Distributors, like other businesses, need to recognize the need for change. But what kind and how much change is the million-dollar question. There is no doubt about it, the Internet, sophisticated software, multitasking machinery, and other technological developments are making change a necessary element of running a profitable manufacturing business. But let's face reality. Change has always been an important aspect of managing a successful enterprise. Rest on your laurels, and the competition will roll right over you. Today, we hear all sorts of predictions. Comments such as radical changes in distribution may cause a casualty rate of 90 percent with a 50 percent drop in gross revenues for the survivors; manufacturing is on a decline; and distributors need to be a "full-service supplier" are blowing in the wind.
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