In a market where most experience margin stagnation or margin erosion, strategies that can help improve profitability, potentially capture sales and as enhance / ensure quality processes, should be embraced. One of these strategies, which we’ve highlighted this fall, is effective management of SPAs, It is an issue for most distributors in the industry (as well as … [Read more...] about SPAs – Is the Cat Chasing its Tail?
Productivity
Want to Improve Warehouse Productivity?
With a tight economy, tight labor market and tight margins, increasing productivity is more important than ever, especially for warehouse operations where finding qualified staff that can meet HR requirements is harder than ever. And one of the reasons is that competition for these employees is literally any other business and frequently drivers and warehouse personnel can make … [Read more...] about Want to Improve Warehouse Productivity?
SPAs – Are We / They In Or Out of Control?
SPAs, special pricing agreements, were originally conceived to ensure the integrity of local market into stock, and “street” pricing while providing distributors and manufacturers with a targeted sales pricing tool to deploy on an account-specific basis. The definition of “account-specific” has broadened with many taking liberty with the breadth (with and without … [Read more...] about SPAs – Are We / They In Or Out of Control?
Compete for Grainger’s Business: eProcurement
Many industrially-oriented distributors lament that they can’t compete versus Grainger for MRO business at their accounts. They say “we now the ‘decision’ makers and can beat them on price but we can’t get the business. The same occurs with large institutional accounts (educational and healthcare facilities.) And the reality is Grainger does $1-2 billion in electrical … [Read more...] about Compete for Grainger’s Business: eProcurement
What is e-Procurement?
The article we had last month introducing Greenwing Technology as a punchout / e-Procurement resource and a new ElectricalTrends advertiser generated much feedback. Part of the reason is it is perceived that “punchouts” is “old school” and perhaps reserved for industrial customers. But, here’s the reality: What is “old” is new. Punchouts are e-ProcurementThe industrial … [Read more...] about What is e-Procurement?
Does it feel like we’re heading into a recession …
Or are we talking ourselves into a recession? Since the fall and the beginning of planning season there have been some economists who have been warning of a second half 2019 slowdown leading to a 2020 recession. Their prognostications were based upon some trends, the fact that we’ve been in a growth cycle for awhile and “are due”, the last year’s tariffs and the one that was … [Read more...] about Does it feel like we’re heading into a recession …
Embracing Digital Connections…Texting
Yes, we’ve all seen it and most of us have done it…multi-tasking by listening and texting, reading and texting, sending a quick text to touch base or share a piece of information and more. While many thought “texting is for our kids”, it is now mainstream and becoming further integrated into everyday business. We’ve heard of distributor salespeople getting texts from their … [Read more...] about Embracing Digital Connections…Texting
Is the Jetsons\’ Robot Coming to Your Warehouse?
Perhaps you may remember the Jetson cartoons and seeing them flying around and interacting with Rosie, their robot? Well, Rosie is turning into a \"Robert\" and he may soon be working in your warehouse. Competing profitably tomorrow will require considering different ways of doing business due to higher operating costs (labor, overhead costs, taxes and overall operating … [Read more...] about Is the Jetsons\’ Robot Coming to Your Warehouse?
Is the Jetsons’ Robot Coming to Your Warehouse?
Perhaps you may remember the Jetson cartoons and seeing them flying around and interacting with Rosie, their robot? Well, Rosie is turning into a \"Robert\" and he may soon be working in your warehouse. Competing profitably tomorrow will require considering different ways of doing business due to higher operating costs (labor, overhead costs, taxes and overall operating … [Read more...] about Is the Jetsons’ Robot Coming to Your Warehouse?
Punchouts Drive eCommerce
eCommerce is more than, in the words of an Amazon and MRO analyst, “click and ship”. eCommerce is about a methodology and a mindset to do business more electronically. In fact, the commerce element can be very diversified, especially for medium to large MRO buyers. Consider Amazon Business, Grainger and MSC. Both Grainger and MSC report that over 40% of … [Read more...] about Punchouts Drive eCommerce
