Blogs from Art Waskey

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Personalization in the Digital Era

Personalization Personalization is important to successful sales and customer service. Today, technology is rapidly transforming how personalization can enhance and cultivate customer relationships. Altering how we deliver service. Medicine is a case in point. The...

Cutting Dead Inventory Costs with Advanced Inventory Management

Reducing dead inventory is essential for distribution companies to stay competitive. As a senior executive, I once faced a period when our obsolete stock hit 5% of annual sales. To tackle this, I initiated weekly meetings with outside sales reps to review slow-moving...

To Retain Employees Look to your Managers

Look to your managers Managers are the link to employee retention. The management consulting firm Gallup specializes in the science of employee engagement. Also, their surveys have found that people don’t leave companies, they leave managers. If you have a turnover...

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AI and Marketing Productivity

Coming to your market Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications are rapidly infiltrating market spaces. McKinsey has declared that “AI is poised to disrupt marketing and sales in every sector.” The...

Value your Employees

Workers in the US labor market are on the move. A shortage of talent combined with greatly expanded job options has led to rapid employee turnover. Additionally, the US Bureau of Labor reported that...

Grow With Digitalization

A punch-card solution I have seen how digitalization has transformed society through my long and fulfilling career. I still have my first calling card that bears the title, “Sales Engineer, North...
Pricing — A Data-Driven Process

Pricing — A Data-Driven Process

Technology has changed the dynamics of pricing strategy. With digitalization, information is now readily available to measure customer performance....

Provide Expertise

Provide Expertise

Trusted Advisors We are all aware of how challenging the rapid pace of sales is in today’s digitized market. Also, changing customer expectations...

Your Technology IQ

Your Technology IQ

Digitization Digitization is the name of the game in today’s fast-paced world of sales. Technology options can seem overwhelming but to be...

The Satisfied Customer

The Satisfied Customer

The best measure of performance is a satisfied customer. Today’s digital business practices enable swifter transactions. However, they can be a...

A Happy Customer Base

A Happy Customer Base

Happy employees create happy customers. Don’t let employee complaints reach your customers’ ears. Optimize employee performance by providing your...

Goals and Motivation

Goals and Motivation

Motivation and Restraint John Grisham is one of my favorite writers. I only read his books on vacations because once started, I can’t stop. As a...

Strategic Communication

Strategic Communication

Implementation Forming and implementing an effective strategic plan is challenging. It takes building a good leadership team and developing a...

Promote Functional Leadership

Promote Functional Leadership

Leadership doesn’t just happen. To be functional it has to be promoted. Recently, in a Distributor Strategy Group webcast, Eric Chernik, CEO, of...

Know Your Stakeholders

Know Your Stakeholders

A Needle in a Haystack Today, finding the right product can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack. In your B2B business, how do you help...

Sell with Trust and Value

Sell with Trust and Value

Pitching your Products Today’s market is flooded with an array of goods and services. As a B2B seller, this makes pitching your products more...

Value your Employees

Value your Employees

Workers in the US labor market are on the move. A shortage of talent combined with greatly expanded job options has led to rapid employee turnover....

Perceived Value

Perceived Value

Personalize the Sale I have an older car which I use for fun when family comes to visit. As it gets only occasional use, the battery often needs...

Working on Retention

Working on Retention

Job-Hopping on the Rise Today's labor market is marked by a shortage of talent and many new job options. These factors enable younger employees to...

Maximizing Price Increase Attainment

Maximizing Price Increase Attainment

Pricing strategy One of the top distribution subjects in the last two years has been pricing strategy. In 2021 and through the first half of 2022,...

Adding Value with ERP

Adding Value with ERP

The ERP solution I consult with a supplier who offers a single, basic product. Nevertheless, while reviewing his strategic projects, I suggested he...

From Best Practices to Next Practices

From Best Practices to Next Practices

Changes and Challenges As 2022 comes to a close, it’s time to formulate a plan for 2023. I find that webcasts are a great way to acquire relevant...

The Digital Generation of Buyers

The Digital Generation of Buyers

Digital natives The pandemic impacted the role of the outside sales rep (See adjusting-to-changes-in-sales-process-relationships) but what about the...

The 5-Generation Legacy Rule

The 5-Generation Legacy Rule

In Baltimore City, Maryland, my father owned two 20-foot refrigerated displays in a store that sold meat. His five children learned how to develop a...

Customer Outcomes

Customer Outcomes

B2B buyers are doing a lot of purchasing online these days — about $1.6 trillion annually according to projections by Digital Commerce 360. Are...