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 2025.  Much like like we did during and after the Pandemic, we continue to pivot in the face of adversity.  Only instead of COVID-19, we're working with devastating weather patterns and political polarization along with past troubles like chain issues, rising labor costs, and general price increases. The way you adapt is the key to your success. So here they are, Top 10 Distributor Questions that Demand Answers in 2025: 1. What can we do this year to provide even greater value and service to our customers? 2. How can we strengthen our customer relationships today to make it harder for competitors to take our business? 3. What new strategies or offer...

In today’s business landscape, acquisitions and mergers are commonplace, with new partnerships emerging almost weekly. Yet, unlike the fairytale endings we read as children, many of these mergers fall short of a “happily ever after.” Why? While financial and legal due diligence is often meticulously executed, the human element is overlooked. This gap in planning can prevent the successful merging of two organizations.  Key Human Elements in Mergers: Addressing Potential Barriers to Integration Several human factors are  critical to the success of a merger and should be thoroughly evaluated and strategically aligned before formalizing the partnership. Several come to mind, and they can all derail the integration of the individual organizations into a new whole if not thoroughly vetted and a plan put in place to address the inconsistencies. 1. Organizational Culture: Cultural alignment is essential. If the merging organizations’ cultures are incompatible, one party may dominate...

Remi Ducrocq, KYKLO Guest Blogger:  Remi Ducrocq, KYKLO Co-founder & CEO From Frank:   I wanted to post this article written by Remi Ducrocq for a couple of reasons. First, we know Remi and his team at KYKLO quite well and found the spirit of giving displayed in the article appropriate for our times. More importantly, KYKLO has people in Thailand, Europe, and the US. They have had at least four weeks more experience with dealing with COVID-19 than anyone else I know personally or professionally. I believe in learning from others, and I see this as an opportunity to share and learn. I hope you gather some good pointers from this post. A time for sharing This is a time for sharing. As our industry works through the issues created by this global pandemic, we at KYKLO believe now is the time to share positive thoughts and best practices for our industry. This reach-out comes not as a commercial message but rather as an act of sharing. First, ...

A news flash just revealed over 2.8 Billion people currently live under some form of travel restriction. Here in Iowa, we are not under the same stringent guidelines as New York or California, but most sensible folks are limiting their exposure to others. Working from home, not traveling unless necessary and certainly curtailing all social interactions. Call it what you may, but for the sake of discussion, let’s say we’re quarantined. The readers of this group are still working; most from home and all working diligently to keep business flowing. But, the logistics of working from home creates extra time. For instance, we have no commute, no need to dress for work (some of you may even be reading this while donned in purple sweatpants) and no errands tied to daily work routines. Since our social life is limited to the spousal unit and maybe kiddos, we’re not required to attend networking events, parties, coach soccer practice or wait in line at our favorite restaurants, we’ve go...

Today, more than ever, the need for an unvarnished look at customer opinions is of unparalleled importance. Sounds like hype? It’s not.  Here are a dozen reasons why: 1. We are in the midst of a massive generational shift. Millennials come to the workplace with a much different mindset than your customers of old. What’s more, they are finding their way into leadership positions and their buying power is steadily increasing. They are impatient for change. They question the way things are done. As digital natives, Millennials are more than ready to toss your sales team aside and move onward to another supplier. 2. The choices of communications with customers have gone from phone and fax to a thousand options. Chats on social media, instant messaging on your website, text messages, and new options in development are quicker and easier for your customers. Each customer contact will do business with the organization that matches their preferred method of contact. Do...