| June 27, 2008 | News for the wholesale distribution industry |
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- Watsco site offers guide to energy-efficient HVAC systems
Watsco Inc., a distributor of air conditioning, heating and refrigeration equipment, has created a consumer-targeted Web site designed to provide educational tips on energy-efficient cooling systems that can help homeowners to save cash and protect the environment. ACDoctor.com lets users compare a variety of HVAC systems, contact contractors and identify economic incentives for going green. Modern Distribution Management
(6/23)
    
- Will McKesson drug-price suit go to trial or be settled?
McKesson Corp. likely will end up settling claims stemming from accusations that the medical-products distributor inflated prescription-drug prices paid by private health-benefit plans and individuals, this article says. Analyst Ira Loss said, "the odds heavily favor a settlement" in the case, while another expert said most companies would want to avoid a trial because of the potentially vast exposure they could face. A McKesson spokesman said the company "believes the allegations lack merit," adding: "We intend to vigorously defend against them." Bloomberg
(6/24)
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- Summer sales meetings ideal for getting everyone on the same page
Corporations increasingly are looking to summer sales meetings as an opportune time to get their team together and review the first half of the year, as well as plan for the second half. Such meetings can have their challenges, but most managers feel the meetings, when done right, are essential in getting everyone up to speed. Inc.
(6/2008)
- No magic bullet where endpoint security is concerned
Products for preventing data theft and virus infections are improving, but what remains elusive is an all-encompassing, uniform endpoint-security solution. For example, many sellers still carry security products compatible only with Windows XP as opposed to Windows Vista, "and when it comes to non-Windows applications, such as Mac OS, Linux and PDAs, most vendors are behind the times," this article says. Baseline (free registration)
(6/24)
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- Tips can help handle customers' sticker shock
Marketers are challenged more than ever to show compassion for customers who are dealing with daily sticker shock. Some tips for helping with the situation include understanding how customers respond to price increases, investing in market research and redefining the value of a product. HBS Working Knowledge
(6/16)
| Small Business Manager | | |
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- When freshness wears off, a makeover may be needed
Small businesses can be agile enough to react to market conditions and make over their operations to earn greater profits, says Stephen L. Rosenstein of Greater Baltimore's SCORE. To determine what kind of makeover is needed, he recommends examining whether the products offered meet customer needs, reviewing the marketing message and brainstorming. The Sun (Baltimore)
(6/22)
| Executive Life | | |
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- Industry Standard offers glimpse of digital home in 2013
In a special 10-part report, The Industry Standard looks at the near-term future of the digital home, envisioning how technologies will change domestic life by 2013. Wired networks will be obsolete, touch screens will replace keyboards and cloud computing will eliminate much of today's hardware, the Web site predicts. Telecommuting also will be easier, with shared online workspaces allowing multiple users to collaborate on projects in real time. The Industry Standard
(6/24)
- Gift cards are top workplace incentive for healthy living
More employers are offering incentives for healthy living in the form of gift cards, cash bonuses and premium reductions, according to a new study by Health2 Resources. Gift cards became the top incentive this year, rising from a usage of 17% in 2007 to 28% in 2008. Reuters
(6/25)
| NAW Insider | | |
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After a flood
Cleaning up a flood-ravaged business -- one of the first steps toward recovery -- can be a difficult and disheartening task. It can also be dangerous. Get more information here.
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Don't make wrong decisions about profitability
Al Bates, founder and president of Profit Planning Group, has spent 30 years analyzing distributor financial statements. His findings in Profit Myths in Wholesale Distribution boil down to this conclusion: Much, and possibly even most, of what managers in distribution companies know about improving profitability is wrong. Good economic times mask this fact, while challenging times make this fact absolutely dangerous!
| Weekly Poll | | |
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Do you travel on discount airlines?
After voting once, check out the real-time poll results on NAW's All Access page as often as you'd like.
 | Yes -- I travel on them nearly exclusively. |
| Sometimes. I travel on whichever airline gets me where I need to go. |
| No -- I prefer a particular airline, which is not a discounted one. |
| I have not in the past, but I most likely will now as the prices increase. |
| SmartQuote | | |
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 | I care not so much what I am to others as what I am to myself."
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| | Recent NAW SmartBrief Issues:
- Thursday, June 26, 2008
- Wednesday, June 25, 2008
- Monday, June 23, 2008
- Friday, June 20, 2008
- Thursday, June 19, 2008
| | | Lead Editor: Ashley McMaster
Contributing Editor: Nancy Melville | Robert Jones
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