COMPARING Rubber tree / Proton AI

Rubber Tree shows your reps what already happened. Proton tells them what to do next.

Rubber Tree Systems gives your team dashboards and ERP reports. Proton gives you all that plus more: a real AI that identifies at-risk accounts, surfaces wallet share gaps, and tells each rep exactly who to call and why.

2.6x
avg. growth in year 1
11x
average ROI
42%
higher user engagement
Dashboard screen from Pronto showing an at-risk call for Acme Supply with $184K underspending on gaskets, last touched 46 days ago, and 3 stale open quotes. Below are three charts: pipeline by stage showing $2.4M total, top accounts by revenue with Acme Supply leading at $384K, and forecast vs actual revenue at $868K with a positive variance of $112K.
TRUSTED BY LEADING DISTRIBUTORS WORLDWIDE
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HEAD-TO-HEAD

How Rubber Tree Systems and Proton compare

Rubber Tree has served industrial distributors for nearly two decades. But 19 years of data reporting isn't the same as knowing what to do with it.

CAPABILITY
RUBBER TREE SYSTEMS
Analytics and reporting CRM
PROTON.AI
AI growth platform
RECOMMENDED
The AI
The AI
Backward-looking data
Rubber Tree surfaces transaction history and ERP data. Prospects describe it as "data pulling, not an interactive CRM." There's no churn prediction, no wallet share analysis, no next-best-action guidance.
Deep-learning models
Proton's AI identifies patterns across your entire ERP history to flag at-risk accounts, surface wallet share gaps, and recommend the right product for every customer, automatically.
Who it's built for
Who it's built for
Industrial distribution reporting
Built for industrial distributors on P21 and similar ERPs. Decent in that vertical, but unable to expand beyond analytics into rep guidance, eCommerce, or product data.
All distribution companies
Purpose-built for B2B distributors across all verticals: industrial, safety, food service, jan-san, and more. Distribution is the only thing we do, and we integrate with every ERP.
What reps get
What reps get
Management visibility, not rep tools
Rubber Tree was built to give managers dashboards and reports. Reps interpret the data themselves. Chronic adoption issues across multiple customers are the result.
The next best action
Proton is built for the rep first. Pronto AI tells each rep who to call today, what to pitch, and which accounts need attention, so adoption takes care of itself from day one. Reporting included.
Platform scope
Platform scope
Loosely connected suite
rubbertree.app, WebQuery, ValueDocs, and WarehouseTWO are separate products with no shared data layer. No PIM, no eCommerce AI, no order entry. Now owned by a financial roll-up.
One platform
CRM, PIM, eCommerce AI, and order entry automation in a single integrated suite. Every module shares the same data layer, so the more you use Proton, the smarter it gets.
Proven outcomes
Outcomes
Reports without revenue
Rubber Tree customers have data but struggle to act on it. Multiple distributors describe it as a reporting tool that didn't drive growth, a key reason they chose Proton.
2.6x growth, 11x ROI
Proton customers see measurable revenue outcomes, not just better reporting. 2.6x organic growth in year one and 11x ROI are what distributors actually want from their tech investment.
WHY DISTRIBUTORS SWITCH

Why teams switch from Rubber Tree to Proton

01
REAL AI, NOT RULES

Your data is there. Your reps still can't act on it.

Rubber Tree tells your reps what already happened. Proton tells them what to do next. It's the difference between a rearview mirror and a GPS. Distributors who've replaced Rubber Tree say the same thing: the data was there, they just couldn't act on it. That's the gap Proton closes.

02
BUILT FOR DISTRIBUTION

Built for management visibility. Not for reps who need to sell.

Rubber Tree was built to give managers reports, not to help reps sell. The result is chronic adoption problems across multiple customers. Proton is built for the rep first: it tells them who to call, what to pitch, and why. When reps get wins from day one, adoption takes care of itself.

03
NO PLATFORM BEYOND ANALYTICS

When you need more than reports, you're on your own.

Rubber Tree doesn't offer a PIM, eCommerce AI, or order entry automation. If you want to enrich your product catalog, personalize your website, or automate quoting, you're adding a new vendor. Proton covers all of it, and every module learns from the same data.

