A Distributor's Place in the Supply Chain
It seems that a goal of many people is to cut out distributors from the supply chain. Understanding what distributors do in the supply chain and why will likely save them from execution.
A Jack of All Trades
Thinking about investing in a flexible ERP software solution? Learn what you should, as a distributor, look at before you make the decision and what to think about if you already have made this decision and encountered some problems with an open ERP system.
A New Role in Purchasing - The Expediter
In times of supply chain disruption, the need to chase down open purchase orders and maintain accurate lead time information is critical. This has led to the emergence of a new role in the purchasing team.
Acquisitions are Tough: Integrations Don’t Have to Be
Are you Planning to Fail or Simply Failing to Plan?
Distributors are notorious for flying by the seat of their pants. It this article, we explore some practical ways to start the planning process with your key suppliers.
Are you a Distributor or a Collector?
It is extremely important to remember that you should never get emotionally attached to your inventory. Are you feeling like you are more of a collector than an actual distributor? Check this article out to find out some useful hints on course-correction.
Are You Hiring or Recruiting New Employees?
When you hire employees at the lowest possible wage, you get what you deserve. This article talks about shifting your mindset to recruiting talent without breaking the bank.
Are you Planning to Fail or Simply Failing to Plan?
Are We Excuse Makers or Problem Slovers?
Asking for Discounts from Suppliers
Once we have worked on internal gross margin improvement, there are strategic opportunities to ask for discounts.
Balancing Between Inventory Turns and Customer Service
The biggest cash asset in a distributors business is inventory. Discover ways in which you can maximize your efficiency with your inventory during this current time of economic turmoil.
Becoming a Broken Field Runner
The ability to adapt to a changing environment is critical for an entrepreneur. This article discusses way to foster this same creative flexibility throughout the organization.
Big Data for the Little Guys
As technology advances, tools that used to be reserved for big companies are more available for small companies, and everyone can benefit from them.
Blood Sucking Inventory
When old inventory is left on the shelf, they become vampires leeching capital from your bottom line.
Branch Mangers into Business Managers
Jason will help you find new ways and motivations to encourage your Branch Managers to become even better for your company.
Branch Inventory Management Begins with Compensation
Most distributors have faced the question of expansion sometime in their career. This article deals with managing inventory through compensation practices.
Building a Branch Scorecard
Being able to measure performance is very important to meet goals and optimize efficiency. In this article, I offer you some tools for management to keep better measurements.
Building a Solid Bench of Talent
Do you have opportunities to expand you business? Without promotable employees, you will have a difficult time moving forward. This article talks about creating a program for promotion.
Building an Energy Reduction Plan
How green is your distributorship? Going green does not have to mean forking out more cash; in fact it can mean the opposite. Take a look at some Distribution Team insights on being more green and maximizing your greatest asset: Time.
Building Your Vendor Report Card
Are you running out of ideas on how to maintain and excel in your relationship with your established or prospective suppliers?
Can AI Really Help Distributors Become More Efficient?
Can Technology Help Us Get Through This Labor Crisis?
In this article, we explore the use of certain technologies to help reduce the need for more associates.
Can "Going Green" be both Personal and Profitable?
In this article, we interview a distributor who sees the "green" in going green.
Can Outsourcing Reduce Operating Expenses and Mitigate Labor Shortages?
Checklists are the Key to Preventative Maintenance
Most owners of businesses would much rather pay for maintenance than repair. With so many critical pieces of capital equipment, how can operational managers keep track?
Choosing the Right Supplier
Do your suppliers understand how distributor operations really function? This article talks about finding suppliers that support efficient distribution and net profit goals.
Clear Your Plate: It’s Time to Delegate
Closing Shop - Liquidating the Inventory
Most distributors wait too long to reduce dead stock. When the economy turns and we have to close up, where can we salvage a little cash?
Counting the Vault: A Look at Variances
If you are you a distributor or business looking at adopting cycle counting this article asks us to improve customer service by looking at unit variances versus dollar variances.
