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April 9, 2009 News for the wholesale distribution industry   News and Trends    Manufacturing sector loses 161,000 jobs in March According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, national unemployment hit 8.5% for March. The manufacturing sector lost 161,000 jobs last month, and wholesale trade shed 31,000 jobs. The U.S. has lost 5.1 million jobs since December 2007, with nearly half of the job losses occurring in the past five months. Modern Distribution Management (4/3) Survey: 34% of supply management companies to benefit from stimulus The Institute for Supply Management surveyed members about the effects of the economic-stimulus package. More than one-third of respondents expected their company to benefit from stimulus funds. In industries such as electrical equipment and machinery, the majority of respondents said their companies would benefit. Modern Distribution Management (4/3) Industrial Supply Association announces award winners The Industrial Supply Association awarded several companies with 2009 American Eagle Awards last week. Companies that won awards included ARC Abrasives for Value-Added Manufacturer and Duncan Industrial Solutions for Value-Added Distributor. The Corporate Citizenship Award went to distributor Iowa Machinery. Industrial Distribution online (4/3) Other News Baker & Taylor on Moody's list for bankruptcy watch Video Business Online (free registration) (3/27)   Distributors: Go from Delivering Goods to Greatness. Put an end to backlogs, excess inventory, inaccurate reporting and unsatisfied customers. This Free Distribution Management Guide features Microsoft® solutions that can help you get orders out faster, lower costs and boost repeat business — and discover how automation and real-time data can help you achieve greater financial control and enhance the management of your supply chain.     Best Practices  With duration of recession in question, you must manage fear With the possibility of the recession lasting much longer than expected, companies need to be able to manage fear, while trying to maintain a normal way of doing business. Some tips for keeping short-term anxiety in check include emphasizing recognition, promoting well-being among staff and keeping employees engaged in the workplace. Gallup Management Journal (subscription required) (4/2) Attitude of pride runs through Defense Distribution Depot The Defense Distribution Depot in Susquehanna, Pa., is a major distribution goliath with one customer, the U.S. military. As many as 40% of its workers are veterans and a special attitude prevails, with strong leadership, a strong commitment to the work and a sentiment of pride. DC Velocity magazine (4/2009)   Sales  Biggest sales come from solving the customer's problem Landing the biggest sales can often involve not simply selling something to someone but solving a big problem for the person. Pointing out a problem and then solving it makes the sales representative truly valuable and elevates the entire occupation to a profession. Some tips for doing so include asking why things are done a certain way and thinking of better ways to achieve the company's goals. Entrepreneur.com (4/1)   Small Business Manager  Twitter not, says the expert USA TODAY columnist Steve Strauss writes that Twitter may be the flavor of the month, but small businesses need to stick to what they do well. Offering five reasons why small outfits should avoid Twitter, Strauss writes that businesses should focus on offering value, not running a social club. USA TODAY (4/5)   Executive Life  AAA launches national travel blog AAA has launched AAATravelViews.com, which offers advice from travel professionals, links to AAA resources and deals offered by its agency. The site also offers information on selected destinations, industry news and stories from travelers who are keen to share their travel experiences. American City Business Journals/Louisville, Ky. (4/3) Philadelphia hotels offer low rates, packages to boost business As the recession takes a big toll on the hospitality industry, hotels in Philadelphia and elsewhere are doing everything they possibly can to bring in business. Some hotel packages include as much as $75 in free parking, and one writer reports finding a room at a downtown Philadelphia Sheraton on Hotwire for as low as $65 plus tax. The Philadelphia Inquirer (4/6)   NAW Insider  Become Lean and Become More Profitable and More Effective Becoming lean in distribution is more important than ever in today's challenging economic market. Applying lean concepts makes sense because becoming lean means becoming a more effective distributor. And becoming lean will lead to higher profitability. Lean Operations in Wholesale Distribution focuses on the lucrative operations area and discusses steps distributors must take to design and manage a lean culture. New COBRA regulations have significant impact on employers The 2009 economic stimulus bill includes a provision for enhanced COBRA benefits for past, current and future COBRA enrollees. The NAW Health Insurance Program offers access to COBRA administration. FlexCOBRA™; manages this complex function and ensures employers always remain in compliance with federal COBRA regulations. FlexCOBRA™; makes the employer's job easier and alleviates the stress that COBRA administration can cause. Learn the essentials to be a profitable wholesaler-distributor Making money in distribution gets tougher every year -- it's even harder during an economic slump! Running a successful company requires cooperative efforts from knowledgeable and motivated employees. Speed their learning and retention by giving them Essentials of Profitable Wholesale Distribution. Twice the size of the first edition, this second edition includes brand-new and updated instructional text and all-new graphics! Learn more about NAW -> Join NAW  |  Business Products  |  Publications  |  Meetings  |  Govt. Relations   Weekly Poll  What do you think of the federal plan to increase loans to small businesses? After voting once, check out the real-time poll results on NAW's All Access page as often as you'd like. It's great. It's good but needs improvement. It's not good. It's terrible. I have no opinion. 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