3 Ways AI is Changing the Game for MEP Distributors

(Top takeaways from our recent webinar on “AI’s Role in Transforming the Project Business”)

If you’re in the trenches of project bidding and quoting, you already know the grind: massive document sets, tighter timelines, and endless SKUs. In our latest webinar, Dr. Forest Flager, CEO and co-founder of Parspec, opened with a deep dive into how AI is already reshaping the MEP project workflow — from reading drawings and extracting data to recommending spec-compliant products and building submittals.

He broke down the different areas where AI can make a measurable impact for distributors:

• Computer vision that can read complex plans and specs.
• Natural language processing that can understand and structure technical requirements.
• Recommendation engines that identify alternates, in-stock items, and high-margin options.

For sales teams, quoters, and project managers, this foundation is critical. It’s not just about what AI can do — it’s about knowing where it can have the biggest impact.

From there, Rexel’s Lisa Williams and Parrish-Hare’s Kristina Harding brought the real-world proof. Here are the top three takeaways from their discussion on how AI is transforming daily work in distribution:

AI eliminates guesswork - and double work

Every distributor knows the pain of re-entering data, fixing typos, and quoting against your own team. Using AI to read drawings and specs directly eliminates manual entry errors and automatically identifies project overlaps — preventing duplicate bids and keeping data clean.

“AI pulls all the title block info automatically,” said Lisa Williams. “It even flags when two teams are quoting the same job. That’s been a game-changer for our accuracy and speed.”

Submittals and O&M that used to take days now take hours

Preparing documentation packages has always been one of the most time-consuming parts of the job. Now, AI-powered tools like Parspec can identify the correct cut sheets, mark up order matrices, and even flip PDFs into Excel sheets automatically.

That’s not just about saving huge amounts of time; it’s about reclaiming margin. Every hour saved on admin work is an hour that can be spent supporting customers or closing deals.

AI helps you deliver value before the customer even asks

The best sales teams know that responsiveness wins. Lisa explained how her team uses AI to quickly generate alternate and VE packages, helping contractors stay within budget — often before they ask for help.

“AI lets us give customers a spec and an alternate package, with compliance notes, instantly,” Lisa said. “It’s letting us lead the conversation instead of reacting.”

With compressed project timelines and labor shortages, that kind of agility isn’t just helpful — it’s essential.

The Takeaway

AI isn’t replacing the expertise that makes distributors trusted partners — it’s amplifying it. From faster quoting to smarter submittals and better data, tools like Parspec are helping teams quote more, quote faster, and quote smarter — all while maintaining the human expertise that keeps contractors coming back.

Watch the full webinar on demand

If you missed the live session, you can now watch the full webinar on demand and experience all the takeaways and insights yourself.