FALL 2024

40 THE DISTRIBUTOR’S

40 THE DISTRIBUTOR’S LINK Robert Footlik Robert B. Footlik, PE is a retired Professional Industrial Engineer. With over 50 years’ experience as a Warehouse and Logistics Consultant to a wide variety of clients including Fastener Distributors, Bob has a wealth of valuable information for our industry and he is willing to share it. While Footlik & Associates is now closed, his expertise is still available to his friends and our readers. For friendly advice, a second opinion or just to start a conversation, he can be reached at robert@footlik.net. THE “5-STAR” WAREHOUSE – THE VISION SEASON 1, EPISODE 1 I am not a big fan of TV. There are enough things going on in my life and spending time in front of an entertainment screen is not high priority. Moreover, I hate to get involved with serials that lead to “binge watching.” But there are exceptions, and the latest one is “The Bear” on Hulu. This series has been around for 3 years and 26 episodes. The basic premise is that a neurotic, but extraordinarily talented Chef inherits his family’s neighborhood beef and hot-dog sandwich shop in Chicago’s trendy River North area. The restaurant has not changed anything in years, it is staffed by seemingly mediocre (if not totally dysfunctional) people, has a clearly inadequate kitchen, numerous sanitation issues and a multitude of other problems. Carmine (Carmy) the “Chef,” however, has just returned from California where he was awarded a Michelin star rating for his employer and himself. He has a vision to transform his inheritance into a top rated Michelin 3-star, internationally recognized dining experience. Why would a story line filled with drama, suspense and totally neurotic and dysfunctional people interest me? Because as a warehouse consultant I have lived through this type of transition many times with my clients. Regardless of whether the client inherited the business, acquired it from someone, built a new facility or just has an inspiration, they decided to take their warehouse to a higher level of efficiency and operation. My role was to be the designer/translator/mentor to radical changes, just like Carmy experiences…but without the drama. There are 5-star hotels, resorts, hospitals, kennels and CONTRIBUTOR ARTICLE even nail spas. What makes these places so special that they receive national and even international recognition? No one rates warehouses…yet. Nevertheless, there are many reasons why every Fastener Distributor should be striving for excellence and even perfection. If your warehouse or business has existed for many years without change or evolution then you are overdue for a complete makeover. It may be a long, expensive and difficult path, but fulfilling your vision of excellence has some incredibly impressive rewards. Trust me and follow the journey for a season of episodes. The New Vision Oddly enough, The Vision is not about cost cutting, efficiency or any of the traditional accounting and industrial engineering parameters. You simply want to become the paragon of perfection in an imperfect world. Along the way your goal is that you…and everyone who works with you… goes from dreading the morning alarm clock to anticipating the start of a brand new, exciting and rewarding day. This has absolutely nothing to do with money. Your Vision is to help everyone around you achieve his or her highest potential. If some outside critics, your customers and the readers of Distributor’s Link Magazine recognize this achievement, you will have succeeded beyond your aspirations. Forget posting signs on the wall reading, “Time is Money.” What really has meaning is that “Every Second Counts.” It is not just about working conditions, this is about LIFE! CONTINUED ON PAGE 108