Covering All the Bases
Creating a Buzz Around a New Location
In this article, we discuss how distributors can use various marketing methods to boost the initial exposure of a new location.
Creating a Coordinated Pricing Effort
Strategic pricing is one of the most critical functions in any company. This article talks about becoming more efficient by coordinating these functions under one individual or team.
Cultivating your First Follower
Jason shares a comical yet ingenious discovery of how the first follower is one of your best leaders. Learn from the "Dancing Guy" how to find your voice and have your team follow you (dance moves not required)!
Customer Service and Warehouse Layout
This article will give you inspiration on how to best layout your warehouse and improve customer service at the same time.
Customer Profitability
Customers are great! Customers are what every distributorship wants and needs...right? This article really expresses the difference between the great customers you want and the customers that are begging to get a pink slip. Great ideas and insight into your customer base!
Customer Service and Warehouse Layout
This article will give you inspiration on how to best layout your warehouse and improve customer service at the same time. Written by Danah Head.
Dealing with a Time of Scarcity
The pandemic brought on heavy disruption in the supply chain. Distributors must realize that they can’t fill every order they take. Making decisions based on customer profitability will help guide the allocation of product.
Developing a Culture of Change
In this article we discuss how to prepare your employees for changes in the business. Technology changes are often difficult if the team hasn't been exposed to the bottom line benefits and the financial decisions surrounding change.
Developing an Inside Sales Program
Developing the Team
One of the most important tasks of any leader is to develop the people that work in the organization. This article discusses how to go about creating a career development plan for team members.
Distribution has a PR Problem
Most people do not come out of school with aspirations of entering the wholesale distribution business. We need to do a better job spreading the work about the amazing careers that can be had in our industry.
Distribution Power Tools: Customer Profitability Analysis
Not all customers are the same; some are more valuable to you as a distributor than others. This article takes a look on how to actually differentiate the good customers from the bad ones.
Distribution Power Tools: The HITS Report
Learn how to get your moneys worth out of your distribution software by running product movement reports. This is one of the best reports in wholesale distribution.
Distribution Power Tools: The Inventory Obituary
Discover how by running the “inventory obituary” consistently can yield tremendous bottom line results when faced with managing your dead and obsolete inventory.
Do You Own a Business - or a Job?
In this article, we explore the need for business owners to build a solid team so that they can remove themselves from the daily operations.
Don't be Blinded by the Trade Show Lights
Attending an upcoming trade show? Uncover our excellent tips to think about before you arrive to enable your company to maximize your experience.
Don't Confuse "Profits First" with Short Term Thinking
In this this article, Jason helps to explain why wanting profitability is not short term thinking for your company.
Don't Forget the Voice of the Customer
When we are investing in new service offerings, it is important to ask the customer if it will be something they actually value.
Driving New Revenue - a Two Pronged Approach
In this this article, Jason will help you find ways to reignite your revenue. From new ideas to new avenues to success, read here for more!
Driving Sales in Accounts Receivable Management
The extension of credit has been given a negative perception. This article explores the idea of changing the titles in A/R management to become more positive influence on sales.
Ego is the Enemy - Even in Distribution
Examining Your E-Commerce Investment
Many distributors are spending a tremendous amount of money to dive into the e-commerce race. Before spending another dime, we should ask our customers what they want to see in an online solution. Ask first, spend later.
From Peddler to Prospector: The Changing Role of Outside Sales
In this article, we spend some time looking at how to improve the productivity of field sales personnel.
Gaining the Trust of the Sales Team
Trust in the workplace can be the difference between success and failure, and there are methods to make gaining trust a little easier.
Gaps in Education: Thoughts on Succession
Many of us won't realize how much education we are missing in family businesses. Read this article to find out how you can close the gap and prepare your future successors to rise above some common pitfalls. Click the above link for a downloadable PDF.
