Digital commerce will generate $3.81 trillion for distributors this year, a 25% increase from $3.05 trillion last year, while business-to-business e-commerce will reach $1.4 trillion, up 25% from $1.12 trillion in 2021, according to Digital Commerce 360. Ed Kennedy of Adobe and Jason Capshaw of Dorn Group say distributors can get the most out of e-commerce by offering customization and personalization, even at a basic level.

One-fifth of distributors are creating data analytics for dashboards and reports, but only one-tenth are actually "using the output of analytics to make decisions and improve the bottom line," writes Pradip Krishnadevarajan, co-founder and managing director of ActVantage. To properly act on data, distributors should ask several questions, including what the data will be used for and how data-driven insights will benefit users, Krishnadevarajan writes.

A Wall Street Journal analysis of 3,512 trucking contractors used by Amazon since February 2020 found that over 1,300 had unsafe driving scores that were worse than the level that usually spurs disciplinary action by the Transportation Department, and bad scores were more frequent among contractors that drove for Amazon more often. More than 75 people have been killed in accidents caused by drivers for Amazon contractors since 2015, the analysis found.

Transportation choices play a key role in reducing food waste, ensuring product safety and controlling expenses, and item location forecasting, shipment consolidation, optimized trucking routes and automation can help achieve these goals, writes Robin Kix, renewal manager at Lance Surety. "By implementing these strategies, you can streamline your processes and realize increased profits without sacrificing safety," Kix writes.

The number of shippers who say their relationship with third-party logistics providers is "successful" dropped to 83% this year, compared with around 90% in previous years, according to a study, and the authors say that may reflect 3PLs' struggle to handle increased demand. Meanwhile, 71% of shippers say their 3PLs offer innovative logistics improvements, but an equal percentage say they're contemplating consolidating their providers.

Today's strongest marketing teams have learned to take a full-brain approach that strikes a balance between innovative creativity and the reliance on statistical data to develop memorable campaigns that elicit a strong response, writes Landmark Recovery Senior Vice President John Hood. "As you work through your ideas and analyses, both creative-minded colleagues and data-driven coworkers bring new ideas and perspectives to each other's work, bettering the content and creating more opportunities for success," writes Hood.

A "fine dining" approach to customer acquisition focuses on the customer experience at every stage of the funnel, writes Dave Brock. Brock compares this experience to a cafeteria setting, where customers are ushered through each stage as quickly as possible with no one taking ownership of their experience.

Creating a culture that allows employees to learn new skills will help companies maintain a competitive edge and reduce the amount of hiring that will be needed, writes Raghu Krishnaiah, chief operating officer at University of Phoenix. "Any CEO who balks at the cost of implementing upskilling programs should pause to consider the cost of standing still in today's business environment," Krishnaiah writes.

Good mentors establish trust with their mentees so they can have difficult conversations, provide them knowledge and skills, and allow them the autonomy they need to learn their own strengths, say experts. "As a mentor, your role is to help guide and facilitate how that individual solves a problem or tackles an opportunity," says Diane Brink, a senior fellow and adjunct professor at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

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