Amazon has changed expectations regarding fulfillment and spurred an overhaul of the entire supply chain model, says Blue Silk Consulting President Rosemary Coates. "The impact of Amazon is in consumer expectations -- how to efficiently run supply chains both for SMBs and global corporations, and how warehouses and physical delivery truck networks operate," says Matthew Cowan of Next47.

Distributors can struggle to gain traction with marketplace platforms, and they should consider beginning "as the primary producer and supplier" until demand reaches the point where third-party suppliers can be included, writes Applico CEO Alex Moazed. "That means resisting the temptation to handpick sellers or overprotect the core brand," he writes.

This article details the common causes of Occupational Safety and Health Administration inspections, what a typical inspection looks like and how distributors can prepare themselves for a surprise inspection. "Like a compliance officer, take a tour of your facility to look for any safety hazards," Jesse Allred writes.

SAP Chief Marketing Officer Alicia Tillman discusses the company's campaign, created with BBDO Worldwide New York, which shows how business-to-business brands that tune in to customers' emotions can provide better experiences and build loyalty. "It is very easy to change from one brand to the next. Businesses truly cannot afford to not be close to customers, their needs and desires," she says.

Sales leaders often debate whether a transactional or solution selling approach is best, but the customer should determine which one is used, writes David Brock. While customers involved in a complex buying process may require a consultative approach, those with simple buying processes will benefit from a transactional approach, Brock writes.

Leaders and employees alike have to overcome misconceptions and doubts if they're to fully commit to the team, writes Kevin Eikenberry. "Commitment is powerful and worth building, but before we can get to all of the approaches that can help, we must start between our own ears," he writes.

Treat team members like people by giving them chances to grow, allowing them to make mistakes and taking their ideas seriously, writes Wally Bock. This awareness also applies to giving people time off and creating strong group dynamics at work, among other advice.

Growing in popularity within our industry, the NAW Certificate in Distribution Professional Management Program is ideal for high-potential managers who seek to complement their professional development with a strong emphasis on practical application within the distribution field. Three, one-week sessions at Texas A&M University focus on Generating and Managing Growth (Feb. 10-14), Distributor Capability Development (April 13-17), and Optimizing Distributor Profitability (Oct. 19-23). Get all the details and enroll your high achievers today before the seats are gone.

This study brings together best practices from leading distributors and their suppliers that were developed through a consortium on Optimizing Channel Compensation. The resulting Channel Alignment Framework is the first-of-its-kind map that seeks to build optimal manufacturer-distributor channels. Distributors need to read this book and buy it for their manufacturer partners. Then they need to sit down with those suppliers and properly plan effective processes to get the supplier market access while meeting distributor investment needs.

Hear wholesale distribution and payment experts answer real questions about the impact of electronic invoices on DSO and margins. Download or stream the 14-minute podcast from NAW's Trusted Partner, Unified Commerce, to learn how Smart e-Invoices can help your business simplify AR and get paid faster, smarter and at less cost.