Editorial
The rule of 28

Distribution management
The end of entitlements
Distributors who think they’re entitled to manufacturer co-op funds may be in for a rude awakening...

The perception factor
Strike three, you’re out!
This issue, Frank and Malcolm tackle the issue of what to do when a customer strikes you off its list of approved vendors...

Product sales training
Space for sale
Learning customer requirements for tool storage is the first step in providing the right tool for the job...

E-business
The end of the (paper) trail
Brown Transmission uses a Web-based system to track cost savings documentation...

Why ERP systems fail
Implementing and maintaining large scale Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software can require major dollar investments...

Online exclusives listed in this issue
Are you believable?
The degree to which your customer believes you will dramatically impact your success in sales. Five factors contribute to your believability...

Customers: Service the heck out of them
Do you know how much it costs to get a new customer? Do you know how long it takes, or how much effort goes into getting that first order?

The effect of foreign off-brands on industrial manufacturers and distributors
Some two decades ago, a seminal article by Jim Anderson and Jim Narus in the Harvard Business Review entreated manufacturers to “turn their distributors into partners.”