THE NUMBERS SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES
2.6x
the average sales growth clients see in just 1 year with Proton
11x
the average ROI Proton clients gain
42%
higher user engagement vs. all-purpose CRMs
12 weeks
the average time it takes clients to go-live
BEFORE YOU BUY

Questions to ask about Rubber Tree before you decide

The right questions reveal whether your analytics tool is actually driving growth — or just describing it.

?
“When your reps open Rubber Tree in the morning, does it tell them which accounts are at risk, what to pitch, and who to call first, or do they still have to figure that out themselves?”
?
“Will Rubber Tree tell your reps what they accomplished with the data that couldn’t have been done with an ERP report?”
?
"What does Rubber Tree's AI roadmap look like for the next 12 months. What new capabilities have they shipped in the last two years?"
?
“If your reps aren’t logging into Rubber Tree every day, what does Rubber Tree say is the reason, and what is their plan to fix adoption?”
CUSTOMER VOICES

See what our customers have to say

“Proton gets info to our sellers fast and effectively, so they can talk about what’s relevant and what’s important. With Proton, our team has better discussions with customers.”

Tim Babco (Ad)
CIO
·
ORS Nasco

“Proton is a sales stimulant, helping us grow our business through recommended products.”

Eric Wessinger
President & CEO
·
Richards Supply

"Proton is the best ROI of any tech investment we've made in the past 30 years."

Mike Page
CMO & CTO
·
R.S. Hughes

“The value of Proton for our industry is that right out of the box, it speaks our language. It understands what challenges distribution companies have.”

Jason Moorehead
VP of Sales
·
Swish Maintenance

"Proton is one of the greatest sales tools that we've ever had at Midwest Wheel."

Sean Kinter
Sales Development Manager
·
Midwest Wheel

“Just think of the best assistant you’ve ever had. You can plug an account number or contact name into the system and get all the information you need within seconds.”

Dave Purdy
General Manager
·
Swish Maintenance

"After I got into Proton, my sales skyrocketed. Proton hasn’t just helped me maintain and build my business; it's also helped me personally. It has made me a better sales rep."

Chelsea Reddell
Sales Consultant
·
Salon Services Pro

“We’re seeing a 3x profit return for every dollar spent on Proton software. What makes Proton different is the people and their domain expertise. It feels like we have a partner — a group that’s living and breathing distribution. They understand the unique challenges distributors face.”

Erik Gershwind
President & CEO
·
MSC

“Just the ability to summarize and share call notes easily with the branch has been huge. We used to edit and summarize them manually, now it’s just three clicks. It’s probably gained us a day each week.”

Aaron Soloski
Sales Manager
·
Aquifer

“Before Proton, it would take me 10 to 15 minutes to do my research on an account. Now it’s just a minute or two.”

Zeina Shahabeddin
Inside Sales Development Manager
·
Swish Maintenance

"Proton has made our sales team much more proactive, rather than just reacting to incoming orders. This has helped us increase the order size per invoice. Proton has increased the amount of sales our team has been able to close."

Kyle Schull
President
·
Building Products Inc.

“One time, we said, ‘For one week, trust every recommendation that Proton gives you and talk with your customer about it.’ They had a 40% close rate on brands that they never would have talked about before.”

Guy Lacey
Vice President
·
Salon Services Pro

"Pronto saves me 2 hours a day, easily. It’s very user-friendly, even for guys who don’t love tech. I use it to do call notes: after a call, I bring up Pronto, hit the microphone, talk into my phone, and it logs a note, so I can move on. With that time back, I can see 3 more customers a day."

Dave Hammett
Outside Sales Rep
·
BPI

"Proton’s added one day's worth of sales per month. Sales reps are getting a full day of extra sales revenue attributed to Proton."

Adam Crews
Director of Sales
·
Chattanooga Shooting Supplies

"Customers appreciate when you show up prepared. Pronto helps you be that rep. Before, we were jumping from screen to screen, report to report. Now it’s all right there, within seconds."

Darlene Long
Account Manager
·
Swish

“When a CRM works, everybody gets on board pretty quick. So far, we’ve had a lot of wins. That makes it contagious; if everybody sees that guy got that sale, they want to get the next one.”

