Pricing is an important element of a distributor's go-to-market approach. If you're not, at least, competitive, you know what will happen to sales. But if you are too low, getting a reputation for that isn't good, nor does it help your bottom line. The past few years, inflation and product availability enabled HVACR distributors to, hopefully, optimize pricing (and net … [Read more...] about Can Yesterday’s Pricing Strategies Drive Tomorrow’s Profitability?
Distribution Strategy
Volume Rebate Webinar December 14
Register and join us Thursday, December 14th, at 11:00 AM ET for our State of Volume Rebates Webinar when we'll share results from our recent research and discuss ideas on how to make rebates more effective for your organization. As you may know, earlier this fall we sought distributor and manufacturer input regarding annual / volume REBATES. This research is a follow-up … [Read more...] about Volume Rebate Webinar December 14
Increasing Warehouse Output While Managing Costs
With business returning to a more “normal” pace, defined as “slow growth” looking forward, leading distributors are focused on improving the operational / warehouse aspects of their business. While national chains, over the years, quickly moved to a CDC or RDC model, larger independents have also adopted this approach. This achieves a dual mandate of “improved” inventory … [Read more...] about Increasing Warehouse Output While Managing Costs
Rebates … The Gift that Keeps on Giving
Mention rebates to distributors and manufacturers and you’re sure to have an interesting conversation. Manufacturer Views on Rebates Manufacturers question their efficacy in driving incremental sales, express frustration in their lack of behavioral modification of distributor field personnel (branch managers, salespeople, purchasing personnel), but feel / recognize that it is … [Read more...] about Rebates … The Gift that Keeps on Giving
ChatGPT, AI, Office, Teams and More Technology to Power Your Business
Within distribution there is a continuous, and increasing, call for distributors, manufacturers, and manufacturer representatives to “invest in technology.” And I would presume that companies are spending more on technology / digitalization than ever before. It may not show up in the IT budget, but marketing, pricing, sales, warehousing, manufacturing and other departments now … [Read more...] about ChatGPT, AI, Office, Teams and More Technology to Power Your Business
Is AI Coming to Your Warehouse?
The technology topic of the year in distribution has been, and will continue to be, AI. In reality, much of AI is really ML (machine learning) but it's not as "sexy" to talk about data being built into algorithms, to mine data and then deliver information, insights and/or potentially predict (or recommend) actions. The difference between AI and ML, from a theorist's … [Read more...] about Is AI Coming to Your Warehouse?
Distributors – Planning Marketing Strategy for 2024
The HVAC market has experienced a dramatic slowdown compared to the past few years, which, with the benefit of hindsight, some of the slowdown / decline should have been expected (can’t expect price increases and supply chain issues to be a “benefit” to distributor sales long-term.” According to the June HARDI report, sales were down 6% but, perhaps more disconcertingly, is … [Read more...] about Distributors – Planning Marketing Strategy for 2024
