Home Depot is opening flatbed distribution centers and making other supply chain investments to attract business from professional customers, who account for about 45% of sales. Home Depot does well with smaller contractors and is looking to get more share with larger pros, President and Chief Operating Officer Ted Decker says.
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Distribution center operators can take simple steps toward automation by using voice-directed warehousing and mobile workstations, writes John O'Kelly, president and founder of Newcastle Systems. "Once you have an idea of where you'd like to automate, get some expertise to help with the how," O'Kelly writes.
Logistics technology providers are adjusting labor management systems to account for increased worker interactions with robots. "We're using our LMS to measure job performance and set expectations, but we're now integrating that with data feeds from robotic functions," says Kevin Stock of third-party logistics firm Geodis, which uses automated mobile robots.
Use smaller goals to help salespeople break out of slumps, as a focus on the bigger picture can often prolong ineffective periods, writes Colleen Francis. Instead of focusing on the target, encourage salespeople to think about individual activities, such as preparing for calls, writing follow-up emails and networking at events.
Business-to-business brands, such as BD, Sentry Insurance and Tata Consultancy Services, are embracing sports marketing and sponsorship, and Kenneth Hein explores the trend with industry insiders. Ogilvy Sports Network's Brad Silber says B2B marketers can tap sports engagement "to simplify complex customer capabilities through easy-to-understand sports analogies, highlight shared values between the brand and sports partner -- such as a commitment to excellence -- and connect with key business decision-makers on an emotional level."
Leading a team is much like operating a good transportation system, where your goal is not simply getting from point A to point B, but delivering the most people to their desired destinations even if that means more stops, Steve McKee writes. The economy also operates this way, as "each of our organizations had its own stops and starts due to its specific market and competitive conditions," he writes.
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According to David Bauders, SPARXiQ CEO, "Most distributors believe that their efforts of building home-grow pricing matrices amount to accomplishing strategic pricing, but they often experience only modest or flat or even declining (over time) profit improvements." Read his post.