Eric Wessinger (Ad)
President and CEO
·
Richards Supply

"It’s not just a reporting tool, it’s a sales growth engine. We’re giving the sales team a sports car, not a ball and chain."

Dane LeBel
Inside Sales Director
·
Vallen

“If someone’s off sick or on holiday, anybody on the team is able to jump into their accounts and know exactly what’s happening. That makes onboarding new reps and coverage easier, and helps us maintain the same level of customer service, whether the rep is in-house or not.”

Crystal Howat
Director of Technology and E-Commerce
·
Aquifer

"Pronto has been the biggest game changer for us. I believe we're one of the biggest users of it."

Steve McEnany
Senior VP
·
Midwest Wheel

“Proton makes us look like experts. The customer thinks we know everything — because the tool does.”

Ryan Barnett
Inside Sales Manager
·
Vallen

“We’ve gone from zero CRM culture to everyone talking about Proton every single day. That in itself within 3 months of launching has just been spectacular.”

Victoria Blair
Sales Enablement Leader
·
Swish Maintenance

“Before Proton, important info was buried in reports and often overlooked. With Proton, the data is right at our fingertips, easy to access and actionable. It's a game-changer for our daily routine.”

Matt Goldberg
Regional Manager
·
Benco Dental

“Our reps don't see Proton as a chore. We have a call target of 50 per week, but some reps are making double that. They're going above and beyond because they can see their progress every day in Proton."

Matthew James
President & CEO
·
Purity Life

"With Proton, our sales reps don't need to dig through account history or juggle gap reports anymore. They simply hop into Proton, see which customers are at-risk, and start reaching out."

Adam Crews
Director of Sales
·
CSSI

"If you’ve stumped yourself on what to sell, you can reach in and grab Pronto to take you to another level."

Shawn Baloun
Inside Sales
·
BPI

“Our sellers are staying active and engaged with Proton, using it on a daily basis.”

Tim Babco (Ad)
CIO
·
ORS Nasco

“Proton pulls data from all our systems, so it's all in one place. It’s been a huge time saver. A task that used to take about an hour now takes me less than ten minutes.”

Carly Albrecht
Regional Sales Manager
·
Purity Life

"We used to see large projects quoted by our quotations team, but communication didn’t always reach outside sales for proper follow-up. Proton’s had a big impact helping with that. I would absolutely recommend Proton to anybody in the distribution business. It checks all the boxes for us."

Schaun Corbett
VP of Sales
·
Aquifer

“I’m not the best email writer, so Pronto really helps me get to the point of what I’m trying to say.”

Dave Hammett
Outside Sales Rep
·
BPI

“One of our new reps pitched products to a large account based on Proton’s recommendations. The customer said, ‘I never knew you supplied those products.’ Now we’re in the final stages of closing a huge deal with that customer—all within the rep’s first 90 days.”

Zeina Shahabeddin
Inside Sales Development Manager
·
Swish Maintenance

"Proton answers the 'who do I call first?' question for you. When you use Proton, you basically become a sales analyst without even trying, because all the info you need is served to you."

Adam Crews
Director of Sales
·
CSSI

"Pronto makes me look smarter, gives me the info I need, and never judges my questions."

Darlene Long
Account Manager
·
Swish

"Proton is an effective tool to save you time. For new people, this is probably the single most effective tool. It gives you all the information you need."

Cody Olson
Territory Assistant
·
Midwest Wheel

“In just two minutes in the car, sales reps can skim through the Proton app and see everything going on with the customer they're visiting."

Katy Cohen
CRO
·
Benco Dental
SCHEDULE A DEMO

Find out what makes Proton the top CRM choice for distributors

In 30 minutes, you'll see exactly how Proton compares to your current stack — and what it'd look like for your reps.

  • See how Proton turns your ERP data into next-best actions
  • Get advice on refining your sales strategy from distribution experts
  • A platform overview tailored to your book of business
faq

Common questions from teams evaluating Rubber Tree Systems

What’s the difference between Rubber Tree Systems and Proton?
We’ve used Rubber Tree for years. Is switching to Proton disruptive?
Will Proton integrate with our ERP the way Rubber Tree does?
What if my reps don’t want to use another new tool?
Does Rubber Tree offer PIM, eCommerce AI, or order entry automation?