ChatGPT was launched November 30, 2022, but went “mainstream” in Q1 2023 when Microsoft made a significant investment into OpenAI. Since then either “AI is going to take over”, “many will lose their jobs”, “it’s a great tool to use” […]
In a move that shocked most in the industry, Prysmian announced its new independent manufacturer electrical sales rep network and all of them are new … the Encore sales organization! As everyone recalls, Prysmian surprised the industry with an announcement […]
The second half of the year has started and the first week brought acquisitions / mergers and news that will, and could, influence many other factors. In most industry acquisitions, the acquisition of one company by another typically has most […]
George Santayana, the Spanish philosopher said, “if we don’t learn from history, we are doomed to repeat it!” Our economy is certainly changing quickly, as is our industry Many of us tried fighting the DIY market when they began selling […]
As a follow up to a recent article (Is Today’s Changes Redefining Our Roles?), I thought about the original group of representatives that founded NEMRA, and I was fortunate enough to have been there. NEMRA did not begin at LaGuardia […]
Over the past months I have spoken to many dozens of distributors, manufacturers, contractors, and independent manufacturer representatives from various areas of our country getting their views on the changing dynamics of our industry. The results have been relatively consistent […]
Monday seemingly was just another day in the electrical industry … with acquisitions and mergers being announced. This time it was two acquisitions, which makes three in two days and, by my recollection, sixteen (yes, 16) in the past 60 […]
Webster’s dictionary defines the word VIRTUAL as being “such in essence or effect though not formally recognized or admitted; indirect.” How has this word now become a strategy employed by many since COVID to take the place of personal contact? […]
What’s going on in the agent / rep world? As many know, the electrical distribution has gone through much consolidation in the past three years with almost 100 distributors being sold. It seems that independent manufacturer representatives and lighting agents […]
Last week’s NEMRA 2024 Annual Conference was a rousing success with 1975 people registered for the conference. Attendance eclipsed 2023’s numbers of 1916 … congratulations NEMRA. The conference was held for the second year in Las Vegas … and turned […]
