News and Trends

• Strong demand boosts Graybar in '06
  Graybar Electric Co. Inc. says it tripled its profits in 2006, crediting increased demand for electrical and telecommunications network products, an upswing in the economy and a higher price point for its products. Sales increased in the areas of electrical contractors, commercial and industrial companies, and voice and data communications organizations. American City Business Journals/St. Louis (3/14)

• Sysco to build redistribution center in Indiana
  Sysco Corp. said it has purchased land in Hamlet, Ind., which it plans to use for its new Midwest Cooperative Redistribution Center. The foodservice wholesaler-distributor is expected to break ground on the 700,000-square-foot building this summer and be finish construction in 12 to 18 months. The center is expected to create around 500 jobs. The Indianapolis Star/Associated Press (3/14)

• Companies crack down on 401(k) fees
  As Congress and regulators probe the justification of expenses tagged on to 401(k) savings plans, some employers are ditching the high-cost funds and replacing them with less-expensive investment options. Companies are also getting more aggressive in negotiating lower fees with the companies and making sure employees understand what fees they are paying. The Wall Street Journal (subscription required) (3/14)

WHITE PAPER: Optimizing Business Processes To Increase Profitability. Are you trying to reduce the capital investment in stock across the supply chain and decrease overhead costs? Learn more about how you can optimize your logistics processes. Download this case study today.

Best Practices

• Are you prepared for an RFID revolution?
  RFID has yet to become the shipping logistics powerhouse it was projected to be, but it may become a standard sooner rather than later, with companies such as Wal-Mart and agencies including the U.S. Department of Defense issuing RFID mandates. Shipping companies should prepare for this change by updating technology systems; determining areas of the supply chain where data collection is difficult; and testing new products. Logistics Management (free registration) (3/1)

• Improving productivity in product services
  Services operations are variable, and measuring their performance is complex. But a company can raise their productivity by managing demand, assigning tasks by the cost of resources, and increasing labor's efficiency. The McKinsey Quarterly (free registration for SmartBrief readers) (2/2007)

	Wholesale Distributor Cuts Invoice Costs by 50% Learn why Main Electric Supply (wholesale distributor) outsourced the sending of invoices to Transcepta with this Customer Case Study. Leading distributors are reducing costs and hassle driven by high invoice volumes. Request a brochure to learn more about Transcepta including its unique remote web install that takes just an hour.
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Sales

• How to handle low-performers
  Sales is not a profession that lends itself to underperformers or the unmotivated, but if you find yourself with reps who fit those descriptions, work with them to set achievable goals or let them shadow a leading salesperson. Be prepared to let them go if these tactics fail to work, and always be on the lookout for new reps, so you are ready with a replacement. SalesForceXP (3/2007)

Hot Topics

Top five news stories selected by NAW SmartBrief readers in the past week.

• Wolseley eyes the future (Daily Press (Newport News/Hampton, Va.))

• More businesses get lean (DC Velocity)

• Stuart C. Irby signs distribution agreement with Allen-Bradley (Modern Distribution Management)

• Univar enters deal to buy ChemCentral (PCTonline.com)

• Improve customer service by knowing what customers want (Supply House Times magazine)

• Results based on number of times each story was clicked by readers.

Small Business Manager

• Don't let tax day sneak up on you
  Keep complete and organized financial records for your small business year-round to lessen the headache of filing tax returns on time. Affordable record-keeping software is readily available for small businesses, or you can hire a third party, such as a staffing agency or a local accounting student, to keep the records updated for you. MSNBC/Associated Press (2/23)

Executive Life

• Starving for your favorite hometown food? Order it online
  What happens if you move from Philadelphia and get in desperate need of a Philly Cheese Steak? More online food stores are specializing in shipping regional favorites around the country to home-sick customers who need a little comfort food. Contra Costa Times (Walnut Creek, Calif.)/Associated Press (3/16)

• Folgers eases stomach woes with Simply Smooth coffee
  Folgers' newest coffee, Simply Smooth, is marketed as a coffee for those whose stomachs need something gentler than a traditional brew. It's the first major manufacturer tapping into the niche market of easy-on-the-stomach coffee. The New York Times (3/14)

	The Buzz(CORPORATE ANNOUNCEMENTS) Effective Pricing Management Leads to Greater Profits Learn pricing principles that can have an immediate impact on the profitability of your business in Strategies for Driving Profitable Revenue Growth for Distributors: Today and Tomorrow, a joint Webinar from pricing experts PROS® and Advanous® on March 28th at 2pm (EST). Please click here to register. Interested in learning more about advertising in NAW SmartBrief? Contact Henry Murphey at (202) 737-5500 ext. 245 or hmurphey@smartbrief.com

NAW Insider

• Visa and MasterCard announce national processing rate changes
  Visa/MasterCard announced nationwide interchange rate increases effective April 2007. If you accept credit cards, these changes could significantly impact your bottom line. NAW has negotiated a deal through Solveras Payment Systems to lock in pre-increase rates if you enroll in the NAW/Solveras program before March 31. Visit the NAW/Solveras Web site, or call (800) 613-0148 for complete details. Some restrictions apply.

• Boost sales power with "More to the Bottom Line"
  Are some of your customers more trouble that they're worth? What should you do about it? The NAW Institute for Distribution Excellence book More to the Bottom Line: Customer Profitability Analysis Tools for Distributors answers those questions and lays the foundation for a powerful new sales strategy.

Weekly Poll

• Does your company use RFID technology?
  After voting once, check out the real-time poll results on NAW's All Access page as often as you'd like.

	Yes
	No
	We are developing a system

Sales Manager ESP International Cedar Rapids, Iowa Distribution Center - Front-line Managers GRAINGER Kansas City, MO Sales Manager HireElements Seattle Account Manager/Branch Mgr 1 or 2 Valley National Gases, Inc. Bluefield, VA, USA

SmartQuote

Mediocrity doesn't mean average intelligence, it means an average intelligence that resents and envies its betters." --Ayn Rand, Russian-American novelist