Top 10 Distributor Questions that Demand Answers in 2023

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We are well into January which means many of you have
given up on your personal resolutions.  And maybe you gave up on your professional ones as well, but I have a feeling you didn't make any!  

Wait, did I touch on a nerve there? 

Never fear, I have some questions you can ask yourself to give you a jump on 2023.  Much like in 2022, we are still dealing with a "new normal" in a post-Pandemic world.  While some things in life are back to 2019 standards, many are not.  Some will never be the same and it's time we started seeing the good in that change...or at least try our best not to resist the changes.  I'm talking to those of you nearing retirement who thought you could just ride things out under the radar.

But as your younger counterparts will tell you, adapting is critical to survival in the new year.  After all, buying eggs will set you back quite a bit these days!



So here they are, Top 10 Distributor Questions that Demand Answers in 2023:

1. How can we make life better for our customers this year?

2. What can we do today that makes it harder for our competitors to steal our customers?

3. What might we do differently in 2023 to attract new customers?

4. Precisely why do our current BEST customers buy from us?

5. Which customers drain our profitability and how might we move them into a positive revenue position?

6. Are there new products we should consider selling?

7. Is the productivity of our team better or worse than our competitors?  (This one seems easy, but you need to think of why you answered better or worse...yes, we all hate homework.)

8. How do we rank our use of technology in our business and how can we improve it?

9. Are we using all available data to make future decisions.

10. Which processes within our business might be improved?


Some of the issues of 2021 and 2022 like supply chain issues, rising labor costs, and general price increases will continue to ail all of us in Distributorland in 2023.  To see what how we expanded on this previously, check out this article.

As always, we are here to help you jumpstart your plan of attack!
Contact us at River Heights Consulting for a refresher at your next sales meeting or a small group mentorship.
Want to talk shop, we can do that, too!


Frank Hurtte, Founding Partner of River Heights Consulting, shares his personal experiences with 28
years of "in the trenches" training and 17 years as a consultant.  He serves as a personal coach to industry leaders across many lines of distribution.  He has authored 5.5 books (one is almost done) and has written hundreds of articles for national trade magazines, including Industrial Supply Magazine.

Frank is also a sought-after copywriter of marketing materials for technology companies.  His charismatic, yet laid-back, easy-to-follow manner makes him a favorite among public speakers.




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