Category Archives: Index

114. Reviews on Best Distributor Web Sites: MSC Industrial, Crescent Electric, Essendant, Hajoca, et. al.

AmazonBusiness, Big Data, Distribution Industry Sales, Distribution Strategy, Index, Line Item Profit Analytics, LIPA, Profit Analytics, WayPoint Analytics

Must-Read Blog Series

Go to this link for an article on MSC Industrial and Crescent Electric:

digitalcommerce360.com

Pay attention to the specific features, benefits and design guidelines that are reported. Consider doing the same for the reviews for: Essendant’s (8/9); Hajoca’s (8/28); Cardinal Health’s (8/31); Univar’s (7/30); and Blair Candy (7/25: small-firm story!) Continue reading 114. Reviews on Best Distributor Web Sites: MSC Industrial, Crescent Electric, Essendant, Hajoca, et. al. →

113. It’s Human Nature to Resist Analytical Opportunities

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

Moneyball and Astroball Lessons

The book Moneyball was published in 2003. At the time, Major League Baseball (MLB) managers despised it, because the book made them look like old-school ignoramuses. A highly-recommended new take published in July 2018 and titled Astroball, summarizes the league’s transition since 2003.

Here are a few key points from the book: Continue reading 113. It’s Human Nature to Resist Analytical Opportunities →

112. Investment News for Winning at Cloud Ecommerce in 2021

2020 Companies, AmazonBusiness, Concierge Customer Service, Core Renewal, Distribution Industry Sales, Distribution Strategy, Index, WayPoint Analytics

Who Will Control Millennial Buyers’ Clickstream In 2021?

Millennials are now: 19-36; glued to their smartphones; overwhelmingly Amazon Prime Members; and rating their Amazon App as most valuable and frequently used.

They want their Amazon B2C shopping experience on the job. 73% of all present, B2B buying decisions involve a millennial. 33% of final purchasing decisions are made by a millennial (and climbing!).

Whoever controls Millennials’ digital shopping journeys in 2021 can capture and monetize their clickstream data. Will all verticals that sell anything to Millennials be paying advertising fees to AMZ? Recent news suggests: not without a battle for eyes.    Continue reading 112. Investment News for Winning at Cloud Ecommerce in 2021 →

111. Re-Tune Your Vision, Strategy, Analytics, and Culture

Big Data, Concierge Customer Service, Core Renewal, Distribution Industry Sales, Distribution Strategy, Index, Profit Analytics, Service Value Innovation Guidelines, Supply Chain Partners, WayPoint Analytics

Problem: Most Distributors Can’t Do Needle-Moving Change

B2B Cloud Commerce will be shaking business models in most channels by 2021. But, many distributors can only fine tune their past. Why? Check the fuzz factor on these four vitals: vision; strategy; innovation metrics; and can-do culture.

A Vision That Engages All Employees (and Stakeholder Groups)

What would employees think if you told them that: Continue reading 111. Re-Tune Your Vision, Strategy, Analytics, and Culture →

110. Know and Partner Your Top 2% Highest Profit Value Accounts

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

Big-Accounts Range Widely in Net Profitability

Distributors! When you rank your customers by net-profitability, and then keep segmenting, you can find some amazing facts:

    • Pareto’s law applies to big accounts, but only for margin dollars, not for profits! The biggest 20% of companies will contribute around 80% of gross-margin dollars.
    • Only a third of the big accounts are net-profitable, and they range from amazingly so to modestly so.
    • The middle third will be around break-even before deducting sales commissions and modest losers after deducting commissions.
  • The bottom third are losers before commissions due to excessive activity costs for, usually for small-dollar picks and orders
  • A few may be shockingly unprofitable.

Continue reading 110. Know and Partner Your Top 2% Highest Profit Value Accounts →

109. Astroball: Taking Lessons from the Analytical Champs

Big Data, Core Renewal, Cost-to-Serve Math, Distribution Industry Sales, Distribution Strategy, Index, Line Item Profit Analytics, LIPA, Profit Analytics, WayPoint Analytics

Baseball’s Begrudging Adoption of Analytics

Since the book Moneyball was published in 2003, all professional sports have embraced analytics, but none more than baseball.

Baseball executives initially hated the book Moneyball because it made them look incompetent. Then, one-by-one teams started to experiment with analytics; in particular, two teams with new owners who had gotten rich using analytics elsewhere. Continue reading 109. Astroball: Taking Lessons from the Analytical Champs →