June 1, 2007
Articles
HARDI Expands Its Presence in China
Summer is officially underway, and my term as president of HARDI is more than half over. So far, it has been fast-paced and exciting with no shortage...
The Coaching World, Part II
Wow, this coaching thing has taken on a life of its own. If you recall from the last issue, I'm intrigued by the potential impact coaches can provide...
Staying Ahead of the Technology Curve
In an industry like HVACR where change is a constant, wholesalers can't afford to stand still. New products and technologies require continuous learning,...
Engineered to Be Easy
Al Zelczer saw the zoning business in the mid-1980s as a largely untapped and underappreciated segment of the HVACR market. A retired electrical contractor,...
The Parts Supply Business: The OEM Way
The long-standing clich of your best customers are the ones you already have has become such a common utterance because it's true. As marketing experts...
HARDI Membership, and Why It Really Matters!
The National Wholesale Hardware Association was, at one time, a certified monster in the world of distribution trade associations. So big, in fact, that...
One Size Definitely Does Not Fit All
Jump back about one year to the conclusion of the Northeast/Mid-Atlantic Regional Meeting. Turnout for this meeting was less than projected, so concerned...
Mentors Can Be Great Keys to Success
It was 1979. As an industry rookie, I was attending my second annual NHRAW convention, having joined the family business at Brauer Supply Co. in St. Louis,...
Adding Value to HARDI
Adding value to any process takes time, effort and the realization that we cannot ignore any of these steps if we want to succeed. I have been the chair...
Customer Contribution Ranking the New Gross Margin
Eliminate the middleman and save! I cringe every time I hear the phrase. Those of us in wholesale distribution know nothing could be further from the...
Marketing Strategies
There I am at the ACCA Conference, attempting to sound intelligent to the clearly dealer asking for marketing advice. Two great difficulties right off...
Smart Products and Literature
Get it all at Neuco! Taking into consideration the Invensys merger with TAC this year, rest assured you can still order all their respective lines from...
The Big Box Supply Saga
A wholesale distributor said to me the other day, You know, it's all about relationships in this business. How true that is, and it caused me to reflect...
