“It’s Baaack…Are You Ready?”

Around thirteen months ago, I wrote an article, and did multiple webinars on the subject, “When the Pendulum Swings Back…Will You Be Ready?” I stated that while tragic we would weather this storm and we would see a resurgence – I stated, ‘You just gotta’ believe!” That moment has arrived, the time has come, so strap in for a crazy ride.

I work with a large group of people, and for those I consult with regularly, business is coming back rapidly. Some folks are saying they have seventy to eighty quotes out on the table – business is becoming brisk again, it is coming back. 

The light at the end of the proverbial tunnel is getting brighter and brighter with each passing day. Businesses are eager to get back on track, anxious to get the engines running, and the cash rolling in. All of this takes planning, strategy, execution, and engagement. 

Are you ready?

Most people will say, ‘bring it on’, but what were some of the lessons learned, or hopefully were learned during this unfortunate pandemic?

• Many were NOT prepared,

• Most had no plan,

• Many did not, could not pivot,

• Inventories got stretched.

• Some of our vendors had to down-size,

• Freight cost rose – dramatically,

• Postal service was a nightmare.

Has any of this changed? How will these dynamics affect business going forward? Have you asked?

Look at the impact. 

• If you have company stores for your clients, shortage of inventory may/will impact availability and your ability to fill orders.

• Delays in shipments may cause in-hands dates to be missed.

• The list goes on and on.

What can we do? Getting ahead of the wave.

Ask questions and communicate. Do NOT assume that everything is ‘OK, Now’!

Suppliers

• Ask your vendors what are their current inventory levels? 

• Do they foresee issues with inventory in the future? 

• What is the timeline on replenishment? 

• What are lead times for production?

• Have mishaps, like the vessel that ran aground in the Suez Canal, halted, or altered shipments? 

• Have they pivoted to find alternative manufacturing facilities given the issues we are having with US China diplomacy?

• What steps can you take to be a better partner?

• Do they have new programs, like hold and release, forecasting, free or discounted shipping?
  

Outside Vendors

With the disruptions in freight and mail delivery this past year, has anything changed to ensure less challenges moving forward in 2021?

• UPS and FedEx – what have they done to beef up response times?

• Have they expanded hours, built new distribution facilities?

• Have they hired more?

• Do they now have different programs you could tap into to better serve your clients?

• The 2022 election is coming soon, how has USPS pivoted to handle the on-slot of mail for the election and the typical mail that is being moved?
  (My son sent me a letter from Norfolk Va. to my home in Maryland, four hours away…took 30 days – he could have walked it here. You undoubtedly experienced the same)

• Are there alternative methods of distribution that have surfaced or expanded, i.e., couriers, drone delivery, commercial airlines?

Do not Wait!

Distributors and Salespeople

Do not wait till you are underwater to ask these and other, important questions – get ahead of it! I encourage you to ask these questions of your top twenty suppliers. Use this information to your advantage. 

With this and other timely information you can better plan; not only for yourself, but for your clients.  Armed with this information, you can help your clients strategically plan for 2021. 

• Review your A, B, and C level clients,

• Run reports on what they ordered in the past,

• Let them know of pending inventory issues and how they avoid shortages,

• With your vendor recommendations, help develop and executable plan to avoid these disruptions.
  

Some things Will Not Change

Creative work, kitting, and packaging, it worked well during the pandemic and it will continue to work moving forward. If you have not already, have your strategic partners lined up who can handle this for you. 

Know which of your clients are doing this regularly, plan, work closely with your preferred vendors, stay on their radar, and know how their scheduling works.

At the end of the day, there are four critical points to remember:

Time is money, your time is money – being proactive will streamline YOUR costs and this will translate into ultimate cost savings and less pressure down the road.

Plan – have an executable plan of action for every aspect of your business: projected sales and profit revenue, sales strategies and goals, marketing strategies. Understand how to achieve those with proper planning with your clients.

Questions Are the Answer – if you are not asking the questions now of your vendors, suppliers, and clients, you will be creating unnecessary stress and frustration. Get the answers, ask questions, and formulate a plan. 

Communicate – be the first to market, help your clients effectively plan, communicate issues, potential issues in advance. No one likes to hear bad news, but alerting clients before some potential issue occurs is better than the alternative.

My friends, we have an amazing opportunity in 2021, now that this pandemic is seemingly behind us; seize this opportunity now, don’t wait, don’t delay. I will promise you, now that the pendulum is finally swinging back, you’ll be better prepared for a remarkable 2021.

Until Next Time, Continued Good Selling – You’ve got this! CQ