The Warehouse Automation Journey: Moving from understanding to action
When writing our book The Warehouse Revolution – Automate or Terminate, we were committed to creating a comprehensive overview of the warehouse automation space. We knew a rapidly growing number of companies were soon to embark on a challenging journey, yet they had no way to get up to speed quickly. Since its publication, and after multiple conversations with readers and corporate leaders, they most commonly ask: “Ok, now I...
Isn’t it time to differentiate equipment and parts sales?
In one of my past editions, I shared that dealers sometimes struggle to differentiate the role of an equipment sales rep and the role of a customer service sales representative. Too often, I see these positions rolled up into one function, and I believe these roles should always be separate functions and separate salespersons. Where an equipment salesperson’s objectives are the targeting and identifying of new equipment...
As the rental, financial and technology markets change, is your dealership?
Much is going on that impacts OEMs, Equipment Dealers, Financing Sources, and Customers. Inflation, supply chain disruptions, and geopolitical tension lead to cautious customer behavior, thus creating new levels of management manipulation to keep the ships upright. In addition to these significant disruptive sources, you add the risk associated with technology decisions, not only for your company but also for a high percentage of your...
Bringing dead customers back to life
You lost a customer. You’ve probably lost lots of customers. You don’t want to think about them. It’s painful. In fact, you’re reading this and have already had a few instant thoughts about this one or that one. Makes you mad, doesn’t it? They’re dead and buried in that great customer graveyard in the sky. A graveyard full of unfulfilled promises, screwed up deliveries, missed deadlines, wrong billing, crappy service… want me to keep...
Gordon Report: Will the U.S. Labor economy avoid brain death?
The Gordon Reports are based on over 30 years of research on the causes, effects, and solutions for continuing worldwide skills-jobs disconnects. For your convenience, here are the major publications that have reported on a burgeoning talent-deficit question: Closing the Literacy Gap in American Business, 1991 (adult reading) FutureWork, 1994, and Enhancing Learning in Training and Adult Education, 1998 (higher performing employer...
Non-compete Agreements: No longer enforceable
On April 23, 2024, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued a final rule. This rule promoted competition by banning non-competes nationwide to protect the fundamental freedom of workers to change jobs, foster new business formation, and increase innovation. The FTC estimates that business formation will increase by 2.7% per year. This ruling is also expected to increase wages for workers and lower healthcare costs over the next...
Centralized Warehouse Orchestration: Revolutionizing efficiency for shippers
The distribution process is burdened with consumer expectations demanding faster deliveries, warehouse labor shortages, scarcity of physical storage space, and siloed supply chain data. Companies are taxed to improve distribution and warehouse processes to improve customer satisfaction, lower costs, and increase productivity. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) have emerged as transformative technologies within the...