MSC Industrial Supply's preliminary March revenue could be the biggest month in the history of the company, and CEO Erik Gershwind says price increases are only one reason for year-over-year growth. Sales teams are being educated on how to talk about pricing, and MSC's technical experts are inside companies, helping them find other ways to save, Gershwind says.

Many distributors and manufacturers responding to a Syspro survey invested for the short term in technology such as data analytics and the internet of things to handle supply chain disruptions, but those weren't enough to ensure satisfactory delivery, inventory and communication, Andy Szal writes. Very few companies invested in longer-term technology such as artificial intelligence and machine learning.

Real estate firm JLL predicts an impending warehouse space crisis in the US, driven by aging distribution centers and a 24% increase in demand during the past 10 years that's outpaced the 18% growth in inventory. JLL says there are signs of "the first wave of a supply crunch," with average US lease rates increasing by 37% between 2016 and 2021 and nearly 70% of "newly modernized" Class A space being preleased.

Distributors need to start with a self-assessment to understand where partnerships are most needed and could do the most good, writes Ryan Upshaw of Fastenal, who offers a guide. "Perhaps the most important way to invest in each other is to identify project champions on both sides," Upshaw writes.

To make the most of cold calling, write a short positioning statement for prospective clients, research the company to identify two or three verticals your product would improve and always conduct a call review, writes Jay Fuchs. Be sure to follow up the call a few days later with additional information, Fuchs suggests.

Frustration may be a sign for CEOs to change something, such as culture or strategy, but it also can indicate a need for a different mindset, a new plan or a reconstituted senior leadership team, writes Todd Ordal. "If you don't have the right team, you won't make the playoffs, let alone win the big game," Ordal writes.

Dealing with a crisis requires the ability to "speak like a human," writes James Humphreys, formerly of the office of the UK prime minister. Humphreys offers five principles for crisis management, including avoiding arguments even in the face of criticism, "which may feel — even be — overdone or unfair."

NAW is convening distribution CEOs of companies with annual sales between $10 million and $80 million for a virtual peer exchange on Tuesday, April 12, at 1:30 p.m. ET. The meeting will feature a presentation from Dr. Terry Wu, a nationally acclaimed neuroscientist who has earned prominence for applying neuroscience to help top executives increase their leadership effectiveness. CEOs will also have the opportunity to bring top-of-mind business challenges to the meeting and receive peer advice, feedback, and support to take back to their executive teams. Registration is limited to a small audience -- sign up today!