Getting into a Gross Margin State of Mind
Sales is for show, margin is for dough. If you want to drive higher margins in your company, you have to change your verbiage surrounding the sales revenue.
Get on Board the Net Profit Train
How do you teach everyone in the company to think in terms of net profit? This article will give you a couple of ideas on how to drive the importance of net profit with those who can make a real difference.
Help Them, Help You
As a distributor, your vendor relations are critical. This article explores some ways in which you can maximize your relationships with vendors to reduce back orders and improve fill rates.
Help Wanted: Where are the Next Salespeople Coming From?
Where should distributors find new salespeople as it seems that sales careers are losing popularity?
How Do 2 Step Distributors Remain Viable?
In these days of improved logistics, the 2 step distributor will have to remind their customers and suppliers where they bring value to the supply chain.
How to Manage Gen-X
Jason has some amazing insight into how to best manage Gen-X in this great article.
Improving Gross Margins (Part 1) (Part 2)
It's easy to beat up on suppliers when gross margins dwindle. This article talks about what distributors can do to internally shore up margins.
Improving Inventory Turns
Return on investment is a combination of improving turns and improving gross margin. In this article, we talk about how to improve turns without jeopardizing customer service.
Incentive Compensation for the Warehouse Team
In order to make bonus programs effective, companies must break down expectations into simple and measurable criteria for their employees.
Internal Relationships
This article will help you be better at making sure your internal relationships are positive and stay that way.
Is That Below Your Pay Grade?
Learning how to delegate tasks may be difficult, but trying to handle all the tasks of your company can be a taxing and near-impossible job. Mastery over the skill of delegation will empower your employees, and lead to better business.
Is VMI Right for You?
Vendor Managed Inventory can be a productive, yet tricky, efficiency in the supply chain. Here is what some distributors suggested that you watch for.
Is your Distribution Software Driving you Crazy?
There are some great ways to help your company and teams better deal with and use your software no matter the program.
Is Your Hub and Spoke Effective?
There are many different schemes for managing inventory in a multilocation company
It's not the Scheme You Run, It's the Players on the Field (part 1) (part 2)
In times of prosperity, businesses like to contemplate and plan for growth. Unfortunately, there is often a lack of promotible employees. In order to realize potential, a company must invest in recruitment, retention and education like never before.
Just Add Value
Do you really see and feel the value of your team members? Do they feel valued by you and the company? This is an article that discusses the reality of engaging employees to increase your net profit!
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The Lighter Side of OSHA
When we think of OSHA, most of us think in terms of fines or punishment. Did you know that there is a free consulting arm to this agency?
Liquidating Dead Inventory - Vendor Returns
Review important action steps needed when dealing with vendor inventory returns with this insightful look at how to liquidate dead inventory.
Liquidating Dead Inventory – Bundling Products
You know it – We know it. Dead inventory is one of the most difficult challenges we face as wholesale distributors. Explore best practices on how to “bundle” bad product with good product.
Liquidating Dead Inventory – Peer Networking
If you attend distributor business meetings, you have undoubtedly cultivated great relationships with your peers. Learn new ways in which you can maximize these relationships for your business and moving dead inventory.
Liquidating Dead Inventory – Online Resources
We all agree dead stock happens, discover best practices for using online tools to liquidate that dead inventory.
Liquidating Dead Inventory – The Clearance Event
As distributors, we can find ourselves becoming attached to our dead stock. Discover another vehicle of liquidation – the clearance event.
Listening to the Right Customers
New products are the number one cause of dead stock, yet we keep stocking those one off items for our customers. Are we taking our advice from the right group of folks?
LOSS PREVENTION
This article discusses how the real cost of loss hits the bottom line. Danah illustrates the cost of loss depending on your gross profit. Written by Danah Head, this article is very interesting!
Millennial Sanity
This article discusses your changing relationships with the new Millennial workforce. Danah finds the joy in working with a new breed of employees. Written by Danah Head, this article is very interesting!
