The National Labor Relations Board has dropped its appeal of a court ruling that overturned its broadened joint-employer standard. In a Friday filing, the NLRB maintained that the rule was lawful but motioned to dismiss its challenge. Earlier this year, a Texas judge blocked the rule, which would have considered entities joint employers if there was direct or indirect control over terms and conditions of employment.

Machine learning and large language models help automate tedious processes and can quickly analyze distributors' massive data, but organizations should have a realistic view of the technology's promise and pitfalls, writes Nick Pericle, vice president of technology strategy and solutions for ProfitOptics. Inaccurate inventory data and product information and duplicate customer records can be costly, so distributors should ensure they are working with clean and accurate data and have a secure IT infrastructure for successful AI implementation, Pericle writes.

Roofing and exterior products distributor Beacon is opening two new facilities in Athens, Ga., and Midlothian, Texas. Both locations serve residential and commercial markets. So far this year, Beacon has opened 12 new branches and completed seven acquisitions that included another 28 locations.

The US trucking industry is rebounding from a prolonged recession, with freight volume up 30% year-over-year in June, according to data from technology solutions provider Motive. This pickup in activity potentially indicates an end to the freight recession and possible rate increases later in Quarter 3, says Hamish Woodrow, Motive's head of strategic analytics.

A recent survey of over 3,100 procurement decision-makers reveals 44% identify efficiency and complexity as their top procurement challenges this year, with 98% planning investments in advanced technologies such as analytics, automation and AI to meet the challenge. This shift comes as manufacturers and industrial organizations grapple with labor shortages, dislocated and volatile supply chains and cybersecurity threats, all while facing pressure to diversify their supplier base and keep a tight rein on costs.

The best quality AI can bring to businesses is the ability to reveal patterns and trends in customer interaction, writes SupportLogic Chief Marketing Officer Joe Andrews. Personalization, one possible use of interaction analysis, can potentially cut the costs of customer acquisition in half.

Don't forget sales is a team sport, advises sales expert David Brock, who encourages sales managers to provide coaching and support. "Even for the most transactional sales, we rely on our organizations to provide the products, services, customer support that enables us to sell and meet the commitments we make to the customers," Brock writes.

Talent assessments can help managers understand the strengths and weakness of newly-hired salespeople, Tirzah Thornburg writes. "[A]s you are creating an onboarding plan, look at those strengths and think about how you can use those strengths to help them onboard successfully while avoiding obstacles," Thornburg advises.

The Federal Reserve's interest-rate increases have achieved significant disinflation and a cooler labor market. However, officials remain cautious about cutting rates, citing a need for more data and past forecasting errors. Economists have interpreted the comments as a signal of a move in September. "There is strong momentum within the committee to lower rates in September," says Jonathan Pingle, chief US economist at UBS. "You are seeing cooling in a lot of areas of the labor market where there has been strength."

Warehouse and supply chain companies facing the dual issues of a shrinking workforce and the unique perspective of digital natives would be wise to adapt by actively trying to understand what motivates younger, tech-centric people and building a supportive corporate culture, writes Alex Ramirez of CognitOps. Ramirez stresses the need to integrate technology to provide visibility into operations and help refine the planning process, as older methods are ineffective and dampen enthusiasm among younger generations.

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