Steve Raymund, the former CEO of Tech Data, contracted the coronavirus on a trip to Brazil, where he received excellent care. "After six days in the hospital -- five in the ICU -- I was released on March 29 with a proviso to self-isolate a further six days," he writes.

Medline hopes to sterilize 100,000 N95 masks per day during the coronavirus pandemic, says Medline ReNewal President Frank Czajka. "What we're doing is collecting the masks that are used in the facilities across the country every day, and we're putting them through an exhaustive sort," he says, with salvageable masks sterilized and then shipped back out.

Warehouse and distribution companies hired 8,200 employees during March, while logistics businesses such as trucking companies and couriers were among employers shedding a total of 701,000 jobs during the month, according to seasonally adjusted figures released Friday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Brian Devine of logistics staffing company ProLogistix called labor demand at distribution centers "off the charts" as businesses such as Amazon and Walmart hire workers to keep up with customer demand.

Distributors that aren't selling online will spend more time on the sales cycle and miss out on the changes in how customers are acquired, among other things, writes Mike Bernard. "The initial investment in e-commerce may be a bit of a sticker shock to some, but doing nothing could cost you far more in the long run," he writes.

Salespeople must make their value proposition clearer than ever before as prospects work through the negative effects of the coronavirus pandemic. Focus sales conversation on factors such as how quickly your solution can provide results for buyers and how they can best use it under current working conditions, David Brock writes.

Marketers should embrace a data-driven ideation approach to create content that meets a target audience's needs using sources such as social conversations, search activity and website behavior, Liz Alton writes. This tactic is particularly useful when adjusting content during crises in order to build trust with prospects by providing them with valuable content relevant to their industry, she writes.

You can't control external events, but you can control your mindset, how you engage with people and how focused you are. "When the chaos of uncertainty hits, leaders have a responsibility to even out the tone by being a voice of reason and not adding to the blame narrative," writes Marlene Chism.

Join NAW and ITR Economics for this critical economic outlook webinar, "Distribution Industry: Navigating the Crisis," featuring Alan Beaulieu, NAW Senior Economic Advisor and President of ITR Economics, on Thursday, April 9, 3 p.m. EDT. And, Alan will answer your questions. Seats are limited, so purchase your seat today!

Mark Dancer says, "First-line managers are a powerful force for surviving a crisis, but only if leaders help them embrace a new role. Every employee wonders how long the crisis will last, which work is most important and if their job is secure. Leaders don't have all the answers, and employees know it. The role of first-line managers shifts from directing activities that drive performance to gathering ideas that may help the company survive." Read his post.