The Master Distributor: Your Auxiliary Warehouse
Learn how the master distributor can help your business grow and how to gain access to more product without any of those large commitments.
Managing The Remote Work Team
Mining your Distribution Data
What percentage of your distribution software are you currently utilizing? If you have no idea or think you do discover that by understanding the reporting functions of your distribution software is just one of the ways to bump up your system utilization.
Moneyball for Distributors
This article is all about using data analytics to look for sales opportunities in your existing customers.
Now is the Time to Sharpen the Saw (Part 1) (Part 2)
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No More Broken Promises
Jason will help you define new ways to look at your successes. You will be able to set realistic achievable goals with your team. This is a can't miss article!
Open to Change
One of the silver linings of the pandemic has been the ability for society to adapt to new norms. In this age of adaptability, this might be a great time to introduce changes in your organization.
Opening the Kimono
This article discusses the benefits of educating your employees about the financial side of the distribution business. Without education, they are unable to drive net profitable decisions.
Pioneering Efforts Must Be Protected
The Price is Wrong!
Is your payables department encountering one of the most common challenges in distribution – Making sure that you have the current pricing from your suppliers in the software system? If this sounds familiar, check out this article for some food-for-thought to be on top of your game.
Persuasion through Motivational Interviewing
Jason will help you take on a journey to a new way of interviewing new hires or those vying for promotion. Great new ideas await you in this article!
Purchasing/Investing 101
Do you know what really happens in your purchasing department? These are people who invest the company's money into sellable goods meant to allow the company to stay competitive and grow. There is a possibility purchasers and buyers should be viewed more as investors.
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SAFETY STOCK: Insurance for Customer Service
What are you doing with your safety stock? Jason can help you calculate the best way to make Safety Stock your customer service insurance plan!
The Safe Warehouse - Paying Attention to Product Placement
Most warehouse injury comes from grabbing product from an awkward position. This article suggests that thought to self-placement can protect warehouse workers from common injury.
Service as a Profit Center?
Jason will help you find ways to turn service into profit. Read more by clicking the link above.
Securing the Vault
Inventory is the single biggest asset of a distribution company. Explore new ways to look at your inventory by securing your facilities a little differently.
Setting Goals for Dead Stock Liquidation
Most distribution companies come to a time when they need a dead stock liquidation plan. This article explains the importance of setting these goals with timetable to help ensure their success.
Simple Steps to Reducing the Transfers
Do you have difficulty controlling the transfer process? Do they just happen? Managed properly, replenishment through transfer can significantly reduce surpluses at the branch level. This two part series will target the areas where you can start looking for some great solutions.
Skipping Cash Discounts
Cash discounts are common for distributors. Discover some consequences and some very important examples to think about when delving into the world of cash discounts for distribution.
Snow Blowers in the Spring?
Every distributor deals with seasonality of products. Discover how to manage seasonable product more effectively and some key forecasting secrets with this article.
Some Thoughts on Leadership
In this this article, you will find some ideas on leadership that will help reignite your passion for the people who work for and with you...read here for more!
Split Shifts in the Warehouse
In this this article, Jason tackles a different way of creating harmony in the warehouse. Read this article to get a new perspective.
Standard Cost Can Bring Extraordinary Returns
When many of us set up our item databases, we are baffled at the number of fields available for capturing the price that we paid our suppliers for a particular. This Distribution Team article focuses on the “Standard Cost Field”, a little known field that can generate phenomenal net profit gains.
Stay Thirsty, My Friends: Driving Curiosity in the Distribution Organization
Stop Struggling and Start Prioritizing Mental Health
The pandemic shone a new light on mental health in the workplace. Leaders need to acknowledge this and meet it head on.
Supply Chain Silver Linings
We have heard so much negative about the challenges in the supply chain. It's time to look for some of the positive outcomes of scarcity.
Succession Planning For The Whole Company
Most companies recognize the need to plan for succession at the top role. What about those department heads that do the heavy lifting?
