November saw a 9.6% year-over-year increase in the producer price index for final-demand products, the fastest pace since the index began in 2010, according to the Labor Department. Prices for goods besides energy, food and trade services increased 0.7%, raising the core producer price index by 6.9%.

After nearly a year of testing, Amazon appears poised to offer a same-day grocery delivery service from major supermarkets in the US and Europe in the coming year, according to published reports. The company, which did not comment on the reports, currently offers delivery from Whole Foods Markets through its Flex service.

Arkansas is home to a large number of trucking companies, plus two-year colleges that offer affordable training, while Little Rock-based company Maverick Transportation will cover the costs through reimbursements or a signing bonus. Younger drivers are especially needed to replace drivers who retired during the pandemic, says Al M. Heringer IV, an executive at Star Transportation of Jonesboro and past board chairman at the Arkansas Trucking Association.

Training employees on cybersecurity during onboarding is a best practice and a way to gain buy-in when it comes to policies. "Well-trained and aware employees are more likely to notice suspicious emails and other warning signs before your IT team," technology blogger Jeff Gamet writes.

Sales managers can improve communication with clients and coworkers alike by learning each person's communication style and adjusting accordingly, writes David Brock. "Regardless of how 'right' what we are trying to communicate might be, unless we connect in a way that can be understood and internalized by others, we are not connecting and communicating," Brock writes.

Social media, websites/blogs and email are the top three digital channels for business-to-business marketers, HubSpot reports. The report reveals 40% of B2B marketers think email newsletters are vital and email is still "a powerful channel for B2B marketers because it helps share educational content with customers."

Team members who have not left during the Great Resignation need to know what their future with the organization will be like, writes Tammy Perkins, chief people officer of PMI Worldwide. Perkins offers four actions for leaders, such as creating a more engaging culture as well as implementing stay interviews and pulse surveys that allow employees to give their bosses feedback on their needs and concerns.

Just as the Oracle helped Neo see his true potential in "The Matrix," so should leaders surround themselves with people who believe in them, writes Kristin Hendrix. The experience of Keanu Reeves' character in the franchise also reminds us to understand our strengths and weaknesses and to find people who understand what we can't see, Hendrix writes.

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In part 3 of this 4-part series, we'll get into the weeds on what AI will look like when implemented into a distributor's sales arsenal. Register here.