with the right technologies. The article captures what drives us, where we're focusing our efforts, and why now is the time to take action.
Elektrowirtschaft is the leading trade magazine for decision-makers in the electrical wholesale and manufacturing sectors across German-speaking countries. Published monthly, it covers market trends, technological innovations, and economic developments throughout the entire electrical value chain. Serving as an industry platform, it connects manufacturers, wholesalers, and system partners while providing strategic insights for the sector's digital transformation.
AI as a Response to Sales Reality
Wholesale is under pressure: skilled labor shortages, shrinking margins, and rising customer expectations. At the same time, data complexity is growing rapidly. For us, it was clear – this is exactly where the greatest potential for real change lies.
With Plato, we've developed a sales platform powered by artificial intelligence – not as a buzzword, but as a practical tool for daily operations.
Our platform analyzes ERP data, identifies cross-selling opportunities, generates quotes automatically, and integrates results directly into the system. Field reps and inside sales teams can record visit notes, which are then converted into actionable tasks. The AI suggests concrete next steps, prioritizes tasks, reduces repetitive work – and frees up time for what really matters: stronger customer relationships and personal consultation.
The results stand for themselves: Sales teams gain around 20% more time – while companies see 8–10% higher revenue and save 3–5 hours per employee, per week.
Our Perspective as Next-Generation Leaders
We grew up with the challenges of wholesale distribution – ERP screens, catalogs, product lists, and a widening gap between the digital vision and day-to-day operating reality. That's exactly what drove us: to build a solution that actually works. Not another standalone tool, not an oversized CRM, but a platform built specifically for this industry.
This shows up especially clearly in electrical wholesale: complex product ranges, diverse customer groups, tough competition – and a sales team that deals with a heavy operational load every day. That's exactly what Plato is built for.
Why Now?
Many companies believe their data isn't ready for AI. We see the opposite: every ERP system holds a wealth of data that's barely been tapped. In economically challenging times, investing in efficiency, customer loyalty, and intelligent systems matters more than ever.
Plato is developed, operated, and hosted in Germany – deliberately. We want to offer not just a technological answer, but also build trust.
A Signal from the Industry
Leading wholesalers like Obeta already rely on Plato. CEO Dr. Dirk Jandura explains in ElektroWirtschaft:
We chose Plato deliberately, because we're convinced that AI-powered solutions will become the technology standard in wholesale distribution.
The deciding factor: the market offers few CRM systems that actually fit the realities of wholesale distribution. Plato combines the functions that matter with intelligent analysis – integrated directly into the ERP, intuitive to use, and delivering clear value for everyday work.
The Journey Continues
Plato isn't a vision – it's already in use. But we're far from done. New features are coming soon: automatic PDF data extraction, an intelligent chat function for sales, sharper analytics, and deeper automation.
Built with the DNA of a family business, we're pursuing a long-term goal: establishing Plato as the key technology for the future of wholesale distribution – usable, trustworthy, and effective.
