Supply House Times

Salesman of the Year

Mon, 23 Feb 2015 00:00:00 -0500

Hence, the salesperson of most value to me was JPEG and some reasonable search terms on Google Chrome.

Profit, value and how to mute the sales price of the distribution business

Wed, 26 Nov 2014 00:00:00 -0500

Wholesale Distribution is a meat and potatoes industry.

New dimensions in Manufacturer-Distributor relationships—Part 2

Thu, 25 Sep 2014 00:00:00 -0400

In Part 1, we reviewed how distributors have extended their reach into the value chain to develop solutions across manufacturers.

New dimensions in Manufacturer-Distributor relationships—Part 1

Mon, 25 Aug 2014 00:00:00 -0400

In our past installment, we reviewed the current state of manufacturer-distributor relationships.

New strains of channel conflict

Tue, 25 Mar 2014 00:00:00 -0400

These five areas of channel conflict stem from changes that, largely, began in the 1990s and just as partnership efforts were reaching their peak.

New Products and Value Streams

Thu, 20 Feb 2014 07:00:00 -0500

Value is a much revered concept that is touted by executives but seldom measured.

The downside of rebates

Sun, 29 Dec 2013 00:00:00 -0500

Three years ago, we presented a proposal for distributor research on the trends and usage of vendor rebates.

Are your e-commerce efforts profitable?

Sun, 22 Dec 2013 00:00:00 -0500

The fact that these companies invested millions in their e-commerce efforts and had no clear answer was more than disappointing.

Big Pharma sales reps and the portent for PHCP distributors

Wed, 18 Sep 2013 15:45:00 -0400

Today, like the Big Pharma rep, many distributor sellers are being turned away from customers who would rather buy online, sans their services, at a lower cost.

Will the local branch be local for much longer?

Sun, 01 Sep 2013 00:00:00 -0400

In the preceding year, this blog has explored the growing trend of cost coming out of the wholesale channel at a rapid pace.

Growth in the post-recession economy

Thu, 28 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0500

Year end is a time of reflection. For 2012, I’ve attempted to both inform and warn distributors about significant changes in B2B customer buying habits including use of e-commerce, use of handheld devices and growing acceptance of nontraditional distributors in the PHCP space.

The seventy percent solution

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 14:53:00 -0500

In a recent presentation to a group of PHCP distributors, I covered the subject of AmazonSupply.

Don't get burned

Wed, 01 Aug 2012 19:45:00 -0400

Wholesalers who dismiss outside research and new models of commerce may be playing with fire.

Help wanted: Part-time outside sales apply within

Mon, 25 Jun 2012 14:07:00 -0400

In a recent conversation with a sizable PHCP distributor, the CEO of the organization disclosed that he was moving his outside sales force to dual roles.

Quality research or mob action?

Wed, 14 Mar 2012 16:23:00 -0400

Georgia Tech Accounting Lab study reveals eye-opening facts.

The path to value in PHCP distribution

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 17:22:00 -0500

The following blog is taken from an upcoming book released by Benfield Consulting titled, “Building Value: Driving Wholesaler Returns through Strategic and Tactical Investment.”

Bundle-Crumble, Branchitis and the Inconvenience of Value Migration

Thu, 08 Dec 2011 13:11:00 -0500

Recent blog posts have challenged the full-service model of distribution and the tendency of wholesalers to trot out a business model that is too costly and in jeopardy.

Disintermediation Followed By a Side Order Of Cannibalization

Wed, 12 Oct 2011 15:24:00 -0400

A new way of business best served cold.

There Are No Bookstores In Nashville: Why Wholesalers Should Worry

Mon, 15 Aug 2011 15:24:00 -0400

In a recent phone conversation with a friend and colleague, I was told there were no bookstores in Nashville, Tenn.

Compensate This

Tue, 05 Jul 2011 17:23:00 -0400

In this third year of my blog for Supply House Times, it is time for my annual rant against some nonsensical or non-value added practice in distribution.

Herding Cats for Profit

Tue, 10 May 2011 15:32:00 -0400

A friend, and now retired client once told me that after his 40 years in contractor-based distribution, he noticed most distributors herd cats when it comes to profitability.

The Power of Transaction Thinking

Tue, 15 Feb 2011 10:42:00 -0500

Taking Rocky’s lead, I am inventing a field of business philosophy called “Transaction Thinking.”

The Decline Of The Branch Manager

Wed, 12 Jan 2011 11:00:00 -0500

Coming out of 2010, the second decade of the New Millennium looks poised for growth, albeit at a tepid rate.

The Key to Long-Run Productivity: Transaction Profiling and the Outside Sales Force

Mon, 01 Nov 2010 17:24:00 -0400

Way back in 2004, long before the over-hype of the real estate market reached the famed fevered pitch, we conducted a review of productivity in distribution markets.

Throwing Away Money On Sales Compensation

Thu, 09 Sep 2010 14:52:00 -0400

For most of its 100-year+ history, distributors have driven the profit in their firms by metrics and comparisons from the income statement.

Professionals, Control-Freaks and Carrier Pilots

Tue, 20 Jul 2010 18:48:00 -0400

There are two basic types of employees inside most firms: internal and external.

Right Structuring vs. Right Sizing: Growing Profits for the Coming Decade

Mon, 28 Jun 2010 13:40:00 -0400

It should be plain by now that the downturn that started two years ago is far more than a typical recession.

Practical Solutions to Negative Profits in the Era of Cost to Serve

Fri, 14 May 2010 15:05:00 -0400

In his recent book, Profit Myths in Wholesale Distribution, Al Bates lauds gross margin dollars as one of the most important numbers and concepts in running a profitable wholesale company.

Staffing the Large Family-Owned Firm with Non-Family Talent

Wed, 14 Apr 2010 10:13:00 -0400

Many years ago, I worked in a sizable family-owned distributorship. My goal was to gain experience in helping the company go to market using modern principles of sales and marketing.

What Do The Definitions of Wholesaler and Manufacturer Really Mean?

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 11:24:00 -0500

The definitions of Wholesaler and Manufacturer have, in the minds of most industry veterans, distinct meaning. Manufacturers turn raw material into products and wholesalers take title to the products while