Distro vs. Allied Technical Solutions (ATS)
Why Distro Outperforms ATS: The Unified AI Revenue Platform vs. Outdated Point Tools
Executive Summary
Allied Technical Solutions (ATS) has been around for decades, providing quoting tools like AutoQuote and QuoteConnect. But longevity doesn’t equal leadership. ATS is built on a patchwork of disconnected, legacy-style tools that scratch the surface of quoting efficiency—but fail to address the deeper, modern revenue challenges distributors face.
Distro, on the other hand, is a complete AI Revenue Platform. It automates quoting and takeoffs, but also goes far beyond: proactive agentic AI, ERP-driven revenue optimization, sales enablement, and strategic leadership partnership. The difference is clear: ATS offers tools. Distro delivers transformation.
What ATS Actually Offers
ATS organizes its products into multiple siloed solutions:
AutoQuote – Automates parts of the quoting process, adds cross-references, submittals, and O&M generation.
QuoteConnect – A bid exchange tool for passing vendor pricing back and forth.
SpecTool, PIM, XREF, CPQ – Additional utilities aimed at manufacturers and reps.
On the surface, these sound helpful. But in practice, this is a scattered toolset that requires juggling multiple logins, workflows, and integrations. It doesn’t unify the revenue process, and it doesn’t deliver the ROI modern distributors expect from AI.
Where ATS Falls Short
Fragmented, not unified
Multiple tools stitched together, each solving a sliver of the problem.
Creates friction, complexity, and higher total cost of ownership.
No agentic AI
ATS only processes what you give it.
Distro acts on its own—filling in missing specs, checking supplier data, updating ERP records, and recommending margin-protecting bundles.
Limited to quoting basics
AutoQuote and QuoteConnect help reps type less.
But quoting is more than data entry—it’s about margin capture, upselling, and customer trust. ATS doesn’t touch these.
No leadership partnership
ATS sells software and leaves you to figure out adoption.
Distro partners with leadership to drive change, accelerate adoption, and ensure compounding ROI over time.
Built for yesterday’s distribution
ATS was designed decades ago, before AI redefined what’s possible.
Distro is modern, holistic, and evolving with the industry—future-proofed for how distributors need to operate today and tomorrow.
Distro vs. ATS: Head-to-Head Comparison
Capability | ATS (AutoQuote / QuoteConnect) | Distro |
|---|---|---|
Quoting Automation | ⚠️ Basic, fragmented | ✅ Unified, enriched with product data |
Takeoffs Automation | ⚠️ Limited, tied to AutoQuote | ✅ Advanced — built for complex commercial projects |
Submittals & O&M Docs | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes (integrated into quoting workflow) |
Bid Exchange / Vendor Pricing | ✅ Yes (QuoteConnect) | ✅ Integrated directly into ERP + AI margin tools |
Agentic AI (acts, not just suggests) | ❌ No | ✅ Yes — ERP updates, supplier checks, upsell prompts |
Sales Enablement (instant product knowledge, ramp time reduction) | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
Leadership ROI Partnership | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
Unified Platform | ❌ No — siloed tools | ✅ Yes — complete AI Revenue Platform |
FAQs
Q: Isn’t ATS proven in distribution?
A: ATS is old, not proven. It’s a legacy vendor with tools built decades ago. Distribution has evolved, but ATS hasn’t kept pace.
Q: Does ATS handle quoting and takeoffs as well as Distro?
A: No. ATS handles quoting at a surface level—speeding up data entry. Distro reimagines quoting with AI: parsing RFQs in any format, automating takeoffs, and enriching quotes with product data, warranties, and substitutions.
Q: Why is unification so important?
A: Distributors can’t afford fragmented tools. Distro consolidates quoting, takeoffs, sales enablement, and agentic AI in one platform, driving adoption and ROI far beyond what ATS’s stitched-together tools can deliver.
Q: What about ATS’s decades of history?
A: ATS’s legacy is its weakness. It was built for yesterday’s distribution workflows. Distro was built for today’s—and evolves with you as AI advances.
Closing Thought
ATS is a relic of an earlier era. It cobbles together quoting and bid tools, but does little to address the real pressures distributors face: shrinking margins, labor shortages, complex takeoffs, and the need for AI-driven efficiency.
Distro is the only modern AI Revenue Platform. It automates quoting and takeoffs, equips reps with instant knowledge, drives proactive actions with agentic AI, and partners with leadership to ensure lasting ROI.
Don’t get stuck in the past with ATS’s fragmented point tools. Step into the future with a unified platform. Step into Distro.