Industry News Archives

Rethink salesforce comp plans - "What's Your Plan? Smart Saleforce Compensation in Wholesale Distribution", an eye-opening book from NAW/DREF shows why tinkering with salesforce compensation plans in isolation can create more problems than it solves. The best strategy starts with development of overall company goals and leads to what author Mike Marks calls "alignment" of these goals with compensation. 

Productivity Growth in Wholesale Distribution - Wholesale distribution contributed more than 25% of the U.S. economy's total productivity gains over the past 15 years. Surprisingly, only four sub-sectors of the wholesale industry supplied most of the growth since 2001. Ongoing technology investments by distributors bode well for future productivity gains throughout the industry.  Source: NAW SmartBrief (8/2006)

Bring "get lean" method to your company -  In the wholesale distribution business, lean management allows companies to serve customers more efficiently, with less workspace and stock, less expensive expenditures and fewer mistakes. This kind of practice is not automatic: It takes understanding of cost structures and other metrics and increased team-building skills. (ISA Today, 8/1/2006)

The Benefits of Helping a Distributor's Customer - Distributors are finding that implementation of IT tools can have a positive impact on customers.  In this 56-minute recording of an IBM-presented webcast, Dr. Adam Fein leads two executives through a discussion of what they did in their distribution companies to address warehouse productivity issues.  Topics include problem identification, customer satisfaction, implementation strategies, training, before-and-after metrics.  (Name and email address required but no password.)  (3/30/2006)

Analysis: Outlook Good for Building Material W-Ds - Wholesaler-distributors' revenues climbed 8.9% last year, beating forecasts, and Pembroke Consulting President and DREF Fellow Adam J. Fein, Ph.D., predicts wholesaler-distributors of building and construction materials will continue to see marked growth through 2006. Revenues for industrial distributors also bounced back last year, helping reduce inventory, according to Fein's analysis.   Source: Modern Distribution Management  (2/17)

Adam Fein: The Productivity Imperative for Wholesale Distribution  Wholesaler-Distributors must continually improve productivity without compromising service levels to remain relevant.

Adam Fein: Warehouses go Wireless  Learn more about Dr. Fein's thoughts on using wireless networks to improve warehouse operations and productivity.

Adam Fein: Customer Self-Service comes to Wholesale Distribution

Adam Fein: Upgrading Your Wholesale Distribution Salesforce

Five Things You Should Know about Wireless Printing - outlines considerations to take when pursuing the benefits offered by wireless printing.  Source: Intermec

Sorting through the hype of RFID  Pembroke Consulting President and DREF Fellow Adam J. Fein, Ph.D, sorts through the hype of RFID and comes to the conclusion that wholesaler-distributors "tend to overestimate the effect of a technology in the short run and underestimate the effect in the long run."

Wholesaler-Distributors Adopt Web-Based Customer Self-Service - Link to DPS article in May 10, 2004 issue of Business Week. 

Distributors and Customers Agree - Self-Service a Hit  - Link to DPS eBusiness educational insert in May 10, 2004 issue of Business Week.

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