Industrial, Distribution and Wholesale (IDW) enterprises are facing rising customer expectations, supply chain volatility, margin pressure and aging legacy systems. In this 2026 research report, Publicis Sapient surveyed more than 150 B2B executives across North America and Europe to uncover why digital experiences break — and what leading organizations are doing differently to stay competitive.

The findings reveal a growing execution gap between transformation ambition and operational reality. While nearly 9 in 10 leaders say they must accelerate digital transformation, many still struggle with fragmented systems, siloed data, inconsistent customer experiences and AI initiatives stuck in pilot mode. The report explores the business impact of these failures — from missed deliveries and billing inaccuracies to lost revenue and declining customer trust — and outlines three priorities for the future of IDW: integrating systems and data, elevating customer and employee experience, and scaling AI beyond experimentation. It also highlights how platforms like Sapient Slingshot help enterprises modernize legacy systems faster, reduce technical debt and accelerate transformation at scale. Backed by executive insights and real-world case studies, the report provides a roadmap for turning operational complexity into competitive advantage.