Category Archives: Index

127. Old Beliefs v Your 2019 Strategic Plans

2020 Companies, Core Renewal, Distribution Industry Sales, Distribution Strategy, Index, Service Value Innovation Guidelines, WayPoint Analytics

FINE-TUNE 2018; OR, REAL CHANGE?

If your distributorship is a top 5% performer due to perpetual innovation, keep innovating in 2019. If your financial returns are in a low-level rut with an unchanging, aging sales force – then change your belief system to change your results. Continue reading 127. Old Beliefs v Your 2019 Strategic Plans →

126. Weak ROI on Analytics? Very Common! So?

2020 Companies, Big Data, Index, Line Item Profit Analytics, LIPA, Profit Analytics, WayPoint Analytics

ERNST YOUNG (EY) SURVEY RESULTS

A recent EY survey (11-6-18) of bigger companies (than typical distributors) revealed that:

  1. 80% of firms see big upside potential with analytics, but can’t get results. There is a gap between insights and action not taken by employees.
  2. 56% said a culture of decision-making by intuition ruled. (Any intuitive account-call planning going on at your company?)
  3. 60% cited lack of budget and organizational commitment as the biggest pain point.
  4. 67% plan to hire more analytical talent
  5. But, 80% can’t find the talent they need.

Continue reading 126. Weak ROI on Analytics? Very Common! So? →

125. Rent An Analytics Champ To Jumpstart a Renewal

AmazonBusiness, Big Data, Core Renewal, Cost-to-Serve Math, Index, Line Item Profit Analytics, LIPA, Profit Analytics, WayPoint Analytics

Baseball’s Lessons For Distributors

Two books document the rise of game-changing analytics within major league baseball (MLB): Moneyball (’03) and the highly-recommended, Astroball (7/18)[i]. The 2018 MLB playoffs featured the best, most analytically-empowered teams (along with big-talent payrolls).

Studies on MLB analytics departments from ’03 to ’18 reveal that: Continue reading 125. Rent An Analytics Champ To Jumpstart a Renewal →

123. Teach Customers To Be Better, Win-Win Buyers

Big Data, Concierge Customer Service, Cost-to-Serve Math, Distribution Industry Sales, Distribution Strategy, Index, WayPoint Analytics

Customers Aren’t Equally Effective Buyers

Customer profitability analytics reveals a wide range of buyer effectiveness. And, SKU profitability analytics measurably pinpoints the root causes for their variances in hidden, unnecessary buying activity and servicing costs.

Customers also vary in their openness to changing how they buy to achieve: Continue reading 123. Teach Customers To Be Better, Win-Win Buyers →

122. Amazon News; Uberization of Local Deliveries?

AmazonBusiness, Concierge Customer Service, Distribution Industry Sales, Distribution Strategy, Index, Profit Analytics, Service Value Innovation Guidelines, Supply Chain Partners, WayPoint Analytics

“The future is already here — it’s just not very evenly distributed.” – William Gibson

AMAZON’S LAST MILE, LOGISTICS NEWS

    1. (Oct. 10) “The USPS seeks a 12.3% price increase” on the 40% of AMZ’s packages that it delivers. AMZ suggests that the projected $1B cost increase won’t matter in 2019. (?)
    2. (10/17) Hiring “Seasonal Delivery Associates” (for $17.25/hour). Doesn’t this compete with AMZ’s new “Delivery Partners” (6/28)? The Partner start-ups will use the 20K (initially 4.5K) of leased Mercedes Sprinter Vans. Perhaps: a) shipments are growing faster than total delivery capacity. Or, b) AMZ believes it can innovate lower last-mile costs than the USPS, etc.
    3. (11/5/18) Free holiday shipping for all (matches Target’s promotion). AMZ will win any battle of fulfillment-cost attrition because: a) It has best customer clickstream advertising income and b) most efficient warehouse costs.

Continue reading 122. Amazon News; Uberization of Local Deliveries? →

121. Full-Employment Woes? Reinvent Service-Value!

2020 Companies, Concierge Customer Service, Core Renewal, Cost-to-Serve Math, Index, WayPoint Analytics

Nov 2, 2018 Employment News

 250,00 new jobs were added to the economy in October. Unemployment dropped to 3.7%: a 40-year low. Yearly wages increased 3.1%: the biggest gain since the financial meltdown 10 years ago. The best young employees are starting to job-shop and hop. Besides more pay, smart ones want:

  1. A believable and engaging vision, strategy, and culture – that will reward all stakeholders.
  2. And, personally: job security, pride, education, growth – all with great team satisfaction.

Continue reading 121. Full-Employment Woes? Reinvent Service-Value! →