I was fortunate to once again be able to attend and present at the NAW/MDM SHIFT conference, and it is interesting to see how the construction and industrial channel continues to evolve. Modern Distribution Management (MDM) has been hosting this annual event for Distribution Leaders called SHIFT (originally MDM Sales GPS) for the last decade. Some of the best and … [Read more...] about Where is the channel headed in 2025 and beyond? Thoughts from MDM SHIFT
Sales Channel
The Rep Alignment Dilemma for the Industrial Channel
Whom to support? 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 … [Read more...] about The Rep Alignment Dilemma for the Industrial Channel
Punchouts Drive eCommerce in the Industrial Channel
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. Companies such as Grainger and MSC report that over 30% … [Read more...] about Punchouts Drive eCommerce in the Industrial Channel
Using Digitalization to Optimize Operations & Drive New Business in Industrial
To combat the challenges of today’s marketplace, progressive distributors looking towards the future are investing more and more into digitizing their processes to optimize performance. These companies recognize that: Data can be monetized. This means that information in their ERP systems can be acted upon rather than remain in data silos and databases. Whether this is … [Read more...] about Using Digitalization to Optimize Operations & Drive New Business in Industrial
Better Industrial Sales through Better Sales Coaching
Field level sales management is one of the most challenging roles in the industry, and, in many cases, one of the least effective roles in distributors. Why you ask? Because the people who are placed in these roles typically are: It does not mean they are “bad”. They are trying to succeed, and many eventually do. The challenge, however, is how can they better manage … [Read more...] about Better Industrial Sales through Better Sales Coaching
