Featured Archives

Shifting Channel Dynamics in 2022

In this week's MDM podcast, Walter SVP Chester Collier shares four decades of international sales management and business development experience across industrial distribution channels. We discuss the current state of channel dynamics and how sales management has — and has not — evolved in the face of rapid change the past few years.

March 29, 2022

Strategy

Market Growth Strategy Based on The Lanchester Strategic Model, Part 1

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March 28, 2022

Strategy

Bridge the Talent Gap by Fighting the ‘Distribution Isn’t Sexy’ Myth

Spreading the notion that distribution isn't desirable makes it harder for companies to enact strategic changes and attract workers. It's also just not true. Here's how companies can promote their industry and win the talent war.

March 25, 2022

Research

Why the Global Shipping Crisis Isn’t Going Away Anytime Soon

Supply chain issues continue to plague the industry, while persistent inflation and conflict abroad could create additional market chaos. Here's what it means for distributors.

March 24, 2022

Strategy

How to Maintain Profit When Supplier Prices Rise

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March 23, 2022

Sales & Marketing

Sales Transformation 101 with Mike Marks

The field salesforce is the heart and soul of distributor go-to-market strategies. For great reasons. It’s also the biggest hidden bite to profitability today. Here’s a primer on the challenges and 3 keys to successful sales transformation that every distributor can profit from.

March 22, 2022

Technology

Improve Sales Rep Effectiveness with AI

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March 21, 2022

Operations

How to Analyze Stockouts and Improve Customer Service

Few things damage customer experience more than stockouts. Companies can’t prevent all stocking problems, but here are some best practices to minimize the impacts.

March 18, 2022

Technology

Digital Purchasing Tools Are the Great Enabler, Says Amazon Business

What used to be complex corporate spend-management technology is now available to any size of company, according to speakers at a recent Amazon Business virtual conference. It’s a wake-up call for distributors to clearly articulate their value and customer service tools.

March 17, 2022

Strategy

6 Elements for a Powerful Digital Go-to-Market Strategy

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March 16, 2022

Strategy

Amazon Business Conference: Customers Face New Procurement Priorities

Value-added suppliers can help customers manage current supply challenges, says Gartner supply chain and procurement expert.

March 15, 2022

Mergers & Acquisitions

Distribution Value Rises with Record 2021 M&A Activity

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March 14, 2022

Research

How to Spin Data into Profit in 2022

In a recent MDM webcast, ProfitOptics CEO and Founder Tony Pericle summarizes how distributors can overcome supply chain challenges by addressing product availability issues, building better customer-profit models and asking the right questions.

March 11, 2022

Technology

IDEA eBiz Conference Brings Together Electrical Supply Chain Leaders

The annual event resumed in person this week in Virginia, with 200 industry leaders discussing life in a post-pandemic world, near-term outlooks and building online sales platforms.

March 10, 2022

Strategy

How ‘Endless Assortment’ Became a Developing Way to Serve Grainger Customers

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March 9, 2022

MDM Blog

Podcast Guests Reinforce 2022 Outlook, Importance of Tech and Analytics

MDM this year has hosted an array of guests from across the distribution industry, and many of them have reflected similar outlooks: Challenges may persist, but companies are eyeing realistic paths to growth.