Big warehouse occupancy surged in the first six months of the year compared to the same period last year, as consumers shifted to digital shopping because of the coronavirus crisis, according to a Colliers International report. Amazon is among the top occupiers and is projected to lease almost 98 million square feet in the US this year, the report says.

Almost 20,000 Amazon workers, including ones at Whole Foods Market stores, have tested positive for the coronavirus as of Sept. 19, the company announced Thursday. Amazon has been on a hiring spree this year due to high demand for deliveries, and last month, it announced it would hire an additional 100,000 workers.

The pandemic should prompt distributors to increase use of digital technologies and supply chain automation while rethinking sales approaches, according to a McKinsey analysis. "An unprecedented number of people are looking for jobs today," the authors argue, "and new remote and flexible working practices give distributors access to talent previously out of reach, such as data scientists in major metropolitan areas."

The coronavirus pandemic has put lean supply chains to the test, and supply chain professionals are divided on whether there has been too much emphasis on leanness, according to a study by the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals, Infosys Consulting, Penn State University and Penske Logistics. The upshot appears to be that "there isn't a single right answer," says Andrew Manikas, associate professor of management at the University of Louisville.

Business-to-business companies can employ artificial intelligence in a number of ways to improve results, including product development, customer services, operations and marketing, Bernard Marr writes. B2B marketers can benefit from AI and machine learning to enhance lead quality, customer engagement and personalization, Marr writes.

Whether negotiating a business deal or freeing hostages, helping the other party save face is key to creating a win-win situation, writes Joshua Weiss of the Global Negotiation Initiative and the Harvard Negotiation Project. He offers three examples of such negotiations and four ways to help each party preserve its reputation.

Are you ready for the technology that is transforming distribution? With the influx of new competitors and new technologies, changes are happening at warp speed. In this NAW series of seven research reports and seven accompanying webinars in seven months, distribution expert Ian Heller will help you to gain the intelligence you need to formulate new strategies and ensure that your company thrives through this era of technology transformation. You've got seven months, so let's get started. Sponsors include Unilog, SAP, Conexiom and Mirakl.

Enter to win a $500 VISA gift card when you take our 7-9-minute survey to tell distributors how they must change. If you sell through distributors, this is your chance to offer your advice to distributors on what they must do to remain a valued partner in your supply chain in the future. Authors Ian Heller and Jonathan Bein will review the findings on a complimentary October 20 webinar and in a complimentary detailed research report in digital format. Take our survey here.

When speaking about "Optimizing Distributor Profitability: Best Practices to a Stronger Bottom Line," co-author Pradip Krishnadevarajan said, "We present 47 best practices for distributors to apply in their businesses, along with plentiful resources and examples for mastering the process. However, we're aware that just crossing the starting line can be a challenge -- especially in such uncertain times. So, we thought we would share a few tips -- or mantras -- to motivate and guide you through major change in your business." Read his post.