News and Trends

• Arrow reaches wider distribution agreement with Conec
  Arrow Electronics Inc.'s North American components business is expanding its distribution agreement with Canada-based Conec, an electronics connector manufacturer, the electronics distributor said. Arrow will now be Conec's sole North American distributor of connector products in the electronic and communications industries. Arrow has distributed Conec's products in Canada for nine years. EDN (8/29)

• Henry Schein acquires British vet products supplier
  Health care products and services distributor Henry Schein Inc. has announced its acquisition of W. & J. Dunlop Ltd. Henry Schein's purchase of the U.K.-based veterinary care supplier, the terms of which have not been disclosed, is part of its effort to increase its standing in the European animal health market. Forbes/Associated Press (8/29)

• Avnet Tech, LeftHand reach distribution agreement
  Avnet Technology Solutions, a subsidiary of distributor Avnet Inc., has entered into a distribution deal with LeftHand Networks, which will increase Avnet's storage-related products offerings. The deal includes distribution in the U.S. and Canada. azcentral.com (8/29)

WHITE PAPER: Enabling Efficient Chargeback Management. Find out how a single, integrated enterprise solution can efficiently and effectively manage chargeback programs within the wholesale distributor's existing business systems.

Best Practices

• Wellness programs, high-deductible plans can offer savings
  Wellness programs can go a long way toward helping companies save money on health care costs while having the added benefit of boosting employee morale. When combined with a high-deductible health plan, companies can find significant savings. BusinessWeek (9/1)

• Focus on customer-centric philosophy to retain loyal clients
  Companies committed to being truly customer-centric will see results in terms of client retention and referrability. Some keys to becoming customer-centric include using two-way methods of communications with customers as opposed to surveys or other one-way conversations, using metrics to take the pulse of the company, and taking action beyond customer service to find out how well your organization can respond to customer insight. Inc.com (8/1)

Sales

• Grab execs' attention by teaching them something new
  Educational seminars beat traditional sales presentations hands down in terms of getting executives' attention and engaging them in the sales process. In the book "The Ultimate Sales Machine," corporate trainer Chet Holmes describes how a research aid firm reached the heads of target firms with a seminar called "The Five Most Dangerous Trends Facing Law Firms." Selling Power (free registration) (8/22)

Hot Topics

Top five news stories selected by NAW SmartBrief readers in the past week.

• Sixteen inexpensive ways to keep employees happy (Manage Smarter)

• Reports: The Home Depot agrees to sell supply business for lower price (Houston Chronicle)

• Sale of HD Supply finalized (Forbes)

• Avoid common pitfalls in employee recognition (American City Business Journals)

• Words likely to result in blocked e-mail (MarketingProfs)

• Results based on number of times each story was clicked by readers.

Small Business Manager

• Stay connected, even if you work alone
  As many as 78% of the U.S.' more than 26 million companies are one-person businesses, the Census Bureau found, but being a solo small-business owner doesn't mean having to work in a vacuum, an expert said. Some tips for getting valuable input include building a board of advisers, staying in touch with old contacts and getting involved in organizations and associations. Fast Company (8/2007)

Executive Life

• Sharp unveils touch screen with scanner functions
  Sharp has announced plans to begin shipping a new touch screen with scanner capabilities for mobile electronic devices. The screens will be able to respond to multiple simultaneous touches and will be thinner and clearer than previous models, according to Sharp. International Herald Tribune/Associated Press (8/31)

• New machines get a better angle on baggage screening
  The TSA started testing new X-ray machines at three airports this month and could buy as many as 500 to be used at major airports, beginning this fall. The machines take pictures of bags from two angles at once, displaying the images side by side for screeners to check. USA TODAY (8/30)

NAW Insider

• Hertz Local Edition®
  Choose Hertz Local Edition® for your local car rental needs. At more than 1,000 locations across the U.S., Hertz Local Edition® offers a fast customer pick-up and return service. As Hertz expands to more neighborhoods across the country, it'll be even easier for you to rent a car. To enroll in the NAW/Hertz Business Account Program, visit NAW's Web site.

• NAW's Large Company CEO/COO Networking Roundtable
  NAW's Large Company CEO/COO Networking Roundtable, Chicago, Sept. 19 to 20, joins CEOs and COOs from wholesale distribution companies with sales $100 million and above to network and learn. Agenda topics are based on responses from the executives community and address specific needs of the group, including Going Green, Driving Sales Beyond, Crisis Management, Today's Economy and Ethics. Get more details and register here.

Weekly Poll

• Would you utilize a wellness plan offered by your company?
  After voting once, check out the real-time poll results on NAW's All Access page as often as you'd like.

	Yes, it would be a good benefit.
	No, I would not find it useful.
	Maybe, depending on what it offers.

There's no better way to find first-rate professionals with expertise in the wholesale distribution industry. Click here to display your open positions in NAW SmartBrief.

SmartQuote

Without labor nothing prospers." --Sophocles, Greek tragedian and philosopher