News and Trends

• FedEx reports profit slide, lowers expectations
  Stung by high fuel prices and a sluggish economy, FedEx Corp. has reported lower profits for the third quarter in a row. With trans-Pacific cargo down sharply and more shippers switching to fuel-efficient rail transport, FedEx said it sees no evidence the U.S. economy will reverse itself this year and cut its outlook for the current quarter. The Wall Street Journal (3/21)

• Handleman Co.'s stock falls below NYSE's standard for continued listing
  The New York Stock Exchange said it will suspend trading of music distributor Handleman Co.'s common stock on March 25 in anticipation of delisting the company. In the quarter ending Jan. 31, Handleman reported a nearly 50% drop in profit compared to the year-ago period, and its market capitalization has fallen below the $25 million threshold required for trading on the NYSE. Crain's Detroit Business (free registration) (3/20)

• TMS programs can cut shipping costs -- but not for everyone
  With fuel costs spiraling, more companies are turning to transportation management systems to help save on shipping costs, but experts warn the software isn't a panacea for every company. According to one analyst, in order to justify an investment in TMS, a company should be accruing a minimum of $8 million in annual transportation costs. DC Velocity (3/2008)

New Order to Cash Benchmarking Study: Participate in this survey and learn how your order to cash operations compare to other organizations. Submit your survey by April 16 and receive a customized, confidential Free Industry Benchmarking Report. Visit the ASUG Order to Cash Benchmarking Webpage to register and get started now!

Best Practices

• Survey: High percentage of companies saw payment fraud in '07
  As many as 71% of organizations experienced payment fraud in 2007, and a third said the number of incidents had increased over the previous year, according to a new survey. As many as 80% of companies with annual revenues exceeding $1 billion were victims of payment fraud in 2007, vs. 58% of companies with revenues of less than $1 billion. CFO Magazine (3/2008)

• Multiple monitors may give productivity a boost
  Having more monitors may equate to greater productivity, according to a new report. The report found that people who used two 20-inch monitors were 44% faster than those who used 18-inch monitors, and those using 26-inch screens had lower productivity than those with two monitors. SmartBIZ (3/19)

	Inventory Management: The Key to Maximizing Profitability Improving the way you control and manage your inventory can directly affect the advancement of your company's bottom line. Click Here for a free White Paper on how to better your warehouse efficiency and in turn, increase profitability.
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Sales

• The "puppy dog close" usually has customers panting to buy
  The "try before you buy" approach to sales, also known as the "puppy dog close," is a hugely powerful tool in persuading a customer to buy. Just as pet shops have customers hold puppies or car dealerships allow prospects to take the car home for a night, other businesses increasingly are using the sure-fire method for securing sales. CEO Strategist (3/10)

Hot Topics

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

• U.S. housing woes drag down Wolseley profit (Modern Distribution Management)

• Tips: Avoid these five mistakes when cutting costs (BusinessWeek)

• Ten tips for avoiding lawsuits (The Beaufort Gazette (S.C.))

• Fuel surcharges prompt price hikes in multiple sectors (Central Ohio)

• Signs that your sales process needs a makeover (Selling Power)

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

Small Business Manager

• Most common office complaint: incompetent bosses
  The thing that most irritates workers is incompetent bosses, says a new Angus Reid poll conducted in Canada. After that, people say they are irritated by negative co-workers, hypocrisy, whiny colleagues and poor workplace communication. This article offers tips for how to deal with common office annoyances. Financial Post (Canada)/CanWest News Service (3/19)

Executive Life

• Study: Marriage status, education influence investment decisions
  An analysis of Federal Reserve data by Watson Wyatt Worldwide found that many participants in defined-contribution plans invest either all or nothing in equities. The study, which is based on 2004 data, said factors such as marital and health status, educational achievement and age appeared to influence a participant's decision to invest in equities. CCH (3/20)

• Anheuser to unveil Budweiser American Ale
  Anheuser-Busch is set to launch Budweiser American Ale, a darker and richer variety of its flagship brew, on Oct. 6. The new product, which was modeled after Anheuser's Michelob family, is positioned to follow growing consumer preference for imported and craft beers. Advertising Age (3/20)

NAW Insider

• Register for NAW's Large Company Financial Networking Conference
  NAW's Large Company Financial Networking Conference is in Chicago, May 13 to 14. It joins top-level financial executives from wholesale distribution companies with sales of $100 million and above to network and learn. Agenda topics are based on responses from the financial community and address specific needs of the group, including risk management, strategic pricing and generational demographics. Get the details and register.

• Maximize your salesforce's productivity
  Did you know that inside and outside salesforces are 30% to 40% of the typical distributor's operating expenses? Many distributors don't know that or how to measure sales productivity and whether they are becoming more or less productive. Let Restructuring the Distribution Sales Effort for Maximum Productivity guide you through the process from the traditional fully loaded salesforce cost structure to new salesforce models that promise higher profitability.

Weekly Poll

• Has your company experienced payment fraud in the past year?
  After voting once, check out the real-time poll results on NAW's All Access page as often as you'd like.

	Yes, and we are addressing the issue.
	No, we avoided such issues.
	Not that we are aware of.

Director of Regional Workforce Development The AED Foundation Oak Brook, Illinois Inside Sales Anich Industries, Inc Ocala, FL

SmartQuote

Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men's blood." --Daniel H. Burnham, American architect