28 THE DISTRIBUTOR’S LINK Robert B. Footlik Robert B. Footlik is a licensed professional engineer. A graduate of Illinois Institute of Technology, he has worked extensively in the fields of material handling, plant layout, packaging and management systems. The firm of Footlik and Associates serves as staff warehousing and materials consultants to six trade associations. Footlik writes for 12 trade and professional journals. Footlik and Associates is located at 2521 Gross Point Road, Evanston, Illinois 60601; phone 847-328-5644. PREPARING THE WAREHOUSE FOR A NEW FRONTIER For many years we have contended that in a distribution business the warehouse is a marketing tool. Taking this approach implies that the warehouse should evolve as the marketing and philosophies of the distributor change. Today we are on the cusp of another huge paradigm change for the Fastener Distribution industry. With the growing proliferation of tablet computers and “cloud” based business software it is now possible to maintain and access virtually unlimited amounts of data, product information and “paperwork.” Think of the cloud as an off site resource where you can store all the information required for day to day business functions instead of using a limited on premises central server. While doing this is a huge step in terms of trusting that there will not be unauthorized access to the heart of your business there is no question that cloud storage is both viable and valuable…if used wisely. For around per year Google Applications business software provides more than adequate capacity for many Distributors for Email, collaboration, document storage, catalogs, quotations (including Engineered proposals) and price sheets. All of this is accessible using an iPad, Google Android based tablet or similar computer anywhere and everywhere a Wi-Fi or cellular connection is available. This means that every sales representative potentially has 24/7 access to all of the information required to successfully market and manage all their accounts for 0 or less. And if they should lose or break their device a trip to the local Best Buy, Radio Shack or an Internet vendor and 10 minutes with a free high speed connection at Starbucks will put them back in business. They can even access (on a limited basis) all their information using their cell phone. By adding links to vendor websites and scans of documents such as orders and correspondence everything a sales rep needs to actively service their customers in immediately available. Warehouse and inventory information availability is an obvious next step in this evolving process, but this requires a full commitment to controlling every aspect of the operation. Tapping into the Warehouse Management System (WMS) or computerized inventory is becoming more common and so is the need for reliability because any gap between the information and reality is glaringly obvious to both the sales staff who are making promises and the customers who expect those promises to be met…or exceeded. Quality Standards Internet providers have learned the hard way that satisfying customers is vital. With rating systems and on line forums, customers have a huge impact of success or failure in a massive potential marketplace. This raises the “bar” on quality enormously. Most Fastener Distributors are quite pleased with an accuracy rate of 98% and in the past this was attainable with relatively little effort. From the customer’s perspective this means that out of 100 orders two will be please turn to page 164
THE DISTRIBUTOR’S LINK 29
please turn to page 82
84 THE DISTRIBUTOR’S LINK Cable T
88 THE DISTRIBUTOR’S LINK MWFA -
THE DISTRIBUTOR’S LINK 91
THE DISTRIBUTOR’S LINK 93 Quantum
96 THE DISTRIBUTOR’S LINK John R.
THE DISTRIBUTOR’S LINK 101 QUESTI
104 THE DISTRIBUTOR’S LINK The Pe
108 THE DISTRIBUTOR’S LINK E-Z LO
110 THE DISTRIBUTOR’S LINK MAFDA
114 THE DISTRIBUTOR’S LINK Effect
120 THE DISTRIBUTOR’S LINK SEFA -
THE DISTRIBUTOR’S LINK 123
126 THE DISTRIBUTOR’S LINK At the
128 THE DISTRIBUTOR’S LINK NATION
THE DISTRIBUTOR’S LINK 131
THE DISTRIBUTOR’S LINK 137 BUSINE
THE DISTRIBUTOR’S LINK 139 Trinit
THE DISTRIBUTOR’S LINK 141 Trinit
THE DISTRIBUTOR’S LINK 143 Fascom
THE DISTRIBUTOR’S LINK 145 THE CU
THE DISTRIBUTOR’S LINK 149 J.W. W
THE DISTRIBUTOR’S LINK 153 Elgin
THE DISTRIBUTOR’S LINK 157 Spirol
THE DISTRIBUTOR’S LINK 161 Gary S
THE DISTRIBUTOR’S LINK 163 Recent
166 THE DISTRIBUTOR’S LINK REVIEW
THE DISTRIBUTOR’S LINK 169 NCFA -
THE DISTRIBUTOR’S LINK 171 Soluti
THE DISTRIBUTOR’S LINK 173 TELEFA
THE DISTRIBUTOR’S LINK 175 WIFI -
178 THE DISTRIBUTOR’S LINK NEFDA
THE DISTRIBUTOR’S LINK 181 Modern
THE DISTRIBUTOR’S LINK 183 Establ
186 THE DISTRIBUTOR’S LINK LESSON
THE DISTRIBUTOR’S LINK 189 Screw
THE DISTRIBUTOR’S LINK 191 FASTEN
THE DISTRIBUTOR’S LINK 193 TORQUE
THE DISTRIBUTOR’S LINK 195
198 THE DISTRIBUTOR’S LINK SURE T
THE DISTRIBUTOR’S LINK 201 MAFDA
THE DISTRIBUTOR’S LINK 203 THREE
206 THE DISTRIBUTOR’S LINK SCREW
210 THE DISTRIBUTOR’S LINK WHY
214 THE DISTRIBUTOR’S LINK Many Y
216 THE DISTRIBUTOR’S LINK Allegh
PORTEOUS FASTENER COMPANY OPEN HOUS
THE DISTRIBUTOR’S LINK 221 MFDA
224 THE DISTRIBUTOR’S LINK US LEG
THE DISTRIBUTOR’S LINK 227
230 THE DISTRIBUTOR’S LINK FASTEN
234 THE DISTRIBUTOR’S LINK B cont
236 THE DISTRIBUTOR’S LINK F cont
240 THE DISTRIBUTOR’S LINK S SARJ
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
SHARE A PAGE FROM THIS MAGAZINE OPTION 1: Click on the share tab above, or OPTION 2: Click on the icon (far right of toolbar) and then click on the icon (top right of the page). |
Copyright © Distributor's Link, Inc. All Rights Reserved | Privacy Policy