You get tested when power and systems go out and you’ve got three hours to figure it out before you miss every commitment.
Articles
Menu
Smart logistics technology isn’t replacing human expertise, it’s amplifying it.
Palmer Holland, a Cleveland-based specialty chemical and ingredient distributor, has launched an AI-driven product knowledge platform aimed at streamlining how customers and suppliers access
Upcoming Programs
Join us on Sept 10, 9 PT/12 ET, as we explore how top-performing distributors are building engagement that fuels performance and loyalty.
Join us on Sept 11, 2025 at 9PT/12ET as we navigate both economic forecasts and M&A trends with Economist Alex Chausovsky.
Join us on Sept 17, 2025 at 9PT/12ET as we delve into what real AI adoption looks like in the field today and how
Pattern uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to process more than 46 trillion data points and add 100 billion more each week.
As a catalyst for transformation, e-commerce strategies can be tailored for distribution and leveraged to facilitate improvements across customer experience, sales enablement, and supply
In this article, we detail the problems of sales cultures in mature B2B markets.
Distributors are learning how to build cultures that drive innovation; don’t wait. The disruptors are at the gate and the battle for distribution supremacy
Distributors worry that Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) is assuming key distributor roles and erasing them from the equation. The service picks, packs, ships and
The murky world of marketing co-op baffles distributors and manufacturers alike.
Distributors: Are you looking for some simple, straightforward and painless ways to make adjustments that improve your profitability? Here are a few of our
Understanding and monetizing value-added services in wholesale distribution is critical to competing today. But many distributors tend to have a limited worldview when it
When most distributors talk about inside sales, they are usually referring to customer service agents. Yet, customer service personnel are generally more reactive than
If Amazon Business owns the customer, warehouses your products, does the picking, packing and shipping and handles the entire transaction – why do they
Digital transformation has been a part of distributors’ language for many years. But the speed of transformation has varied: It’s hard, takes significant resources
It’s easy to find ways of boosting margins – the hard part is prioritizing the approaches that provide the greatest return for the least
Most distributors keep busy enough just handling incoming calls, emails and, in many cases orders from their website. But how do we know if
Distributors often call their customer service personnel, “Inside Sales Salespeople” – but are they?
It’s fair to question whether these events are correlated or it’s just a coincidence that Amazon Business is (apparently) thriving in various international markets
If you let potential ROI determine how much you’ll invest in your website and how you’ll measure its success, you’re going about it all
Amazon is the most obvious example of marketplaces that carry B2B SKUs, but you can find them on Google Shopping, Walmart.com, Alibaba, eBay Business
If you’re like most distributors, you already provide several value-added services at no cost to your customers. But have you analyzed the cost and
Private equity isn’t new – even if it’s new to you. Arguably, PE as an investment method has been around for more than 100
In this episode of Wholesale Change (May 27, 2020), Distribution Strategy Group’s Ian Heller and Jonathan Bein discuss why you might have built the
I think a good rule of thumb for distributors is that you can’t complain about your e-commerce failure if your problems are self-inflicted.
A sales call guide can be a useful tool to help salespeople connect with prospects and ensure they are firing on all cylinders with
In this episode of Wholesale Change (May 20, 2020), Distribution Strategy Group’s Ian Heller and Jonathan Bein discuss the importance and future of marketplaces
Distribution Strategy Group’s Ian Heller and Jonathan Bein discuss the importance and future of value-added services in wholesale distribution. They also discuss why distributors
In a survey, we found that more end-users are embracing online shopping and buying for business out of necessity in light of COVID-19.
Small customers may not generate the sales volumes needed to support them as you would support your larger customers, but they usually generate higher
Increasing market share is good. However, increasing wallet share is even better because it is usually far easier to sell additional products to existing
We recently published an article on selling value internally along with selling externally to prospects. Because while many distributors have spent time creating a
Despite the many columns and webcasts predicting distribution’s post-pandemic “new normal,” it’s going to be a long time before our industry settles back into
It’s probably even more important for your long-term success to take some time now to revisit why you are in business and what customers
Pursuing new customers in existing markets can be an expensive proposition if not done with proper planning, analysis and execution.
Well-run companies know that customer retention is critical to long term success as a business. For some companies, an annual increase of 1% in
While some distributors have spent time creating a value proposition that employees can recite by heart, when it comes time to really talk about