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The pressure to win business in the distribution and manufacturing sectors is fierce. For many companies, just being able to hold onto existing market share—much less stimulating growth—poses enough of a challenge. Often, business leaders aren’t aware of the multiple ways in which strategic pricing can directly help them achieve their goals–and they are equally […]

Over the last few years, distributors have had more than their fair share of challenges, ranging from supply chain disruptions and inventory issues to unpredictable consumer behaviors and labor shortages. Market indicators suggest these disruptions are here to stay, and the businesses that thrive are those that take this “new normal” into account when revising […]

“Know Your Customer.” Deeply ingrained in the minds of those in the financial sector, this widely held business principle is a nod to best practices centered on various analyses and regulatory compliance procedures designed to mitigate risk introduced by customers into the business model. Customer segmentation models, also commonly referred to as “customer stratification” produce […]

In many cases, sales strategies designed to drive ambitious rates of growth in top line revenue have an underlying supporting tactic: maintaining maximum customer demand satisfaction regardless of the customer profile. This tactic is executed by a robust investment in inventory to meet the widest spectrum of customer preferences. If you think that investing in […]

Business intelligence for manufacturers is becoming more accessible as technology evolves. And today, a top business intelligence strategy–item stratification–is no longer a best-kept secret for how manufacturing businesses are growing profitably. Many in the manufacturing space are adopting both item and customer stratification as they move toward profitable growth, and this blog will cover ways […]

The overriding message from the 2024 NAW Executive Summit this year had a lot to do with the economic forecast for the next seven years. “Planning ahead” doesn’t mean mapping out a strategy for the next few years. Instead, leaders need to lay the appropriate groundwork in 2024 and even 2025 in preparation for what […]

As manufacturers plan for optimal organizational performance, priority should be given to understanding the role their inventory plays in overall growth and profit generation. And it’s through regular use of predictive analytics that manufacturers are able to perform smart inventory analysis and associated decision making.  Item stratification is one type of predictive analysis. Item stratification […]

When an ERP system is implemented effectively, it can become the foundation for performance excellence — ”foundation” being the operative word. However, out-of-the box functionality can only go so far. Investing in the right business improvement applications to augment your ERP’s standard capabilities can produce a game-changing combination that in the end fuels both growth […]

Manufacturing optimization is defined as the practice of utilizing data to build better products more efficiently, all with the goal of creating and sustaining a competitive advantage. Applying manufacturing optimization methodologies to core functions such as inventory management will, in the end, drive top-line revenue and bottom-line profit. It’s a smart investment that will future-proof your […]

Who would have thought a term like “supply chain”, traditionally reserved for business and boardroom discussions, would become a topic du jour with the average consumer? It has–and not because it’s an overly compelling topic. “Supply chain” is now part of our everyday dialogue because almost everyone felt the impact of interruptions when the pandemic […]