Lately I’ve been thinking about “value”. Not necessarily from a financial / pricing / cost viewpoint but from a “what does your customer value THE MOST from you?” You may ask why I’m thinking about this? It relates to customer satisfaction, customer experience, value proposition, customer retention, lead generation, account penetration and potentially profitability … [Read more...] about What do your customers value the most from you?
Insights
Part 2- How manufacturers can re-examine their Industrial distribution channel strategy for 2024
Part 2 of our series on how leading manufacturers are preparing for and examining their Industrial distribution channel for adjustments in 2024. Get yourself prepared for the coming manufacturer-manufacturer rep- distributor realignment games to come. Future-focused manufacturers have been re-examining their channel strategy for the past few years. As business slows, they will … [Read more...] about Part 2- How manufacturers can re-examine their Industrial distribution channel strategy for 2024
Part 1 – How manufacturers are re-examining their Industrial distribution channel strategy for 2024
Leading manufacturers are always preparing for and examining their Industrial distribution channel for adjustments in 2024. Get yourself prepared for the coming manufacturer-manufacturer rep- distributor realignment games to come. Future-focused manufacturers have been re-examining their channel strategy for the past few years. As business slows, they will step up communication … [Read more...] about Part 1 – How manufacturers are re-examining their Industrial distribution channel strategy for 2024
Today, it takes more than your Account Managers to drive Industrial sales and profitability
The past few months I have had the opportunity to spend a lot of face-to-face time with distribution leadership teams working with them on their go-to-market sales plans. I have some advice and counsel to share. If you are just refreshing your 2010 belly-to-belly selling playbook, I would recommend you consider some slight adjustments for 2025. Your end customer is short on … [Read more...] about Today, it takes more than your Account Managers to drive Industrial sales and profitability
Questionable Meetings. Are you willing to ask uncomfortable questions?
With the Distributor 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 … [Read more...] about Questionable Meetings. Are you willing to ask uncomfortable questions?
Labor. Tomorrow’s Workforce is Smaller
Labor. Many have talked about it’s shortage. Be it a lack of technicians, a lack of qualified people for distributors to hire, or a lack of staff for manufacturers. Many have “blamed” Covid, the focus on “work from home”, an emerging “gig” / freelance economy, and other reasons. Lots of efforts, and initiatives, have been undertaken to “get people back to work.” Recently, … [Read more...] about Labor. Tomorrow’s Workforce is Smaller
A changing MRO environment?
Recently I participated in a networking group that included a number of MRO buyers. The subject was trends in the MRO space. Granted many of the attendees were larger MRO buyers, but the feedback indicated a change in buyer purchasing behaviors. Over the years I've sat in a number of these meetings, albeit with different attendees. The buying and eCommerce trends centered … [Read more...] about A changing MRO environment?
