Recent industry conventions more upbeat and energetic than experienced since the 2008-2009 downturn.
Tom Gale
Tom Gale has been an MDM researcher and industry analyst for 30+ years on independent distribution channel trends, consolidation, technology and competitive landscape. He is a frequent speaker and moderator on these topics at company, marketing group and association meetings in North America and Europe.
Posts By Tom Gale
In this article, Publisher Tom Gale writes: This is my fourth post-recession cycle since I first starting working in industrial and distribution markets in the mid-1980s. The current cycle has been the longest for us all, but has some interesting parallels to other cycles. Here are a few thoughts from a file I keep labeled: I might just learn something if I listen hard enough. (Apologies/credit to fellow St. Louis native Yogi Berra.)
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- The State of Analytics in Distribution: 2014
- The Shifting Competitive Landscape in Distribution
- Redefining Competitive Advantage
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Theres a lot of jargon around all things digital, and I plead guilty on all charges when talking about them digital platforms, omnichannel, cloud, big data … the more digital we go, the fuzzier the logic we seem to attach to the terminology used to describe it.
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- The State of Analytics in Distribution: 2014
- The Shifting Competitive Landscape in Distribution
- Redefining Competitive Advantage
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While the Berkshire Hathaway Chairman's annual letter is written for the company's stockholders, leaders from any business can gain insight from Warren Buffett's wise words.
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- The State of Analytics in Distribution: 2014
- The Shifting Competitive Landscape in Distribution
- Redefining Competitive Advantage
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Publisher Tom Gale remembers an industry champion and friend.
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Where there are gaps, there are opportunities. MDM’s research on the state of analytics in wholesale distribution identified clear gaps across analytics technology, talent and techniques. This perspective from Publisher Tom Gale talks about why you should think about a strategy and plan for analytics.
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- The Rise of ‘Little Data’ in Distribution
- Minding the Gap Between Data and Action
- Commentary: Better Data, Better Analytics/li>
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Research conducted by MDM on the adoption and use of analytics by wholesale distribution companies revealed several key trends:
- The wholesale distribution industry is transitioning to a more data-driven mindset, but there are widely different views on what that means.
- Many distributors say they don’t have the right analytic tools, technologies and talent needed to stay competitive in quickly shifting markets.
- Survey respondents are generally satisfied with analytics centered on operational efficiencies and financial reporting, but less satisfied with deployment of more strategic tools focused on profitability, sales, marketing and service development.
This article includes:
- The evolution of Analytics
- Results from the MDM survey on use of analytics in distribution businesses
- Opportunity for competitive advantage using analytics
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- Beyond Amazon: E-Commerce's Impact on Wholesale Distribution Markets
- The Rise of ‘Little Data’ in Distribution
- MDM Interview: Breaking Down the Barriers for CRM
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"Truthiness" describes using intuition or gut feeling to define "truth" without regard to facts, data or even logic. Today, there's a lot of truthiness surrounding big data, market planning and customer relevance.
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- MDM Interview with Guy Blissett: Uncertainty + Change = Opportunity?
- Where Managers Blunder
- How Distributors Say They Measure Up to the Competition
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As 2013 comes to a close, Publisher Tom Gale's perspective shares his bold predictions for how 2014 will shape up to be a year filled with great opportunity.
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- Where Managers Blunder
- How Distributors Say They Measure Up to the Competition
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The distribution industry sometimes misjudges the short-term impact of disruptive events. Publisher Tom Gale's perspective provides his predictions on some recent disruptive announcements, including Amazon's plans for drone package delivery.
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- The Growing Cost of Product Liability
- The Counterfeit Challenge
- Global Markets Are Not Just for Large Companies Anymore
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The norm is now people who walk around with two or three devices – phone, tablet, laptop. So why are so many salespeople still selling as though the Internet doesn’t exist?
Publisher Tom Gale’s perspective looks at why distributors need to think differently about the fact that most people have already does their research before they reach out to a supplier. How can that supplier fill in the information gaps and add value?
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There is a popular saying in Colorado that is typically directed toward those from the big cities and out of state who come here and explore the many Forest Service back roads through some beautiful mountain country: “Four-wheel drive has gotten a lot more people into trouble than out of trouble.” The same can be said for technology when applied in misdirected ways.
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- The Case for Proactive Inside Sales
- Commentary: Customer Service Lessons: ‘Moments of Truth’
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In a recent conversation with MDM, Mike Rowlett, CEO of Womack Machine Supply, said: “If we treated young folks new to the business today the same way that I was treated 35 years ago, we wouldn’t be able to keep any of them.” How distribution companies integrate new talent today can have a big impact on success tomorrow.
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Webcast: 80% of a distributor’s sales come from just 10%-13% of stock items.
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You can’t open a paper or go to a conference without hearing a reference to the “new normal,” but the new normal is sometimes difficult to define. What does it mean for the future of distribution?
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Today it is easier to monitor financial metrics with better technology tools, but you have to understand, commit and prioritize the key drivers for your company."You're better off slowing down and capturing expense dollars you're losing than flying too high, too fast."
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- Survey: Distributors 'Shake Off the Dust'
- Distributor Collaborations Add Value, Build Local Influence
- Commentary: Better Questions, Simple Analytics
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A company’s ability to forecast and be more predictive about its growth opportunities is emerging as a key competitive differentiator. But it requires analytic capabilities that are very different than those required just a few years ago.
Midway through the year, our research team identified key trends shaping wholesale distribution sectors, as contained in the just-released 2013 MDM Market Leaders & Distribution Trends Report. One of the significant trends is …
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Here’s the takeaway from MDM’s Mid-Year Economic Update Webcast on June 19, which took the pulse of U.S. economic conditions and the wholesale distribution industry: Many indicators point to the U.S. economy strengthening.
While we may not have the same growth rates as the first few years of recovery, conditions are stabilizing to support sustained growth for the next few years. The primary headwinds are …
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In an industry defined by the quality of relationships, Allan Chartier defined what that means.
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How do you define value, and what truly makes you different and better than your competitors when you have fewer tools to work with than pre-recession? That’s the easy question. You have to do different things to create value as defined by your customers and their dollars.
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