WINTER 2016

NATIONAL INDUSTRIAL FASTENER AND MILL SUPPLY EXPO
SANDS CONVENTION CENTER, LAS VEGAS - OCTOBER 22-23, 2015
more photos on page 183
ROBERT FOOTLIK NOT SURE IF THIS WORKS, BUT..... from page 156
Taking this to a totally different level would mean going
to the vendors to seek changes to benefit your customers.
This could take the form of a private label package with a
customized quantity that is more suitable for your market. It
might cost a little more up front but with your name on the
inner packaging it’s a great advertising tool. Perhaps the
ultimate would be for the vendor to actually ship to you in
packaging that can then be shipped to your customer who
ultimately ships the same materials to the final customer.
This actually works for a greeting card company that
receives the cards and envelopes from the printer in a
standardized, cardboard tray that is stocked as is, emptied
by the pickers who then reuse it for shipping to customers
who fill their displays directly from the same packaging
medium.
Sharing Synergy
Please go back to the title of this article. Elements
mentioned in this article have been proven in other
industries. The concepts are sound, the rationale works and
there are some successful distributors out there who have
built their business using similar methods. But to my
knowledge no Fastener Distributors have embraced
Synergistic Sales…yet.
This means that early adopters can easily get the jump
on their competition by implementing similar or more
advanced marketing methods. It also might mean that I am
just unaware of such programs in this industry.
So here’s a challenge and an opportunity. Take a few
moments and write down your thoughts, additional
concepts, programs, etc. and send them to me care of this
magazine. Photos might be nice, but not necessary and
don’t worry too much about the grammar, format or spelling.
Leo Coar and his able staff can edit your submission and
perhaps put into a future issue of the magazine. Think of it
as sharing synergy and having bragging rights about your
name in print with a minimum of effort.
One last point.
Why all this focus on Synergistic Sales from a warehouse
consultant? Because ultimately the warehouse has to fulfill
the promises you are making. Changing the rules of the
game externally can have some major ramifications internally.
This set the stage for future improvements in morale,
productivity and quality. With your Synergy and input this will
be the subject of a future article.
ROBERT FOOTLIK