Overview
Distribution has evolved so rapidly and branch managers are being tasked with additional responsibilities in areas of operations and finance. Managers have been forced to become entrepreneurs and no longer manage just the day-to-day operations. Often, managers in their transformed role see themselves making critical business decisions but most times are not equipped with the right tools and best practices for decision making. This course will help branch managers get a 360 degree business understanding in a week.
This course is made possible by our partnership with the National Association of Wholesale Distributors (NAW); read more about it and register at their webpage.
Benefits
- Identify key metrics from your financial statements
- Increase top line while improving margins
- Retain customers for life
- Increase inventory turns and value of warehouse assets
- Reduce expenses at the same time improve service levels
- Differentiate your company from the competition
- Lead effectively in a team environment
- Align sales goals with company goals
- Communicate your ideas more effectively
- Assist in your team’s time management more effectively
Excellent experience to learn, improve and manage processes to optimize profitability.”
-Ernesto Tovar, Sales & Operation Manager, HISCO
Who Should Attend?
Branch Managers
Sales Managers
High Potential Candidates for Management
Distribution Professionals
Deliverables
Slides as a course booklet
Workbook for exercises and activity
Fundamentals of Industrial Distribution- the Sales Process book
Optimizing Distributor Profitability book
Certificate
Required Materials
A laptop or tablet
A list of challenges you face in your business
Key metrics you track at your firm
Calculator
Schedule
Day 1: 8:00am-5:00pm
Day 2: 8:00am-5:00pm
Day 3: 8:00am-5:00pm
Day 4: 8:00am-5:00pm
Day 5: 8:00am-noon
Course Outline
Financial Management
Understanding the connection between operations and finance is key to implementing any best practice or process improvement. Learn about critical metrics (key performance indicators) that you must track routinely. Linking improvement ideas to financial statements is vital for success.
Customer Service
Customer retention and loyalty is vital, yet difficult to sustain. This section will provide a framework to help retain your customers for life. Best-in-class companies spend significant time in providing “The Customer Experience”. Learn what needs to be done for becoming the customer service leader in your industry.
Lean Fundamentals
Distributors have large operational inefficiencies at their businesses. Historically, they have compensated by generating higher margins. As margins continue to decline, one can no longer afford to be inefficient – every CENT matters. Learn how to apply lean fundamentals to reduce your “cost to operate” immediately
A Solution-based Sales Process
If you and your competition are selling the same product and service, why should customers do business with you? Sales is not an art or a mystery – it is an objective process. Learn how to develop and perfect your sales process. Create, develop and deliver your unique value proposition to your customers, suppliers and employees.
Inventory Management
The moment you take eyes off inventory – your service levels will suffer along with your working profit. You obviously cannot focus on each and every item that you stock. Inventory stratification will provide that focus and answer questions such as – What items should be stocked? How much to stock? When and how much to order? Learn these concepts through our interactive exercises – “Beer Game” and “Forecasting Game”.
Leadership and Team Development
This section will highlight components of effective leadership, tools to assess your team, put the right players in the right positions, and ways to coach and empower them.
Providing Direction for Sales Management
The best way to guide your sales force is to perform customer stratification (segmentation), connect sales plan to the business plan, conduct account gap analyses, and capitalize on generational differences.
Effective Communication and Implementation
Learn how to develop an effective communication process, resolve conflicts, understand time management, and develop an action plan.