Taking the Fear Out of Warehouse Management Software (Part 1) (Part 2)
This article is based on a survey of wholesale distributors currently using warehouse management technology. It looks at the functions are used and some insight on how to select software for the first time user.
Taking Time to Sharpen the Saw
A common theme in running a business is that we can become so consumed with solving the challenges directly in front of us that we are unfortunately unable to look at solving important underlying issues. Learn some practical time management tips to start delving into these extremely important issues.
The Case for Master Distributors
This is an often misunderstood part of the supply chain. This article explores some of the benefits associated with building relationships with master distributors.
The Riches are in the Niches
Jason will help you find new ways to make your business stand out in the crowd. This is a can't miss article!
Three Heads are Better Than One
Key tactics need to be in place before new items take shape in your company. Discover that by forming a committee of three will enable your business to steer clear of the many problems associated with new items.
Time Management for the Inventory Investor
Are your inventory buyers using technology to help them manage their time? This article talks about the proper use of the review cycle feature in most modern distribution software.
Tips for Laying Out a New Warehouse
Learn the best opportunity for success for making your warehouse more efficient.
Tips for a Successful Inventory Count
Facing the dreaded annual inventory soon? Discover key tactics on how to prepare for this monstrous event with this insightful tip-laden article.
Tips to Improve Engagement at Sales Meetings
Transitioning the Role of the President
The time will come when a company leader must transition from being hands on to providing a vision for others to take action. There are some tools available to make the transition seamless.
Turning Buyers into Investors
Who spends the most money in a distribution company? The inventory buyer. This article talks about changing the mindset of the people you hire for this critical function.
Using ROI to Reduce Vendor Duplication
If you are like most distributors, duplication of vendor lines is a thorn in your side. This article delves into how to utilize a return on investment tool known as the “Turn and Earn Index” to expose weaknesses in under-performing vendor lines.
Using Co-Op Advertising Dollars More Effectively
The use of marketing dollars is rapidly changing. Distributors need to understand how digital marketing is become a more dominant part of the spend.
Variable Compensation for the Purchasing Manager
Purchasers spend the most money in your company. Take a look at the management required to start making your purchasing teams into investors.
What Every Warehouse Manager Needs to Know
There are a few common questions that warehouse managers ask or are asked. This article aims to discuss some of them and provide insight to what every warehouse manager should know.
What's In a Name?
Perceptions of names are vital to distribution businesses. Explore new ways to refresh and reinvent preconceived notions about the many different roles inside a distribution business with this thought provoking article.
What's Wrong With These Kids?
Many older managers struggle with the newest generation of employees. In this article, we discuss how the study of generational influences can help reduce workplace tension. tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.
Who is Looking out for Operations?
In this this article, Jason helps to explain why some companies get lost in the weeds and need to take time to spend taking care of the operations department.
Who's the Alpha Now?
When distributors are just starting out, they usually have to beg for lines. Over time, this dynamic shifts; but not always in the mind of the distributor.
Working with Distributors: Knowing Names
Discover best practices that will enable any sales representative to understand their distribution customer base more efficiently.
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You Only Coast One Way
Many of us coast our way through the work day completing tasks and assignments. In order to become smarter, we must stop obsessing over completing mundane activities and focus on solving problems.
Your Greatest Untapped Asset
This article deals with employee empowerment; thinking is not only encouraged, it is a condition of employment.
Your Products Have Changed...But Have You?
In this article we explore the problems associated with product tunnel vision. Many distributors have products that evolve over time. We challenge distributors to see if they need to modify the way they are buying based on a shift in product or business focus.
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5 Keys to Making Money in Distribution
In theory, distribution is an easy business. Unfortunately, we tend to complicate it with nuances. In this article, we break down the fundamental keys to running a profitable distributorship.
10 Steps to Warehouse Efficiency
Are you a distributor who needs to increase the efficiency of your warehouse? These ten easy steps will give you food for thought to maximize that efficiency.