June's Fastener Distributor Index from FCH Sourcing Network and R.W. Baird came in at 55.8, a decline from May's 61.8 reading. "Supply chain disruptions again showed no signs of abating in June, and shortages appear to be extending towards many commonly stocked items," Baird's David Manthey said.

A recent COVID-19 outbreak at the Port of Yantian in South China is holding up goods in Europe, Asia and North America, according to Dun & Bradstreet's Brian Alster. Audiovisual equipment; furniture and bedding; plastics; steel and other metals; and mechanical appliances were among the top materials found on shipments bound for the US and Canada.

Crown Equipment's InfoLink platform promotes safe forklift operation by monitoring operators' work and identifying ways they can improve, according to Kim Stachler, marketing connected product manager at Crown. Meanwhile, Safety Systems & Controls has developed zone speed control for fork trucks "to have multiple top speeds appropriate to the areas being travelled," company President Chris Webre says.

Challenge salespeople to imagine selling without being able to offer discounts, which can too often become a focal point in sales talks, writes David Brock. This mindset forces salespeople to focus more on value creation and helping customers grow.

This infographic from Branticles displays a six-step guide to developing effective email marketing funnels. The guide covers choosing the right email marketing platform, tips on creating sign-up forms, nurturing leads with educational content and conversion strategies.

Leaders may need to hit the reset button on how they're leading their team if trust is deteriorating or team behaviors need improving, writes Art Petty. Get feedback from your team on how to proceed, he writes, especially during big changes that require a "hard" reset.

Conflict resolution requires acknowledging emotions. asking key questions to determine the root cause and helping your team solve conflicts on their own, writes David Dye. "[F]or those situations where they can't resolve the issue because the problem is a lack of clarity at a higher level, they will be able to figure that out and come to you with a solution request, rather than a more vague complaint," he writes.

According to Pradip Krishnadevarajan, Co-author of Seven NAW Institute Best Sellers "Many distributors struggle to manage their sales teams effectively. They oversimplify the sales management function, failing to recognize that every salesperson is unique and requires a customized approach." Read his post here.

Through the education alliance between the NAW Institute for Distribution Excellence and Texas A&M University's Industrial Distribution Program, NAW offers this cutting-edge educational program that is customized to distributors. Learn more.