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| Industry
News |
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- Fuel surcharges prompt price hikes in multiple
sectors
Faced
with $4-per-gallon diesel prices, transportation and delivery
companies from UPS to FedEx to Gordon Food Service are tacking on
fuel surcharges that have a cascading effect throughout the
economy. Retailers, restaurants and manufacturers have all been
affected by higher shipping costs, forcing them to raise the
prices they charge their customers. Delivery times have slowed
too, notes one business owner, as drivers wait to fill their
trucks rather than burn expensive fuel for a trailer that's half
empty. Central Ohio/The Marion Star
(3/18) 
- Experts
have tips for pumping up savings on gasoline: Gasoline
prices can vary as much as 40 cents in a region so which station a
driver uses matters, whereas the time of day you fill up also is
important because gas is more dense in cooler morning
temperatures. The manner in which you drive -- whether you are
aggressive behind the wheel or more laid-back -- also affects how
much fuel your vehicle consumes. CNN (3/24)
- TMS programs can cut shipping costs -- but not for
everyone
With
fuel costs spiraling, more companies are turning to transportation
management systems to help save on shipping costs, but experts
warn the software isn't a panacea for every company. According to
one analyst, in order to justify an investment in TMS, a company
should be accruing a minimum of $8 million in annual
transportation costs. DC Velocity (3/2008)
- Softening demand for imported goods creates ripples
in supply chain
Two
large ports on the West Coast report that import volume fell by
almost 9% in January and February versus the same time span last
year, foreshadowing a possible slowdown for railroads and package
delivery companies. With less U.S. demand for Asian imports, three
of the largest global shipping lines have started sharing space on
each other's vessels rather than operating their own weekly
service across the Pacific. Both UPS and Union Pacific already
have reported lighter volume over the last several weeks. The Wall Street Journal (subscription
required) (3/20)
| Business
Strategy |
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- Consider unique values in recruiting next
generation
Efforts
to attract and retain young workers should take into consideration
that the workplace values and expectations of these prospects are
different from older generations. Companies need to be
technologically savvy in attracting the new generation of
candidates, and word of mouth has become an essential recruiting
tool. BusinessWeek (3/13)
| Sales
& Marketing Tips |
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- Five new P's for successful marketing
The
famous "four P's" in business parlance -- product, price, place
and promotion -- are being joined by five customer-centric
counterparts. The five new P's stand for: People as the heart of
any marketing initiative; passion for marketing that is buttressed
by hard data; processes that are more enlightened; a platform of
ideas; and taking on partners whose expertise compliments your
own. MarketingProfs (free registration) (3/18)
- The "puppy dog close" usually has customers panting
to buy
The
"try before you buy" approach to sales, also known as the "puppy
dog close," is a hugely powerful tool in persuading a customer to
buy. Just as pet shops have customers hold puppies or car
dealerships allow prospects to take the car home for a night,
other businesses increasingly are using the sure-fire method for
securing sales. CEO Strategist (3/10)
| Management
Style |
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- Manager's rudeness affects worker
productivity
A
boss's verbal abuse and rudeness can affect the productivity of an
employee who suffers through it and innocent bystanders as well,
according to a recent study. After a verbal attack by a boss,
employees are left thinking about the incident itself, which takes
their mind off the tasks they are doing. Harvard Business Review
(3/2008)
- No news not always good news in
business
Just
because customers are not complaining does not mean businesses can
afford to relax: Most unsatisfied customers will not say anything
but, instead, simply will not return if they are unhappy with
service. Companies should view complaints as opportunities to
identify weaknesses and create long-term loyalty with customers.
CRM Daily (3/17)
| Small
Business Operations |
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- Small-business survival tips for economic
decline
Whether
or not the U.S. actually is in a recession, small-business owners
have plenty of ideas on how to cut costs. Among those shared by
San Francisco Bay Area entrepreneurs: Secure the cash flow, insist
that customers pay their bills, find ways to trim costs, ask
employees for ideas on coping and make over products to provide
extra value to customers in bad times. San Francisco Chronicle
(3/23)
| Association
News |
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- AFTERMARKET2020: Is your business model
ready for the future?
Go
to www.aftermarket2020.com for information about
the CVSN 2008 Annual Meeting, at the Omni Interlocken Resort, from
Sept. 21 to 24.
| SmartQuote |
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Failing is good as long as it doesn't become a
habit."
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| This
SmartBrief was created for jeve@netsourceinc.com
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| Contact
CVSN |
| Executive Vice President:
Angelo Volpe
904-737-2900 | |
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Recent CVSN SmartBrief
Issues:
- Tuesday, March 11, 2008
- Tuesday, February 26, 2008
- Tuesday, February 12, 2008
- Tuesday, January 29, 2008
- Tuesday, January 15, 2008
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