Are you Passionate about Performance Improvement?
The following article is a guest blog post from Brian Loftus, HARDI Market Research & Benchmarking Analyst on the importance of analytics & business intelligence (ABI). Go to Article...
read moreThe Untold Story of an Industry…Coming to Life.
The following article is a guest blog post from Chris DeBoer, HARDI Director of Marketing & Sales on the ongoing recruitment documentary project. Go to Article...
read moreAre You Practicing Kaizen?
The following article is a guest blog post from Brandon Bateman, Director of Product & Supply Chain at Airefco, a HARDI distributor member based in Oregon. Go to Article —>...
read moreTraditional Engagement (HMI)
The following article is a guest blog post from Devin Ferriera of HMI Performance Incentives, a HARDI Proven Vendor. Go to Article --->
read moreHot Temps Lead to Strong Sales (DDN, July 2018)
Go to article >> HARDI's Market Research and Benchmarking Analyst compares recent sales performance of HARDI distributors to temperatures recorded across the country. This article was published in the July 2018 edition of the Data Driven...
read moreQ&A with Ian Heller, President/COO of Modern Distribution Management
Go to article >> Heller is one of the speakers at HARDI’s upcoming Marketing & Sales Optimization Conference in Miami from June 3–5, where he will be discussing “The 10 Commandments of Distributor Marketing in the Age of Amazon Business” with...
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Professional Development Opportunities
87% of millennials say professional development or career growth opportunities are very important. Being able to connect with millennials, which I know is just the hottest topic around these days, is absolutely a challenge. I'm a millennial myself, and I can confirm...
read moreHey Distributor, How’s Business? (DDN, Apr 2018)
"How’s business?” is a complicated question. We can imagine a variety of ways Distributor A or B would respond to the question “How’s business?” While sales growth may be the oxygen of the enterprise, how expensive it is to get those sales out the door is what...
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8 Incentive Trends to Shape Your Current Program
One of the remarkable things about HARDI is the coalescence of industry expertise from so many points of view. Every time HARDI welcomes a new member we contribute to this body of knowledge, and our industry adds another tool to unlock even greater potential. One...
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Amazon’s Latest Announcements (DDN, Feb 2018)
The following article is an excerpt from the 2.20.18 Data Driven Newsletter. Do you think “Amazon Update” should be a regular section of the DDN? The news releases from Seattle frequently spark as many reactions as tweets from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Many of our...
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HARDI Year in Review, Year Ahead
We did it. Another year in the books. And for HARDI, what a great year it was. We started this quarterly newsletter as a way to take a step back, check in, and give you a big-picture look at what your organization is up to. With this being the inaugural Winter Edition...
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Taking “Doing More with Less” to a New Level
The daily business of HARDI members, as well as the business of HARDI itself, is far more complicated today than when I first came to HARDI in 2006. The stakes for our members and their association also seem to be significantly higher as opportunities generate greater...
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The Danger of Bubbles
No, this is not an economic forecasting article or the debut of a new passion about consumer product safety. It is, however, intended to be a warning shot of an epidemic I see spreading quickly across our world, society, and industry. I’m not sure whether it’s due to...
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The NOVA Agenda Has Landed
Honestly, how often do you get the luxury of really thinking about what you’re working on? Pausing and allowing time to be creative, strategic and thorough versus just simply checking it off the list and moving on? While the work that we do at HARDI covers a lot of...
read moreRecommended Flood Recovery and Customer Relations Guide
To assist companies and individuals who store, install, and operate mechanical systems in areas that have been involved with flooding, the following recommendations have been prepared by the Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA), the Heating,...
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Your Guide to Gain Share
Businesses are like any living organism that must continually evolve to survive. Customer expectations drive change in every industry. Distributors are focused on applying the latest advancements in communication and technology to deliver customized services faster...
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Tax Reform Forecast
The inability of Congressional Republicans to pass legislation which would repeal, replace, modify, alter or any other verb you may like, the Affordable Care Act has raised the stakes on the GOP to pass something substantive on the tax front. You may hear the term...
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“Enough with the Cheesesteaks Already!”
Yes, Philadelphia is the home of authentic cheesesteaks and yes, those of us from Philadelphia are very critical of any foreign attempts to replicate a true cheesesteak, but we also grow tired of every national telecast of a major event giving the impression that all...
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The New News
I don’t have cable TV. I’m a good representative of a growing trend emanating from my generation where I mooch off my parent’s Netflix subscription, my sister’s Amazon Video subscription, and my soon-to-be mother-in-law’s HBO Go subscription (I have to get my Game of...
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HR Short Shot – Proper Drafting Can Ensure That Your Policies Aren’t Boomerangs
A boomerang is an object that you send out which returns, generally unbidden, to harm you. Some unwise draftsmanship in policies and handbooks can have that same effect. One thing to avoid in policies: do not promise ‘fairness’ or ‘equal treatment’ to employees. ...
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Warranty Process Manager’s Users Group
We frequently hear about the challenges associated with warranty processing so were thrilled to hear from a member who suggested we start a Warranty Process Manager’s Users Group. Member’s have developed their own routines for processing warranties and service...
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HARDI Fly-In Shows Opportunities for Progress
On May 24, over 100 HARDI members participated in the HARDI Congressional Fly-In. These members took time from their busy schedules to come to Washington and meet with more than 200 offices, in addition to a Q&A session with White House personnel, and meet with key...
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HARDI Member Responds to Misleading Article Regarding LIFO
The following letter was written by Richard Cook, of HARDI member Johnson Supply, to the editor of the Star Telegram (Fort Worth, Texas) in response to an article attacking LIFO published last month. I write to you in response to the April 24th article in the...
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How Do your Numbers Measure Up?
The distribution business is one of the rare instances where the phrase “if you are not getting better, then you are getting worse” applies. The sales per employee is growing faster than the gross margin dollars per employee. The variety of available products is...
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How Do your Numbers Measure Up?
The distribution business is one of the rare instances where the phrase “if you are not getting better, then you are getting worse” applies. The sales per employee is growing faster than the gross margin dollars per employee. The variety of available products is...
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HARDI Member Spotlight: Fujitsu Offers NYC “Air Stage” Free for Events/Meetings
Last fall, HARDI member Fujitsu opened up a New York City collaborative space aptly named the “Air Stage” after their Airstage line of products. Located on Broadway overlooking Times Square, this space is more than just a showroom, designed as a “learning and...
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Why HARDI Members Should Join Me to #CelebrateWithNATE
NATE is celebrating its 20th Anniversary this year, which is both exciting and bittersweet (I have been supporting NATE since the beginning, which means I am getting old!). I am honored to have been selected as NATE’s 2016-2017 Board Chairman and I appreciate the...
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Is Turn-and-Earn Your Cut Ham?
I celebrated my 10th anniversary with HARDI last May, just over five years as CEO and it’s amazing how fast time has passed. What surprises me even more is how often I now find myself unable to recall why we do some things certain ways, despite having seen just about...
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Step Up to the Plate: Affect Change
We are in the infancy of the Trump Administration and while a flurry of action has been coming from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in the form of Executive Orders and a temporary regulatory freeze, it is important to remember that these are temporary actions which could be...
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Revolutionizing the HVAC/R Marketplace
“Revolutionizing the HVAC/R Marketplace” is the title of the presentation Watsco delivered to the investment community last month. Innovative application of technology is transforming competition in every market including HVACR distribution. Deploying mobile device is...
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