The Programs offered at the Read Center enable High Potential Distribution Professionals and Executives to transform their company data into results that are:
Our program content goes through significant content changes each year in order to cater to the dynamic nature of various industries, lines of trade, and business cycles. We work closely with our industry partners and the Read Center research teams, to incorporate new bodies of knowledge (applied and proven best practices) to develop cutting edge and relevant content. Many attendees go through the same program multiple times to stay updated and educated on the continuously evolving best practices within Industrial Distribution.
Our teaching philosophy emphasizes three key aspects:
- Be Unique in your industry (distinctive value proposition)
- Gain competitive advantage (be ahead of your competition)
- Be Relevant (maintaining sustainability and staying current).
Each program is structured based on:
Duration
Intensity
Job Function
Custom Programs
The Read Center offers customized professional development programs so your personnel can be trained to fit your company’s specific needs.
The Thomas and Joan Read Center becomes your strategic partner when we design a program for your organization. We develop a Unique Curriculum with Action Learning Solutions that meet your specific goals. The process includes:
- A Strategic Needs Assessment
- Program Design and Course Development
- Program Implementation
- Instruction and Evaluation
- Program Follow-Up
The topics, faculty, program structure, and site are selected specifically to maximize learning and the effectiveness of the program for your organization.
The excellence of custom-design programs is based on outstanding faculty and an unparalleled level of service. Quality and customer benefits are key objectives for us and we constantly monitor program content and delivery. We provide complete program design, development, and implementation services.
Current Custom Programs
Inventory Optimization
The Inventory Optimization course delivers actionable insights and best practices for the stocking competency essential for successful operations leaders. Key curriculum for the course includes forecasting, replenishment policies, inventory stratification, and fulfillment. This course is offered to Affiliated Distributors (AD).
Pricing Optimization
This course delivers actionable insights and best practices for the selling & shipping competencies essential for successful operations leaders. Key curriculum for the course includes customer stratification, pricing management, sales & marketing alignment, 3PL/carries management, fleet management, dispatch management, and order fulfillment. This course is offered to Affiliated Distributors (AD).
Supplier Optimization
The Supplier Optimization course delivers actionable insights and best practices for the sourcing competency essential for successful operations leaders. Key curriculum for the course includes supplier selection, right number of suppliers, supplier performance & relationship management, supplier stratification technique, and rebate optimization. This course is offered to Affiliated Distributors (AD).
Distribution Manager Development Program
The Distribution Manager Development Program provides instruction in areas of expertise that are essential for successful independent distribution managers and leaders. Key curriculum topics include financial management, solution-based consultive selling, quality, coaching, leadership, customer service, and inventory management. This course is offered to Affiliated Distributors (AD).
Certificate for Distribution Professional Management (CDPM)
Since its establishment more than 37 years ago, the CDPM certification recognizes individuals who have acquired and showcased advanced distribution leadership skills in Inventory, Pricing, Finance, Leadership, Sales, and Growth Management. The program includes two modules of in-person, hands-on learning, followed by an internal project. With an emphasis on active project requirements and application-based learning, the skills gained lead to increasing returns on investment year after year. This course is offered to National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors (NAW).
Current Partners
Past Programs
Customer Stratification
All customers should be treated fairly, but some are more lucrative than others. This course bestows valuable insights regarding customer organization upon distributors, who will acquire a richer and more actionable understanding of their customer base and its characteristics.
Optimizing Distributor Profitability
A wide variety of factors threaten to eat into distributors’ margins, and maintaining profitability will prove a difficult challenge. This course will advise distributors on the optimal ways to implement best practices and processes, which will enhance their financial status.
Branch Management
Competent and leaderful branch managers form the backbone of any successful company. This course educates managers on the unique financial, operational, and strategic capabilities of their positions, and equips them to confidently create a five-year business plan for their branches.
Inventory Stratification
Inventory is the lifeblood of distribution, and must be carefully managed to avoid both scarcity and waste. This course will educate distributors on how best to balance customer service with the health of their company.
Building Capability for Distributor Competitive Advantage
In a rapidly evolving business environment, distributors must decisively seize the competitive edge wherever possible. This course will teach distributes the best ways to maintain profitability while mitigating risk in the search for new opportunities.
Digitizing the Sales Process
The digital era continues to evolve. Recent advancements have created capabilities to handle more and more complex information driven environments. To date, information automation has focused on environments where data accuracy is critical and, therefore, controlled through increasingly disciplined data governance. As these critical information processes are fully enabled, the digital distributor is moving their focus to customer engagement, value added services, and other sources of competitive advantage. The view is shifting forward (market driven) instead of backward (historical) and digital processes are becoming tools for business development.
Optimizing Business Analytics
The wealth of business-related data from today’s economy can be unlocked with the proper analytics tools and processes. This course will enable distributors to thrive in a business environment that grows more complex by the day.
Strategic Planning for Growth
As the future of the national and global economy become more uncertain and harder to predict, distributors would do well to develop sophisticated and scientific methods for growth that will ensure their continued survival.
Optimizing Supplier Alignment
The expansion of global supply chains has yielded unprecedented opportunities for distributors, along with greater risks. This course will equip attendees with the right strategies to manage supplier relationships while considering factors such as loyalty and profitability.
Optimizing Value-Added Services
As customers begin to take additional services for granted, distributors must continually innovate new and valuable services to satisfy and retain customers. This course will provide distributors with the skills to refine their value propositions to boost profitability.
