News and Trends

• Logistics industry trends from 3PL providers
  The 15th annual "3PL Provider CEO Perspective" presented at the recently held in Denver offered a glimpse into trends for the logistics industry. The survey of 3PL providers sponsored by Penske Logistics found that high fuel costs are having an effect on companies' travel decisions, and that green initiatives are a popular topic. The slowing economy also has affected companies' thinking with respect to international expansion targets, with Latin American countries looking more attractive than Eastern Europe and Asia in the current climate. Modern Distribution Management (10/8)

• Patterson Companies makes three separate acquisitions
  Patterson Companies Inc. of St. Paul, Minn., has announced the acquisition of three companies for undisclosed sums in separate all-cash deals. Through two of its three units -- Webster Veterinary Supply and Patterson Dental -- the company purchased Columbus Serum, Odyssey Veterinary Software and Denesca. Plano, Texas-based Odyssey Veterinary Software, purchased by Webster, makes technology solutions for veterinary offices while Denesca, purchased by Patterson Dental, is a Canadian distributor of dental supplies and equipment. Finance and Commerce (Minneapolis) (10/7)

• Ingram to raise general freight by 9% in Australia
  Ingram Micro in Australia says it will raise by 9% its general freight charges to resellers, as well as add a $5 fee to all drop shipments. The fees will go into effect Nov. 1. "We understand that any costs increases are tough but we have absorbed these for well over 12 months and now need to recover a portion of these to sustain service levels," said Guy Freeland, Ingram Micro managing director. ARN (Australia) (10/9)

• Other News

• Wolseley stock upgraded on rumors of possible division closure
  Bloomberg (10/8)

Best Practices

• Telecommuting boosts productivity, survey finds
  Employers who allow their employees to telecommute can retain talented workers, lower operational costs and boost productivity, according to a new survey. Of the employees who responded to the Web-based poll, 78% said their companies allow for at least some telecommuting, and 67% cited greater productivity as the main benefit of telecommuting. Network World/CIO (10/7)

• Companies reach out to parents in recruitment
  Companies increasingly are expanding their recruitment pitches to the parents of Generation Y candidates in the hopes of making a good impression on the persons they know will be involved in the candidate's decision-making. Some tips for getting information to parents in recruiting activities include holding a career fair in the community designed for parents and inviting parents of interns or new hires to visit the place of work and meet the boss. HBR Blogs - Across the Ages (10/8)

Get Active to Reach Passive job seekers. 57% of NAW SmartBrief's 34,000 subscribers are industry decision makers. Reach this selective, high value audience with NAW SmartBrief Job Listings. Start your focused recruiting campaign now.

Sales

• Counter-sales staff on front lines of business success
  Counter salespeople are essential not just for taking orders but for providing information, suggestions and help. Companies should not underestimate the importance of such staff, and appropriate training and compensation are key. CEO Strategist (10/3)

Hot Topics

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

• Focus on lean management, save money on the small things (Modern Distribution Management)

• Remember the "Seven C's" of staying relevant (MarketingProfs)

• Perks that can take the place of raises (Entrepreneur.com)

• Know your competition -- inside and out (CEO Strategist)

• Improve profit management, gross margin with key strategies (CEO Strategist)

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

Small Business Manager

• Reviewing insurance policies may cut costs
  The Insurance Information Institute recommends that small-business owners review their policies when looking for ways to reduce spending. Business owners should compare prices offered by a variety of insurers and look for price breaks through professional associations. InsuranceNewsNet (10/7)

Executive Life

• "Storm" brewing for iPhone? RIM hopes so
  Research in Motion's BlackBerry Storm smartphone will hit the market in the U.S. and Europe next month with exclusive rights belonging to Verizon Wireless and Vodafone, respectively, The Storm, which signals RIM's intent to crash the consumer market, features: a 3.25-inch screen, which is slightly smaller than the iPhone's; the BlackBerry's first touch-screen interface; and 3G network support -- but it lacks Wi-Fi access and weighs 16% more than the iPhone. The Wall Street Journal (10/8) , Financial Times (free content) (10/8)

• Color, simplicity are the trend for hotel tables
  Fearing that an ostentatious table may intimidate diners, more hotels are embracing simplicity by replacing tablecloths with place mats and white linens with colored ones. "Shades of greens, blues, reds and [other] colors applied correctly make a huge statement in establishing a memorable event," said Kevin Phenegar, food and beverage director at The Sagamore in Bolton Landing, N.Y. HotelsMag.com (10/1)

NAW Insider

• NAW Online Campus: Interactive online courses in professional development
  With the high price of travel, economic constraints and no time to get away, it is no wonder that wholesaler-distributors are looking for lower-cost alternatives to provide professional development for their employees. To address this issue, NAW Institute for Distribution Excellence has partnered with the Texas A&M System to present a suite of online courses specifically designed for our industry.

• Train inside sales reps how to generate profitable sales
  In today's economic climate, inside sales personnel are responsible for generating sales and making sure those sales are profitable. Essentials of Profitable Inside Sales in Distribution provides a real-world, in-depth understanding of the expanded role of inside sales. Use this training workbook to show your inside sales staff exactly how they contribute to the health and well-being of your company.

Weekly Poll

• What is your company doing to recruit Generation Y candidates?
  After voting once, check out the real-time poll results on NAW's All Access page as often as you'd like.

	We attend college career fairs, have a Facebook page, offer flex scheduling
	We recruit all employee prospects the same way: competitive wages, benefits, etc.
	We are not actively recruiting Gen Y candidates.

Vice President, Supply Chain Stein Mart Jacksonville, Florida Logistics Manager II Menlo Worldwide Augusta, GA

SmartQuote

A life spent making mistakes is not only more honorable but more useful than a life spent doing nothing." --George Bernard Shaw, Nobel laureate in literature