Nearly every distributor I talk to feels they should be doing something with AI, and much of that conversation starts in the back office, with purchasing and forecasting. Those projects can save money, but orders are won or lost in the front office. One of our customers, Kregg Cheek, put it better than I can. He runs LH Industrial Supplies, a family-owned industrial … [Read more...] about Put AI Where the Money Is: Why the Front Office Comes First
Technology
Why Industrial Parts Are So Hard to Identify and Match
Manufacturers maintain proprietary part-numbering systems, while distributors map products to their own SKUs, creating inconsistencies across ERP and product-data systems. A part fails. The line is down, and every minute costs money. The replacement might be on a shelf ten miles away. Before anyone can pull it, someone has to answer one question: what is this … [Read more...] about Why Industrial Parts Are So Hard to Identify and Match
Meridian360 – 5 Tools in 1 to Drive Sales Intelligence
Every salesperson has blind spots and no sales manager has enough time to coach their salespeople before each sales call like they would like to. Further, no salesperson says "boss, thanks for all of the reports you offer me that I am supposed to review, decipher, and determine what to discuss with my customer." The reality is your sales team cannot perform they way you'd like … [Read more...] about Meridian360 – 5 Tools in 1 to Drive Sales Intelligence
From Technology Expense to Business Advantage
Did you ever get the feeling that costs rise but the value proposition doesn’t change. Or you sense that you’re over spending? Or perhaps you know that someone hasn’t had the time to review “the pennies and nickels” that, when accumulated, become dollars. We’ve all heard about subscription costs that run amuck because no one remembers them. Or have heard of the stories of … [Read more...] about From Technology Expense to Business Advantage
How Agentic AI Could Change How Industrial Supplies Are Bought
Amidst the conversation about AI, data centers and the industrial construction market, all of which distributors benefit from, there is another conversation that, as typical, starts on the consumer side and then migrates to B2B. This is how AI is / may change business models … and when Inevitably it does not occur as quickly as the Big 4 consulting pundits project … [Read more...] about How Agentic AI Could Change How Industrial Supplies Are Bought
“Be Like Mike?” Perhaps Data Like Grainger
Grainger probably has more eCommerce experience than any distributor. I remember back when they acquired a stake in MRO.com to form FindMRO.com. People thought they were crazy. In reality, it was probably a great experience from a learning perspective. They've built an eCommerce machine that also enables them to power Grainger.com and Zoro.com but also is the backbone of the … [Read more...] about “Be Like Mike?” Perhaps Data Like Grainger
Can eCommerce Help Your Silver Tsunami?
Noted B2B eCommerce guru Jason Greenwood on his THE ECOMMERCE EDGE (which, if you are in senior management, sales leadership, marketing, or eCommerce you should subscribe) recently wrote about "the silver tsunami" and the opportunity, and role, for eCommerce ... and AI. We've all seen the number of people retiring from the industry. We all look around at conferences and see … [Read more...] about Can eCommerce Help Your Silver Tsunami?
Was there an Elephant in the Room at the Applied AI for Distributors Conference?
Mark McGready, Director Data Analytics and Solutions for IDEA, attended the 2026 Applied AI for Distributors Conference organized by Distribution Strategy Group. While he spoke to attendees about IDEA's Data Whispers solution and how Nudge (its avatar) helps drive sales, profits and acts as a virtual sales coach and information resource tailored to each distributor's offering … [Read more...] about Was there an Elephant in the Room at the Applied AI for Distributors Conference?
TUG Connects: More Than an Infor Conference
June 3, 2026 by David Gordon Leave a Comment Infor is one of the most prominent ERP systems serving the Industrial supply market. Last month their users' group, TUG, which is independently run, held their annual event. If your company operates on the Infor platform, this is where your IT and sales operations group (as well as others depending upon the … [Read more...] about TUG Connects: More Than an Infor Conference
Grainger Outperforms Industry Due to eCommerce
Grainger reported 1Q 2026 results on May 7, with sales of $4.7 billion, up 10.1%, or 12.2% on a daily, organic constant currency basis. They achieved an operating margin of 16.7%, up 110 basis points, reversing last quarter’s decline. Volume growth and higher customer demand drove Endless Assortment sales up 19.6%, and High Touch sales were up 10.5%. Grainger passed through … [Read more...] about Grainger Outperforms Industry Due to eCommerce
