Regardless of how we got here, what many of us discovered is a career that offers more than just selling and moving boxes.
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WMS, LMS, OMS, WES, YMS: whatever acronym we use, they’re all tools, but they’ll never replace the need for leadership.
Trent Gillespie will detail approach to AI in a keynote entitled “Designing an AI-enabled business” at Distribution Strategy Group’s Applied AI for Distributors conference.
Upcoming Programs
Join us on June 4, 9 PT/12 ET, as we delve into strategies for leveraging these platforms to boost sales and stay competitive.
Join us on Thursday, June 5, 2025 at 9 PT/12 ET for a new AI News and Gurus: The Show for Intelligent Distributors
Join us on June 11, 2025 at 9 PT / 12 ET as we delve into the current state of distributor pricing and costing
Join us on June 18, 9 PT/12 ET, to explore the data infrastructure behind the electrical, HVAC, and plumbing industries, and where it’s headed
Whatever else happens in the world, your competitors will use AI to drive performance.
In logistics, we track everything: fill rates, dock turns, labor ratios. But leadership? That’s harder to quantify.
Forget the buzzwords—these five practical strategies are helping distributors turn AI into real-world profit gains.
Recent Reports
Whether you’re leading a warehouse team or the executive board, the goal is the same: build systems that respect the humans who run them.
In this second post, I offer an unusual but practical step toward that goal: using art shared experience of film and reflection.
The warehouse is more than a place where goods move. It’s a place where people grow.
Most AI tools are built with impressive capabilities, but not always with the end-user in mind.
Distributors can quickly test multiple mitigation strategies and identify the most effective path.
What if distributors could transform their business model to unlock opportunities no one dares to chase?
How Stellar Industrial and Palmer-Donavin are meeting customer expectations.
Pricing data needs to be normalized and centralized to be actionable.
While sales reps are drowning in tasks, prime selling opportunities slip away.
Experts say there’s a disconnect between sentiment and the hard data.
Companies that fail to embrace AI as a strategic imperative now risk falling behind.
Distributors share how they’re responding to the uncertainty.
Distributors should look to develop their own AI solutions.
AI tools can level the playing field for smaller distributors.
Gen X transitioned the business world into the digital era.
Distributors need to better plan for uncertainty.
How AI is boosting conversions and improving customer relationships.
Without proper planning, you won’t see the hurdles coming.
A single disruption in your network can have far-reaching impacts.
Consistent training, coaching and feedback will help sales teams thrive.
Without a plan, distributors will get left behind.
The real work begins after you commit to AI.
Warehouse AI isn’t just for the largest distributors.
Here’s how to get new revenue from existing customers.
The recent implementation of tariffs by the U.S. administration has created unprecedented challenges for distribution companies. With tariffs ranging from 10% to nearly 50%
Don Sarno, Senior VP of Sonepar, discusses how distributors can drive real value from AI.
eCommerce is only the beginning.
ISA CEO Brendan Breen discusses the impact of digital transformation, talent gaps and tariffs.
AI tools need to be built on a sturdy foundation.
Without the right intelligence, complexity can erode margins.