FedEx has made its first successful drone delivery. The flight launches a trial of the company's drone technology that will allow FedEx customers in parts of Christianburg, Va., to opt in. "Innovation has been part of the FedEx DNA since day one, and we are always looking for new and better ways to deliver the world to our customers' doorsteps," said Don Colleran, president and CEO of FedEx Express.

Genuine Parts' industrial product sales increased by 9.9% in the third quarter against overall sales growth of 6.2%, outpacing gains in automotive parts and business product sales. The third quarter was also the company's first controlling a majority stake in Australian online auto-parts seller Sparesbox.

Sally Beauty will hire about 40 employees at its Denton, Texas, corporate headquarters and remodel roughly 175 stores in the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan and surrounding areas. The company also plans to open an automated distribution site by March.

Growth in the e-commerce sector has prompted shifts in warehousing such as a change in pricing strategy, prioritization of proximity to workers and a growing reliance on machine labor to handle fluctuations in demand, according to discussions at the Armstrong & Associates 3PL Value Creation Summit last week. Many warehouse operators are also paying more attention to workplace culture to retain workers who might otherwise leave for positions at Amazon.

Companies are increasing investments in advanced digital systems with internet of things solutions and mobile workflows, according to the Zebra Technologies 2019 Intelligent Enterprise Index, based on data from 950 IT decision-makers in a range of industries. Average overall IT spending is up 39% from last year to $6.4 million.

Jeff Kalter explains how to appeal to business-to-business buyers' emotions to encourage them to convert, including addressing their fears and pain points as well as evoking excitement with new solutions and building confidence with social proof. Begin all content by describing why prospects should want a product or service, create memorable taglines and use them consistently, he recommends.

New sales managers should be properly onboarded into the role, particularly if they have been promoted from a sales representative position and lack prior management experience, writes Colleen Francis. Companies who fail to adequately prepare new sales managers for their role often see declines in their sales team's performance, Francis warns.

Seeing leadership as a duty, and not a burden, can help leaders avoid being entitled and help followers avoid feeling burdened, says executive coach John Mattone. "To be an example that others want to follow (as opposed to feeling like they have to follow out of fear or obligation), you have to become a better person," he says.

Effective corporate communications can play a vital role in boosting employee engagement, investor confidence and brand recognition, writes Kimberly Ramalho, a communications executive for Lockheed Martin's Rotary and Mission Systems. "As more chief executives are acknowledging, it's a serious, strategic aspect of business, and a fundamental ingredient for the health and future of the enterprise," she writes.

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