Strange question - Is there a reason it is still done this way? Are there entrenched distributors and commissioned sales reps that are incentivized to keep things the same way?
Many wholesale & distributor businesses seem to operate this way, but the reason is rarely due to lack of available technology solutions... Just a thought worth thinking about.
The sales reps could see it as a threat depending on how it works with them. We always say that there is a place for good sales reps, we just don't want them to be glorified order takers.
You do also have a lot of old school distributor owners that view sales reps as hand to hand combat and are afraid of losing that touch point.