In my last article, I proposed some questions every distributor should contemplate as they move their business forward and offered up a list of 50 more that they could have just by asking for it. The response was fantastic. Most likely, because we were in the question mode, at least a half dozen distributors hit me with their questions. It was thought-provoking.

I think the best place to start with this topic is to ask: What are the goals for your sales team? It is hard to manage folks without everyone being on the same page and knowing what you expect from them. I am guessing that your goals are to grow sales and profits as much as possible by providing value to your customers. I would think that is the universal goal for almost anyone hiring a sales staff.

By the time you read this, we will be in the closing days of the 2016 campaign. As someone who has eagerly followed campaigns, elections and government for some time, I have to say that this campaign has at times sucked the life out of me.

In its September monthly TRENDS report, Heating, Air-conditioning & Refrigeration Distributors International (HARDI) reported that average sales for distributor members increased by 6.2 percent in July. According to HARDI market research and bench-marking analyst Brian Loftus, the hotter-than-average summer — which yielded 14.9 percent more cooling degree days this year over 2016 — triggered such a demand for cooling products that some areas experienced inventory shortages.

Clichés are nothing more than overused and abused catchphrases that demonstrate your inability to contribute an original thought to the discussion, and few things drive me to drink like someone who speaks in clichés. To avoid having “air in the conversation,” you inexplicably present commonly used jargon without thought or remorse while ignoring the fact that your audience is looking at you the way a dog looks at a ceiling fan (visualize a blank stare up with drool coming from the corner of your mouth).

Distributors are constantly exploring ways to gain a competitive edge in the marketplace and to recruit new talent that will help drive the company into the future as baby boomers enter retirement. The Texas A&M Industrial Distribution Program provides pivotal resources in both of those areas.

Would you please share with us a thumbnail sketch of the products that you carry and the territory that you cover?

Many people are impressed when they discover plumbing and HVAC distributor, Thos. Somerville Co., is celebrating its 155th anniversary this year. However, the milestone is not as momentous for company employees, according to Doug Riley, president of Thos. Somerville.