NEMRA needs your help in understanding your needs to answer the question of “what will the rep of the future look like?” There are three key premises for preparing to prosper (some say “survive”) in the future: You need to always be learningCustomers, and business in general, always evolve, andStaying the same means you’re going backwards. All come together in Brandi … [Read more...] about What will the Rep of the Future look like?
Sales Channel
FedEx to Live without Amazon. Lessons for Distributors
Last month FedEx announced that they won’t renew a ground-delivery deal they had with Amazon to provide small-package ground deliveries. This follows FedEx’s announcement that it wouldn’t renew Amazon’s FedEx Express contract which Amazon used to transport packages by air. Why? Pretty simple. FedEx decided it didn’t want to continue doing business with … [Read more...] about FedEx to Live without Amazon. Lessons for Distributors
The Rep Alignment Dilemma
The rep alignment dilemma ... whom to align with to generate sales? End-users? National chains? Independent supportive distributors? Any distributor who will support the manufacturer? The manufacturer? But, the bottom line becomes, what will generate sales to meet manufacturer expectations? It\'s complicated, and channel consolidation and channel diversification will make … [Read more...] about The Rep Alignment Dilemma
Using Price to Expand Your Business
Competing on price is a “no no” for many distributors. Few want to say “the reason why people buy from me is price.” But, do all of your customers want to buy from you for your service, people or your other services? And, in reality, when customers are surveyed, many say they at least need competitive pricing to justify doing business with their supplier. But, in … [Read more...] about Using Price to Expand Your Business
Home Depot to Offer Customized Pro Pricing
Home Depot’s retiring CFO’s interview last night with Jim Cramer on CNBC shared a glimpse of why electrical distributors who serve small to mid-sized residential and commercial distributors should be concerned. And it\'s all about pricing. The home improvement (perhaps better described as a “construction”) behemoth is the leader in serving the DIY market. And yes, we’ve … [Read more...] about Home Depot to Offer Customized Pro Pricing
Is your supplier finding leads and business, online, for you?
ABB recently launched a new initiative, eFinder, that enables visitors to its website to purchase material online. But they are not disintermediating the channel. Instead they are providing distributors with the opportunity to generate incremental business online. And at the same time they are generating leads. The eFinder tool enables distributors with a commerce-enabled … [Read more...] about Is your supplier finding leads and business, online, for you?
Reducing Tax Implications of Incentive Travel Programs
This week WESCO is taking 800+ people on an Alaskan cruise as part of their WESCO VIP incentive program. It looks like an exciting adventure (check out this pre-program video and follow them on their program Instagram page or on PicDeer) for probably 250+ contractor customers (plus spouses, extra trips earned), salespeople / corporate staffs and spouses as well as sponsoring … [Read more...] about Reducing Tax Implications of Incentive Travel Programs
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?
Questionable Meetings. Are you willing to ask uncomfortable questions?
With the NAED meeting season coming to an end this weekend and distributors finally done with their planning sessions with manufacturers (more meetings), the issue of the quality of the meetings defined as “probing questions / value of the meeting time” has been a topic of discussion that we’ve recently had. Our good friend Mike Marks recently resurrected a post he wrote from … [Read more...] about Questionable Meetings. Are you willing to ask uncomfortable questions?
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
