Monthly Archives: July 2021

251. Distributors’ Financial-Management Blind Spots

The 2nd in a series of blogs on: “Rethinking Business Assumptions and Models”

The Origins of Financial (Beliefs) Management   

Financial reporting for business has been complexifying (and increasing in cost) since 1494 when: double-entry-accounting and the balance sheet were invented. Since we swim in financial numbers, it’s the language of business and blinds us to believing in and using other insightful analytics.

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250. Rethink Your Business Assumptions and Models

Change With Your Key Partners’ Digital Desires

Barcodes sparked major, model-changes in the ‘80s for both drug and grocery distributors. Regular-calling reps gave way to: sole-supply, integrated, automated, replenishment systems. And, many extra services were unbundle for fees. 95% of the existing distributors didn’t change and disappeared. This model has since spread into other channels, especially with repetitive commodity buying.

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249. Rethink “Digital” with Customer Advisory Boards (CABs)

My CABs Changed My Distributorship

In the early ‘80’s, I bought a multi-location, contractor-supply distributor. The employees were panicked about the new owner from outside the industry. But, thanks to CABs, we all won big.

I did a customer-profitability, ranking report. Sorted best customers into segments. Ranked the segments by net-profits. Then, visited five, most-progressive-and-ambitious customers in our best segment. Together, we redefined “service excellence” by 8 metrics. My employees got stoked to achieve perfect service. We proceeded to dominate one target-niche after another. We stole only the most, net-profitable (and growing) customers from our unfocused competitors.

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