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| NAW SmartBrief |
| May 28, 2008 |
International sourcing leads to higher inventories
A slowing U.S. economy is only one of the reasons that raw materials are being held in inventory three times longer than they were three years ago, according to a report on warehousing. More complicated supply chains -- including more sourcing from overseas -- is another major cause of higher inventories. "What's happening is making sense. I don't see any way of getting around it as long as we continue to globalize," said Rosalyn Wilson, a supply chain consultant. Modern Materials Handling (free registration) (5/21)
Central Virginia beer distributor a family affair
When Leon Stepanian Sr. bought Loveland Distributing Co. from founder Lewis Loveland in 1958, the name was never changed to Stepanian because, "We probably didn't have enough money to change the stationery," his son, Leon Stepanian Jr., jokes. He's now chairman of an operation that has more than 170 employees and distributes 200-plus brands of beer, along with bottled water and soft drinks, to 1,600 customers in the central Virginia area. Stepanian Jr.'s own son, Mark Stepanian, serves as the beer distributor's president and CEO. Richmond Times-Dispatch (Va.) (5/26)
Academic warehouse design gets real-world test
At its new distribution center in Whitewater, Wis., Generac Power Systems is testing a new "fishbone" aisle design first proposed by two engineering professors in an academic paper. The design features aisles laid out diagonally across the picking space, as opposed to the usual system of right angles. DC Velocity (5/2008)
How chief strategy officers think about their role: A roundtable
Chief strategy officers from several high-profile companies discuss the complexities and challenges of the role. The McKinsey Quarterly (free registration for SmartBrief readers) (5/2008)
Turn stress into positive energy
The stress that results from stressful times can be harnessed into healthy energy that can in fact help improve performance and weather a storm. The right amount of anxiety is described as the level that drives people ahead without causing them to try to control what's happening. Manage Smarter (5/21)
Build relationship skills for better networking
People typically fall into one of four categories when it comes to networking: loners, socializers, users and relationship builders. The goal for successful sales should be the latter. CRM Daily (5/16)
Investment in customer service is the best sales strategy
Companies that invest heavily in customer service skills and culture typically see the payoff in the form of a win-win situation for customers and employees. Sales and marketing operations should be brought into alignment in order to further boost productivity. CustomerThink (5/13)
Fliers upset with minimum-stay airline requirements
Thought by many to be a thing of the past, airlines have revived minimum-stay requirements to the ire of many passengers, especially business travelers. Citing increasing expenses, especially fuel-related costs, airlines are working every angle to boost revenues. With Saturday-night stay or minimum-stay requirements, airlines bet that many business travelers will opt for a more expensive fare instead of opting to stay on the road over the weekend. USA TODAY (5/26)
In wines, could pink be the new red?
Dry rose wines are finding their way onto more restaurant and bar menus as the quality continues to increase. "While rose might not be the favorite out of your wine cellar collection, it may be the wine to pick to pair with the most dishes in your culinary library," said one wine maker. San Francisco Chronicle (5/23)
Brand-new book: Profit Myths in Wholesale Distribution
This NAW Institute book has one overall goal -- to change the way distribution managers think about their businesses. Author Albert Bates says that both decision quality and decision consistency are influenced by some very bad information. He promises an eye-opening experience if you accept that much, if not most, of what you have been told about distribution finance issues is wrong.
2008 Employee Compensation Report: Available for immediate download
As the U.S. economy continues to present challenges, distributors are reconsidering their staffing needs and how to attract and keep top performers. See how your compensation program compares to others. This report focuses on data from 1,704 distributors from across all lines of trade. It gives you the benchmarks and backup needed to budget employee pay and benefits with confidence.
New downloadable Wholesale Distribution Economic Reports
Download individual economic analysis reports that are most relevant to your business from the 19 major wholesale distribution sectors in the 2008 Wholesale Distribution Economic Reports. These reports supply a wealth of channel benchmarking data, including revenue and employment growth trends, the number and size distribution of companies, gross margins, wages and many other operating statistics. Quantity discounts apply.
In which foreign market do you see the most growth potential in the near future?
China, India and other Asian countries
Central and South America
Europe
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