Grainger subsidiary Zoro didn't stop hiring during the pandemic, and it plans to continue investing in staff, products, technology and partnerships, according to President Kevin Weadick. He also discusses how Zoro is managing PPE inventory now that shortages have abated.

Companies undertaking digital transformation of their supply chains need to ask several questions regarding data, analytics and goals, writes Pathmind founder Chris Nicholson. "The first questions any company needs to ask about their operations are: Do I know what's going on? Can I track what I do in my physical plant?" Nicholson writes.

Distributors can protect warehouses from cyberattacks by keeping technology current, vetting the security practices of third-party vendors and enacting appropriate access controls, writes Eric Allais, president and CEO of PathGuide Technologies. He also recommends teaching employees how to avoid threats from email and downloads and having multiple backups of crucial data.

Millennials and members of Gen Z are quickly rising up the business-to-business buyer ranks and B2B marketers must cater to their preferences, which include a truly seamless omnichannel experience, Paula Chiocchi writes. These generations want content that helps, not sells, and value transparency, authentic messaging and the opinions of fellow customers, Chiocchi advises.

Distributors risk missing out on the benefits of marketing automation if they keep doing marketing as usual, don't integrate marketing automation software with CRM systems or lack support from sales leadership, writes Debbie Paul of Distribution Strategy Group. She also warns against having insufficient marketing staff and weak programs.

Create connection between your brand and company culture to build trust with employees and stakeholders by developing a core set of values, improving internal communications and giving employees direct experiences with your brand, says Denise Lee Yohn in this video. "You earn people's trust when you are on the inside what you say on the outside," she says.

The pandemic is nearly over and it's time for distributors to apply the lessons from the last 14 months so they can grow their businesses faster in the future. Join NAW and Distribution Strategy Group for our free webinar on May 19 at 2 p.m. ET. We surveyed distributors and we'll share what they told us about their sales in the pandemic and what they're forecasting for 2021, their work-from-home policy, how their website and digital tools performed, which digital capabilities they'll invest in, and much more. Register here.

How have distributors been innovating their business during the pandemic? Find that out and much more from 10 distributors who tell their stories and share ideas for both surviving and thriving in a drastically changed business environment. Author Mark Dancer shares up-to-the-minute ideas and insights from distributor leaders based on their experiences and lessons learned from the coronavirus pandemic. Order this just-released e-chapter, "Distribution Leans In: Stories of Resiliency and Innovation During the COVID-19 Pandemic."

According to Benj Cohen of Proton.ai, "If you're not adopting AI because you're concerned you won't get ROI or you're waiting for the technology to mature, stop procrastinating. You already have the data. If you prioritize alignment in the organization and invest in a solution that checks the right boxes, you will be far along the path to getting ROI from AI." Read his post.