By Nancy Friedman: founder and chairman of Telephone Doctor Customer Service Training

There certainly are times when we don’t get a person’s name at the start of the call, or of course, even in person.

This month, APPI's Energy Update will focus on the value-add components that they provide clients as related to energy supply contracts. As with most contracts, these can be cumbersome. In an effort to make this content more digestible, APPI has provided a terminology “cheat sheet” to help you know the key areas to focus on when reviewing contracts.  As a benefit to our members, APPI can audit your energy costs.  To learn more about this and other benefits available to our members, click here and log in.

Read on for NAW's Government Relations Update 2021-25 - October 22, 2021:

1. Latest on Reconciliation/Build Back Better (BBB) and the Infrastructure Bill (BIF)

Caleb Rier, lead quality control tech and warehouse supervisor for Empire Bolt & Screw (Spokane, Washington) has been awarded an NFDA scholarship for Fastener Training Week, an advanced fastener technical training program produced by the Fastener Training Institute®.

Scholarship applicants were evaluated based on the recommendations from their employers, personal achievements, work experience, and an essay. Identifying information was redacted so that the team evaluating the applications did not know the names or employers of those applying.

With YRC Freight, shipping to Alaska is simple.  NFDA members receive a discounted rate with YRC.

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Franksville, WI, March 2, 2021 – All Integrated Solutions (AIS), a division of MSC Industrial Supply Co. (NYSE: MSM), today announced that it has moved into a new distribution center in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul, Minn. metro area. The new facility, located at 10680 Fountains Drive in Maple Grove, covers 52,000 square feet and is 170 percent larger than the company’s previous distribution center in nearby New Brighton.

The new facility features a state-of-the-art warehouse system utilizing narrow aisles, wire-guided material handling equipment and 32-foot ceilings to improve storage efficiency.

“In response to growing customer demand, we are pleased to move into a larger distribution center that can accommodate our warehouse and kitting capacity needs to better serve assembly and manufacturing customers in the Greater Minneapolis/St. Paul metro area and beyond,” said AIS President Nick Ruetz.

In addition to the new facility in Maple Grove, Minn., AIS operate eight facilities in Franksville, Wisconsin; Fargo, North Dakota; Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Grand Rapids, Michigan; Traverse City, Michigan; Connersville, Indiana; Atlanta, Georgia and Monterrey, Mexico.

(May 12, 2021) – Field Fastener has been named to Inc. magazine’s annual list of the Best Workplaces for 2021. The list is the result of a wide-ranging and comprehensive measurement of American companies that have created exceptional workplaces and company culture whether teams are operating in person or remotely.

Collecting data from thousands of submissions, Inc. singled out 429 honorees this year. Each nominated company took part in an employee survey, conducted by Quantum Workplace, on topics including management effectiveness, perks, and fostering employee growth. The organization’s benefits were also audited to determine the company’s overall score and ranking.

Franksville, WI, May 26, 2021 – All Integrated Solutions (AIS), a division of MSC Industrial Supply Co., announced that it has received an Outstanding Quality Award from Motus Integrated Technologies for a second consecutive year. The award recognizes AIS for shipping more than 10,000,000 pieces with zero defects in 2020 to Motus, a Tier 1 and Tier 2 supplier of automotive interior products to the world’s automakers.

"Although the global pandemic created many challenges for companies in 2020, the entire AIS team was focused and worked hard to ensure that our customers received best-in-class products and service throughout the year. Being recognized by a leading company like Motus for our efforts is very special and rewarding for our team." stated AIS President Nick Ruetz.

From the NAW Blog:

Personalization is table stakes for any successful e-commerce website that offers more than a handful of products. As the diversity of products grows and each item becomes more targeted in use, it’s not practical to present one’s full selection to all customers (i.e., “Results 1-25 of 151,432 products”). It falls to site merchandisers to refine those results and decide which products to present to each customer.

Applications are now open for the Gilchrist Foundation scholarship!  This scholarship is open to students who are interested in pursuing a career in the fastener industry following graduation, or children who have one or more parents employed in the fastener industry.  Applications are due May 31, 2021.  Click here to learn more and download the application.

From the NAW Blog:

The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the supply chain linger in 2021. The most visible challenge for distributors has been extended lead times, which means frustrating backorders for customers who need product now — and not three weeks from now. That’s unlikely to change soon.

From the NAW Blog:

Distributors are well-positioned to work intimately with key customers. They can devote the time and resources to engage proactively with customers to understand needs and goals. They can analyze both transactional and customer-provided data to generate industry-specific insights, develop robust benchmarks (in the form of spending patterns seen across similarly grouped customers) and tailor advice to match customer objectives. The benefits of doing so are immense.

We are proud to announce the assignment of Rick Rudolph Associates to promote IFE products in New England.

Rick Rudolph Associates is a Manufacturer’s Representative Agency representing the highest quality manufacturers, master distributors, and importers of the finest products and services to New England’s distributors. Rick Rudolph Associates, based in Melrose, MA, has a team of experts that can provide the resources and solutions you need to get the job done right.

Advance Components is proud to announce a new partnership with Gage Bilt, a top manufacturer of rivet and lockbolt installation tools and components. Advance will now stock Gage Bilt’s extensive line of pneudraulic, hydraulic and pneumatic tools.

Since 1956, Gage Bilt has been manufacturing economically-priced, heavy duty riveters to install a wide variety of aerospace and commercial fasteners. Gage Bilt tools are ergonomically designed for fast installations, reduced hand fatigue, and simple maintenance. Gage Bilt tools can be used to install fasteners from POP®, Avedel®, Cherry® and Huck®.

NFDA members receive discounted shipping through YRC.  Click here to learn more about how YRC can help take care of your freight needs.

From the NAW Blog:

It’s no secret that for years most distributors have neglected core sales skills training for their sellers. There are several reasons for this benign neglect of sales skills investment. First, historically, industrial B2B buyers didn’t necessarily need a highly skilled seller. Their purchases were largely needs-driven — not discretionary — and so the core need was product or technical expertise and order fulfillment. For this reason, virtually all systematic sales training in distribution was focused on products and applications (not selling skills or competencies).

From the NAW Blog:

During and after extreme disruption, such as that caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the thought of doing a performance assessment can be overwhelming. However, taking a microscope to performance in a time of crisis can tell us more about our core underlying capabilities than in a time of stability.

From the NAW Blog:

In our book for NAW, "Optimizing Distributor Profitability: Best Practices to a Stronger Bottom Line," we present 47 best practices for distributors to apply in their businesses, along with plentiful resources and examples for mastering the process. However, we’re aware that just crossing the starting line can be a challenge — especially in such uncertain times.

From the NAW Blog:

In recent years, inside sales has emerged as a highly profitable channel for distributors. “When appropriately utilized, inside sales reduces cost-of-sales by 40%–90% relative to field sales, while revenues may be maintained or even grown,” according to the Harvard Business Review. Selling more while spending less sounds great, but it is much easier said than done.

From the NAW Blog:

By adopting a new mindset, distributors have the opportunity to break free of the chains that bind them to meager margins and feeble brands. That mindset is about believing that they can do more than survive. Distributors can dominate!