Operations Archives

5 Rules for Growing Customer Loyalty During Coronavirus

Customers are more open to change in the wake of COVID-19 disruption. Distributors can take advantage of this opportunity by using profit segmentation to drive strategic decision making and rework customer contracts in favor of increased profitability, Profit Isles Jonathan Byrnes explains in an MDM webcast.

May 6, 2020

Research

Amazon Business Tops Coronavirus in Most-Read MDM Blogs of April

Though the fallout for distributors from COVID-19 continued to be a hot topic in April, news on Amazon Business garnered the most attention from MDM readers during the month. New data show the enormous number of SKUs available on the platform and that it may be poised to become the top industrial distributor in the U.S.

May 5, 2020

Operations

4 Lessons on Inventory Management During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Four procedures distributors can implement now to adjust your forecast of future demand of items and address the effects of COVID-19, from inventory management expert Jon Schreibfeder.

May 4, 2020

Operations

Company-Wide Dashboard Displays COVID-19 Impact for SPI Health and Safety

Executives at the health and safety distributor review key performance indicators each week in order to actively monitor how the coronavirus is affecting the business. The dashboard is helping to shape how SPI will move forward, says COO Kim Levesque.

April 30, 2020

Operations

RS Components Uses Pandemic ‘Pause’ to Enhance Customer Value

Customers looking to reset after COVID-19 disruption will want efficiency gains made possible by data, digitization and automation, says Suroor Anwar, VP at the electronic products distributor.

April 29, 2020

Strategy

Coronavirus Accelerates Timeline for Changes at Stellar Industrial

The industrial distributor is encouraging a company-wide focus on opportunities to improve operational efficiencies, including making some COVID-19-induced changes permanent. President and CEO John Wiborg is also elevating ROI expectations from existing technology investments.

April 28, 2020

COVID-19 (Coronavirus)

Think Like a Futurist

Everyone wants to know, what will our economic recovery from COVID-19 look like? The most optimistic are hoping for a V-shaped curve, others are expecting a W or even an L. When faced with an indeterminate outlook like we see today, information is key.

April 27, 2020

Operations

Is Amazon Business Becoming the No. 1 Industrial Distributor in the U.S.?

Amazon Businesss growth is not equally distributed. It has excelled in certain areas of B2B and struggled in others. Platform consultancy Applico shares the top verticals for Amazon Business, including number of products listed and category sellers.

April 23, 2020

Sales & Marketing

It’s Time for Take-Two of the Annual Manufacturer-Distributor Meeting for 2020

How manufacturers sell and how customers buy have undergone significant change in recent weeks, and it wont go back to the way it was three months ago. MDMs John Gunderson shares tips on how the B2B manufacturer can reset plans with reps, key distributors and end customers.

April 22, 2020

Strategy

Why COVID-19 Has Manufacturers Re-examining Their Distribution Channel Strategy

Coronavirus market upheaval has future-focused manufacturers stepping up communication with end customers and putting themselves in a position to make channel adjustments in the coming post-pandemic economy. MDMs John Gunderson shares how distribution channel partners can prepare for the change.

April 21, 2020

Operations

Why Now May Be the Right Time to Examine Your O2C Process

Streamlining the order-to-cash process can play an important role in helping distributors to stay on top of accounts receivable and reduce DSO at a time when cash generation is of paramount importance during the COVID-19 economic slowdown.

April 16, 2020

Leadership

Motion & Control Enterprises Using Pandemic Slowdown to Accelerate Business Transformation

CEO Charley Hale shared during MDM Live how the fluid power distributor is making the most of a slower business environment to speed up its original 18-month plan to improve salesforce effectiveness and efficiency, enhance its e-commerce capabilities, and more.

April 15, 2020

Strategy

7 Predictions for Distributors on Near-Term COVID-19 Economic Consequences

Industry consultants Mike Marks and Brent Grover shared accounts of distributors who are acting quickly to adjust their business models to reflect new coronavirus realities during MDMs weekly MDM Live COVID-19 impacts webcast. They described why transparency is paramount in making the most of employee, bank and supplier relationships during the pandemic.

April 14, 2020

Operations

Distribution Can — and Will — Weather This Storm

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April 13, 2020

Technology

Make the Most of Your EDI System When Business is Disrupted

There are several elements of electronic data interchange (EDI) solutions that can minimize the impact of operating in a modified business model during the global coronavirus pandemic. IDEAs Tom Guzik shares three common EDI transactions distributors can use to keep supply chains optimized.

April 7, 2020

Operations

COVID-19: Distributors Take Hit in Late March, Move to Weather Q2

The coronavirus hit distribution hard in the second half of March, according to a first look at the latest MDM-Baird quarterly survey. And distributors are acting quickly to protect the balance sheet and cash flow. Heres a recap of Fridays MDM LIVE program, where panelists shared the latest numbers on how quickly distributor revenue is declining, as well as what distributors are doing now to stem losses and conserve cash.

April 6, 2020

Technology

Ultimation Industries Grows Online Sales with Boost from Amazon Business

After initial success through its own website, the Michigan manufacturer first looked to broaden its customer base with a few items on Amazon about five years ago. CEO Jacqueline Canny explains how the e-commerce giant has helped to supplement Ultimations e-commerce expansion and bring in a wider audience for its conveyor technology and automation products.

April 2, 2020

Operations

Top 5 Blogs of March: COVID-19 Alters the Landscape

MDMs most-read content of March focused on the coronavirus pandemic and its impacts on manufacturing and distribution, as well as actions the industry is taking to minimize negative consequences

April 1, 2020

Strategy

Everyone is Counting on Distributors as Essential Businesses: 4 Ways to Handle the Responsibility

The conversation during MDMs first live discussion on COVID-19 last week made clear that the next couple of months will be critical for distributors as the coronavirus crisis continues to unfold. MDMs John Gunderson reflects on how the distribution speakers who participated in the conversation are leading their teams during this health crisis.

March 30, 2020

Operations

Distributors Adapt Like Never Before

In a time when optimism and clarity are hard to come by, Im moved by how the fundamental value of distribution is in the right place, at the right time. At one level its about moving product, but its much deeper than that distributors keep the economy running.

March 25, 2020

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