Distributors should be investing in their businesses and looking for acquisitions, said Alan Beaulieu of ITR Economics said at the National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors' 2021 Digital Summit. "Go spend money on yourself, make sure you have the inventory, make sure you have the infrastructure, make sure that you're doing the things that you need to do," he said.
KeHE Distributors saw higher customer service levels after it adopted demand forecasting and inventory optimization software, says Raj Govindarajan, KeHE's senior director of supply chain. Govindarajan discusses why the software change was needed, what other offerings were considered and how implementation was managed.
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Companies looking to create successful e-commerce sites should use a simple design, build an intuitive user experience and include a strong search functionality and detailed product descriptions, write Seema Nair and Debbie Zelten of Synoptek. They also recommend easy integration capabilities and an up-to-date administrative console on the back end.
Search: the secret weapon to a great omnichannel experience Digital channels are the next battlefield and the next big opportunity in Retail. Consumers are online more than ever, and they are increasingly selective and impatient. Digital winners will be the ones who meet their needs in an efficient, intuitive and personalized manner, whatever platform they are on. Take a look at winning omnichannel strategies
Take efforts to disqualify uninterested prospects early in the sales process to avoid wasting time, effort and resources, writes Tom Williams. Continue to actively gauge each prospect's interest through the use of specific questions as the process continues, particularly when key milestones come and go, Williams writes.
Webinar: 2021 Manufacturing Trends This year is shaping up to be a year of advancement for US manufacturing. This on-demand webinar explores: how technology will help manufacturers this year, why a localized supply chain is gaining favor and what actions manufacturers must take to boost profitability now and in the future. Our panel of experts will offer new-year strategies and real-world examples of how best to succeed. Watch now
Some leaders are good at managing up, which obscures the awful ways they're treating their reports, writes Marlene Chism. She offers three areas for executives to monitor, both for the well-being of their organizations and to avoid legal liability.
Improve leadership development by focusing on essential competencies, adapting to younger generations' expectations and giving managers more training and a greater role in making decisions, write Gallup's Vibhas Ratanjee and Jennifer Robison. "If you narrowly define manager competencies as overseeing people and processes, you'll overlook sparks of leadership competencies," they write.
During this 90-minute open discussion, you'll exchange ideas with a trusted network of C-suite peers in distribution. Companies belonging to this community are from firms between $100 million and up to $1 billion in annual sales. There is no formal agenda or speakers -- just you and more than a dozen of your friends in distribution discussing today's pressing issues. Last year, participants shared how they were protecting their employees during the pandemic and more. Don't miss this opportunity. Register today!
The pandemic is forcing many distributors to reevaluate their supply chains to create more resilient models. At the heart of "Optimizing Channel Profitability" is a common ground for distributors and manufacturers to focus on making a one-to-one connection among a supplier's channel compensation, a distributor's capabilities and customer value, all leading to a process where all three entities can have constructive, objective dialogue rather than subjective, selective fault-finding. If you're looking to strengthen your value proposition post COVID-19, this resource will help.
NAW shares thought leadership each week in the NAW Blog "Distributing Ideas." NAW Institute for Distribution Excellence Fellows, authors and guest bloggers discuss today's critical issues specific to wholesale distribution. Catch up on blog posts here. Better yet, subscribe here and we'll deliver a new post each week straight to your inbox.
