GBC announces \"The Distributor’s Warehouse Guide To New Technologies and Avoiding Customer-Hurting Problems.” The Guide helps distributors determine which new technologies to investigate, and how to increase warehouse accuracy/productivity -- by describing 9 new and enhanced warehouse technologies, and 14 ways for preventing warehouse mistakes and increasing efficiency right … [Read more...] about Distributor’s Warehouse Guide: New Technologies and Avoiding Customer-hurting Problems
Insights
Distributor End of Year Performance
Over the past few weeks a number of national distributors have released their 2017 performance and earnings reports. AD, Grainger, Graybar, Anixter and WESCO and others have made news. We\'ve also talked to a number of manufacturers who see the \"highlight\" numbers and use them as benchmarks, so we\'ve reviewed and sought to find some trends. Overall, business is improving, … [Read more...] about Distributor End of Year Performance
Promote to Communicate
Breaking through the communications clutter that we all receive daily is a huge challenge. Whether it be trying to reach out to prospects, sharing information with existing customers (and think if the number of customers you have on your books that are not actively called upon by your sales organization that represent incremental revenue) or wanting to do something creative to … [Read more...] about Promote to Communicate
2018 Multi-Family Market Outlook
It\'s been discussed and forecasted that the multi-family market is going to be down in 2018 ... perhaps by almost 10%. But is a down year a \"bad\" year? Not when the prior year was a record and 2018 is projected to be the second best year. Societal demographics are changing and favor multi-family construction. Consider: Cost of living, and housing, continues to rise. … [Read more...] about 2018 Multi-Family Market Outlook
Distributors, Where Will Your Growth Come From?
By now many have zeroed in on their 2018 sales goals. With DISC, Electrical Wholesaling and many manufacturers coalescing around 4-6% numbers (some a little higher, some a little lower) and recognizing that it can change a little due to commercial or industrial focus as well as, for manufacturers, by product category, we have a “ballpark” for 2018. The number is a little … [Read more...] about Distributors, Where Will Your Growth Come From?
Aligning Compensation with Channel Selling
A core philosophy in developing sales compensation models is to reward salespeople for what you want them to do ... which is sell. Salespeople need to be aligned with their company\'s, and in the case of manufacturer reps their manufacturers, goals. Historically for electrical manufacturer reps this typically related to selling to electrical distributors and their agreements … [Read more...] about Aligning Compensation with Channel Selling
Interviewing Strategy to Deliver The Right Candidate
In our meetings with distributors and manufacturers, all comment on their need for qualified talent to support growth, to replace open positions or, in some cases, a need to upgrade their current talent. The challenge is \"how to find the \'right\' person?\" And many are concerned, although this isn\'t vocalized, about the cost of making a \"less than optimal\" decision. … [Read more...] about Interviewing Strategy to Deliver The Right Candidate
What\’s the Value of a Manufacturer’s Brand?
Over the past few months as we\'ve sat in strategy development meetings with distributors, reviewed distributor purchasing information and talked to manufacturer reps and contractors we\'ve seen a purchasing trend that is roiling the industry. The trend, which mirrors what is happening in lighting with \"unfamiliar brands\" is accelerated growth, and acceptance, of less … [Read more...] about What\’s the Value of a Manufacturer’s Brand?
Info to Help Your 2018 Planning
Occasionally we come across information that can assist your planning. Below is info regarding the MidAtlantic industrial market, the residential market and how to improve warehouse operations. Industrial Planning Information The Mid-Atlantic market region, which includes Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia, is preparing for $49.8 billion in … [Read more...] about Info to Help Your 2018 Planning
Thinking About 2018 GDP
An interesting report was released by Goldman Sachs this week titled \"As Good as It Gets.\" The article shares Goldman\'s 2018 GDP outlook, globally as well as for the US. Given that many are finalizing their 2018 forecasts, thought is may be helpful on what leading analysts are thinking. This is not an endorsement, just sharing some observations. The following are comments … [Read more...] about Thinking About 2018 GDP
