FALL 2023

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THE DISTRIBUTOR’S LINK
JIM TRUESDELL DISTRIBUTORS MOVE FORWARD WITH MARKET CHANGES BROUGHT BY PANDEMIC from page 52
Now with employees looking for such flexibility in
search of a work-life balance it may be time to return
to that style (though being careful not to deliver it in a
condescending manner). Distributors can communicate
that flexibility to applicants may be a reasonable counter
to their need for remote or hybrid work schedules.
Some companies might look at four day work weeks
on a staggered basis to appeal to the needs of Gen Z and
Millenials. More extensive paid time off policies might
also be called for in the new employment marketplace.
Providing benefits which meet the needs of young parents
could also be attractive. Staggering work hours to allow
parents to match pick-up times for their children and at
least partially subsidizing child care costs could make a
difference. Finally, hiring interviewers should be prepared
to share with applicants why it is in a beginning worker’s
own interest to be part of an in-office culture. It is not
just an old timer’s outdated view of the workplace but,
indeed, it reflects some current feedback. A recent Harris
Poll with Bloomberg shows young workers are concerned
about making connections in their new jobs, receiving
good feedback from supervisors, and are experiencing
difficulty learning the company culture. These concerns
may resonate with young job applicants. Interviewers can
stress the value of the company as a good incubator of
job skills.
Wholesalers are experiencing disruptions in the supply
chain as they have learned that delivery promises cannot
always be relied upon as unexpected crises can arise
both domestically and internationally. International issues
and political situations mean access to certain products
can disappear overnight. This is where independent
distributors can really shine in securing product for end
users. They can and are diversifying their product sources
so they are not held hostage to the problems of a lone
supplier of an item. They are also finding a benefit in
opening up their relationships with key vendors by sharing
data so that bottlenecks in the chain can be foreseen
and alternative solutions readied for ultimate customers.
They are becoming accustomed to using multiple forms
of delivery by land, sea, or air so that transportation
bottlenecks, labor strikes or weather will not leave
product stranded. Sometimes wholesalers can stock up in
advance on anticipated product needs to protect against
possible congestion in the supply chain. In competition
with the dominating universal product on-line sellers they
still provide the product expertise and advice that can help
a buyer make good product selection and receive support
after the sale.
Finally, wholesalers will have to demand great
customer service from their own support providers. When
vendors drop the ball because of their accommodation of
remote work forces the distributor will have to call those
vendors out and be willing to move their business to those
companies who still put their customers’ needs first, not
just caving to the whims and preferences of demanding
workers. Eventually, there will be a return to a modicum
of reality as companies who do not keep their eye on the
customer will lose market share to those whose first priority
is delivering timely answers and solutions to the people
whose dollars make it possible for workers to have jobs.
The post-covid changes in the workplace are actually
playing to the strengths of independent wholesalers
who are adept at fashioning solutions to meet individual
customers’ problems. It may seem that companies like
those in our industry are clinging to old ways by requiring
workers’ on-site commitments, but some of those older
styles are intended to put the customer first. Articles
and speeches are proliferating in response to a social
movement that looks first to the needs and desires of
individual workers. That may be fine if we are willing
to move to a lower level of living, achievement, and
accomplishment. Those who value a successful career as
an important component of a meaningful life will reap the
rewards of self-satisfaction and ultimate freedom that only
our free enterprise system has shown to be possible.
JIM TRUESDELL