Preparing for Any Normal You Like
Being vigilant is more important when things are going well than otherwise. Adversity always seems to strike once complacency sets in. During the past couple of years, I think more than a few companies realized just how unprepared they were for a number of unforeseen challenges.
Smart business includes mitigating adversity – both expected and unexpected. While no business can fully anticipate and prepare for every possible obstacle, there are some routine drills, training and prep work that can transcend specific disasters.
This month’s guest columnist Bill Wade touches on some of these traps and how to avoid them [page 36], and he cautions that what we’re seeing now is the new normal.
I’m not sure what to make of the new normal, but my guess is it will be short lived and replaced by a newer normal, just like all the other states of normal that have come before it.
Luckily, one thing about strong business skills is they work in the old, new and future normal. So when it comes to taking advantage of industry resources and market opportunities to sharpen and gain some of those skills, now is the time. Business is picking up, so the belt can loosen a little, and activity isn’t gangbusters, so you likely can get away to an event or two.
One event worth taking a strong look at is the upcoming Aftermarket Distribution Summit, Sept. 12-15, in Lake Geneva, Wis. Truck Parts & Service magazine partnered with the Commercial Vehicle Solutions Network (CVSN) last year to create business-building and strategy-driven content for the group’s annual meeting. We continue that relationship this year, and the lineup of featured speakers and panel topics is shaping up to be another must-attend event. Registration information can be found at www.aftermarketdistributionsummit.org and if you’re not a CVSN member, that doesn’t necessarily exclude you attending. Contact CVSN for additional information.
The normal will be replaced by a newer normal.
The theme for the 2010 Summit is “Strategies for Success” and those strategies will serve any distributor well, regardless of in what state of normal they may find their business.
This year’s keynote address will be delivered by Accuride Corporation’s President and CEO Bill Lasky who, among other insights, will be sharing how current economic conditions are affecting the aftermarket and the difficulties with planning for the future while in survival mode.
Lasky will be joined by Brent Grover, a managing partner with Evergreen Consulting and an NAW Institute for Distribution Excellence distinguished fellow. He is an all-around distribution guru and the author of six books, including the best selling Strategic Pricing for Distributors, published last year.
Rick Farrell, president of Tangent Knowledge Systems – a Chicago-based sales training and development firm – and author of the upcoming book, Selling has Nothing to do with Selling, will present information on how to retool your sales organization to meet the realities of the new economy.
The Truck Parts & Service panels, each accompanied by roundtable discussions, will focus on strategies for pricing and margins, establishing an online storefront and marketing campaign, and how to grow your business, either through new locations or additional products and services.
I hope you’ll check into attending the Summit, but also take advantage of whatever training and educational sources you can find. Truck Parts & Service continues to host free Webinars (www.truckpartsandservice.com/tps-webinars/) on various business topics and suppliers always are rolling out new product and service training.
Sharpened skills and new strategies make sense for whatever your business considers normal. n
