US gross domestic product grew 1.3% in the first quarter of the year, a downward revision from the previous estimate of 1.6%. Personal spending rose 2% compared to the previously expected 2.5%. A slowdown in income growth, higher interest rates and decreasing savings are all weighing on consumers and businesses.

Modern customer relationship management and other digital tools have helped streamline distributors' sales but have also put a dent in the relationship-selling model. Distributors must find a balance between the two approaches, says Tony Pericle, founder of ProfitOptics, on the latest MDM Podcast. "You have to be able to have that personal interaction in order to develop that relationship. And that's so important because if you don't, then you're just a machine and machines can be replaced," Pericle says.

Florida-based Eastern Metal Supply, a distributor of aluminum products, is acquiring Eagle Metal Distributors, an Orlando distributor of products used in pool enclosures and screen rooms. "This partnership will allow us to expand our offering of products and services to new and existing customers throughout Central Florida," says Eagle President Steve Wrazen.

Distributor sales staff structures have mostly stayed the same in recent decades despite significant market changes, writes Mike Marks, founding partner of Indian River Consulting Group. However, customer service can be a major differentiator, and the average distributor is expected to have more inside salespeople than field sales reps as soon as next year. Inside sales reps can save companies money, enhance customer satisfaction and increase overall sales, according to Marks.

Danish manufacturer VARO, working with Siemens, is developing an AI-powered system for automated pallet film removal, boosting safety and providing costs savings by eliminating manual unwrapping risks. "Digitalization and artificial intelligence allow us to offer extra services to our customers in the form of knowledge and data collection, which they can use to improve their output, and which we can use to build better machines," says VARO technical leader Arne Lundfold Bjerring.

Systemic inventory controls like stockholding and order flow can protect cargo in warehouses and distribution centers from theft, TT Club Logistics Risk Manager Josh Finch says. Strong data interfaces between cargo management platforms can reduce the loss of inventory, adds Finch.

Business-to-business marketers expect budget spending through 2028 to increase the most on digital media, data and technology, followed by events and sponsorships, with traditional media experiencing the biggest decline in spending, per Plural Strategy. In addition, social media is the channel that B2B marketers expect to increase most in importance, while video is the format that will be prioritized the most.

An open door policy will only work if employees are comfortable approaching you, writes author and global leadership strategist Jane Hyun, who recommends bosses use one-on-one meetings and other conversations to learn about their team members and their preferred ways to communicate. "Some employees need to be encouraged to share their point of view with psychological safety, especially if they've worked for managers who did not allow this," Hyun writes.

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