Industrial Distribution back issues from August 1996:
Distributors rate their priorities.
Aug 01, 1996; ... Customer service, cutting costs and finding your niche are top distributor concerns in IBM studyNEWTON, MASS. - With the continuing pressures being placed on industrial distributors, it's essential they focus on improving customer service. That's the result of a recent survey of ...
DREF report to highlight NIBA Annual Convention. (Distribution Research & Education Foundation; National Industrial Belting Association)
Aug 01, 1996 ... TUSCON, ARIZ. - Charlie Blanchard, executive vice president of the National Industrial Belting Assn., is a little about this year's Annual Convention, to be held at the Westin La Paloma in Tuscon, Ariz., Sept. 13-16. Judging by last year's turnout in Hilton Head, S.C., he has reason to be ....
Finding your focus. (specialty distribution)
Aug 01, 1996; ... There's no easy answer in deciding whether to specialize or broaden your product baseRichard Hall, president of PRC Industrial Supply in Portland, Maine, has experienced life as both a general line distributor and a specialist. PRC, formerly Portland Rubber Company, started out as ...
Married to the job. (Shearer Industrial Supply Co. Pres. Andy Shearer)(includes related article on Shearer's job training)(Cover Story)
Aug 01, 1996; ... Andy Shearer has proven that determination and dedication are key to running a successful businessSix years ago, Andy Shearer decided to tie the knot and get married. After a long courtship, he was convinced it was the right thing to do. There was no formal ceremony, no fancy ...
Turning caves into cash. (warehouse restructuring)(includes related article on warehouse staff development)
Aug 01, 1996; ... Revamping old warehouses results in better productivity and happier workersEd Madsen still remembers the old days, when he journeyed up tall flights of stairs and down long, dead-end aisles in search of a single fastener part. Sometimes the trek would take as much as 15 minutes, ...
Computerized warehouse management: not for everyone.
Aug 01, 1996 ... In some cases computerized warehouse management systems may make a big impact on performance, but with costs of up to $100,000 or more for the most intricate systems distributors should consider wisely before making such a purchase."Most industrial distributors already have ...
Competitive intelligence: a key to market advantage. (interview with competitive intelligence expert George Barto)(Interview)
Aug 01, 1996 ... Knowing what's going on in the marketplace and how it can impact your business is crucialGeorge Barto has spent 20 years in the field of competitive intelligence, the major portion of that time with IBM Corp., gathering strategic marketplace information both domestically and ...
What are your goals? (written sales goals)
Aug 01, 1996; ... Putting your ambitions on paper is a necessary step to successful sellingA few years ago, Time magazine published a national survey reporting that only three percent of those surveyed had written personal goals. The others either had no goals or had only thought about them. ...
Forever learning. (GOJO Industries' relations with distributors)
Aug 01, 1996; ... For half a century, distributor training has been key to manufacturer successWhen we got our business started 50 years ago, we didn't know what manufacturers' agents were. We learned quickly how important they were as a link between us and our distributors. During World War II, I ...
Get your free Web browser software. (World Wide Web browsers)
Aug 01, 1996; ... Aside from Netscape and Miscrosoft, there are a multitude of browser opportunitiesUnless your experience with the Internet is limited solely to e-mail, you're undoubtedly familiar with Web browsers, the programs that enable the tapping of the Internet's vast resources.In ...
Hitting the future head-on. (Ace Hose and Rubber Co.'s home page)
Aug 01, 1996; ... A home page can take your business to new heightsThe Internet is a new frontier, and one that should not be dismissed by distributors. Ace Hose and Rubber Co. realized this over a year ago, and has since boosted business by developing a home page on the World Wide Web. Though many ...
Making money with metrics. (metric fasteners; Universal Supply & Tool)
Aug 01, 1996 ... Universal Supply & Tool is catering to the growing need for metric fastenersThe debate over metrics has simmered for years, and it's likely to be the topic of conversation for a long time to come. But there's no controversy at Universal Supply & Tool, a division of the Universal ...
Fastening business ties. (business alliances)
Aug 01, 1996 ... Consortiums help fastener distributors retain existing business and lock up new accountsThe general theory behind the emergence of consortiums and alliances is that they allow distributors to maintain existing customers wishing to consolidate their buying tasks - and in that way ...
Fastener sales on the Internet. (Duncan Bolt Co.)
Aug 01, 1996 ... Distributors see future revenues from electronic commerceJust a few months ago, when Duncan Bolt Co. decided to put a home page on the Internet, it was one of a handful of companies to do so. Now, less than half a year later, at least three dozen additional fastener ...