| December 26, 2012 | News for the wholesale distribution industry |
 |  |
| Top Story |  |  |
|
- Airgas chairman: Uncertainty, weak growth plague economy
The economy expanded by a greater-than-expected rate of 3.1% in the third quarter, but growth is predicted to dip to 1.4% this quarter, analysts say. The "fiscal cliff" is among factors, companies say, leading them to act cautiously. "The customer feedback we're getting is that no one wants to make a decision," Airgas Chairman Peter McCausland said. "We're always hanging on by our fingernails in this particular quarter." Bloomberg
(12/20)     
| Operations and Technology | | |
|
- Why BYOD isn't all about IT
Technology administrators need to loosen their stranglehold on bring-your-own-device decision-making and recognize that IT needs are only one of several important factors that play into decisions such as tablet purchases, analysts say. When deciding which tablets to distribute to workers, who should get them and what applications they should sport, IT should follow a series of simple steps to ensure that business leaders and employees feel they are part of the process, write Ted Schadler and Simon Yates of Forrester Research. CIO.com
(12/21)
| Sales and Marketing | | |
|
- Get your inside sales team back on track
If your inside sales team isn't doing a good job of generating leads, the first step is to figure out what's going wrong, writes Belinda Summers. "You cannot really come up with a business solution if you have no idea what the problem was in the first place." One potential issue may be that team members are not cooperating with one another, she notes. B2C Marketing Insider
(12/18)
| The Business Leader | | |
|
- End-of-year feedback? You're doing it wrong
Bosses who hold year-end reviews for their workers are approaching feedback in the wrong way, writes Denis Wilson. Feedback should be a continuous process of praise and gradual course-correction, not a once-a-year blowout event. "Dropping bombs on employees once or twice a year only serves to build up pressure and make feedback sessions feel like indictments," Wilson writes. Fast Company online
(12/20)
- Good leaders are great communicators
Would-be leaders should prioritize developing their communication skills, writes Gretchen Rosswurm. That means mastering public speaking and interpersonal communication skills. "You may be hired for what you know, but you'll be promoted for your ability to influence people," Rosswurm writes. SmartBrief/SmartBlog on Leadership
(12/18)
| NAW Insider | | |
|
-
Optimizing Distributor Profitability -- 47 best practices from 84 real distributors
Optimizing Distributor Profitability: Best Practices to a Stronger Bottom Line features 47 best practices and 50 action steps, and every one was developed from actual experiences with 84 real wholesale distribution firms. This groundbreaking research study is not academic model or theory. It is a powerful weapon for you to use to enhance your shareholder value. Don't wait; order it today.
|
-
Build, Fix, or Terminate: How to maintain profitable supplier relations
"Build, Fix, or Terminate" is about distributor and manufacturer working relationships and how, if properly managed, they can lead to profit and business success. It recommends how to build and sustain successes; fix emerging conflicts; and, if necessary, terminate unfortunate working relationships that just won't function -- if they ever worked properly in the past. It's a must-read for distributors and manufacturers.
| SmartQuote | | |
|
 | In seed time learn, in harvest teach, in winter enjoy."
--William Blake,
British poet and painter
|
| |
| |
|
Read more at SmartBrief.com |
|
A powerful website for SmartBrief readers including:
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
| | Recent NAW SmartBrief Issues:
- Monday, December 24, 2012
- Friday, December 21, 2012
- Thursday, December 20, 2012
- Wednesday, December 19, 2012
- Monday, December 17, 2012
| | | Lead Editor: James daSilva
Mailing Address:
SmartBrief, Inc.®, 555 11th ST NW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20004 | |
| |
|
| © 1999-2013 SmartBrief, Inc.® Legal Information |
|
