WF&FSA netWORK, 11-23-11 Issue

WF&FSA's Free Electronic Newsletter

CHECK OUT WF&FSA’S NEW WEBSITE!
WF&FSA is pleased to announce the all-new WFFSA.org website, now available for your use. The new site offers much more business value and expanded member benefits to better serve you and your company - all in a flower-fresh-designed, much-easier-to-navigate format.

Take a few minutes to browse our full service offerings, including: the new WF&FSA Data Exchange Standards; the 2012 Management Institute; Education and Marketing resources; Business Improvement Tools; and, the new WF&FSA Book Store. Use the colorful program icons on the left side of the home page for one-click access or browse the site using the simple navigation buttons, or find just what you need by using the Search WF&FSA box at the top of the page.

If your browser is unable to connect to the new WF&FSA website, empty your cache in the Tools menu. Then you need to close out of your internet browser and then re-open. Once you complete this, you should be able to gain complete access to the new website.

To access all of the WF&FSA Members-Only content, simply login where noted and enter your email address in the login box and then click on ‘Forget Your Password?’ and one will be emailed to you. Be sure to then reset your own personal Password for security.

Visit the new WF&FSA web site now.

Be sure to update your password information to something you can easily remember. Please do not share your login and password with anyone outside your company. The login and password you used for the previous WF&FSA.org website has been deactivated.

If you happen to forget your password, the automated Forget Your Password? utility will send a new temporary password to your email address on file. And, if you experience any technical difficulties or have suggestions on ways that we can improve our website, please do not hesitate to contact us. We welcome the feedback.

This website is continually evolving. Be sure to check it out regularly for new updates!

Here Are Your Golden Nuggets - Take Home Tips From the 2011 Floral Distribution Conference!
During the 2011 Floral Distribution Conference, the WF&FSA Committees presented in-depth workshops on the following topics:

Marketing to Event Planners
Controlling Outbound Logistics
How to Profit from New Technologies
The Productive Sales Force – Using Social Media

Great nuggets of information were shared and thanks to Rob Shibata of Mt. Eden, here is the summary of tips gathered from these workshops. We hope you find this information useful and helpful. Again, thanks to Rob Shibata for pulling together this information!

WF&FSA Introduces Delivery Cost Analysis Template: A Major Profit Opportunity
WF&FSA members are somewhat unique among distributors in terms of the magnitude of their delivery costs. While every distributor in every line of trade makes deliveries, WF&FSA members make a lot of them. While every distributor has more small deliveries than they would like, WF&FSA members sometimes seem to have nothing but small deliveries.

The result is that delivery costs in the floral industry account for a disproportionately large percentage of total expenses. The magnitude of the expenditure has caused firms to focus on both the cost of providing delivery service and the revenue opportunity associated with charging for delivery. While there has been some success in controlling delivery expenditures, there is still a ways to go.

The WF&FSA Logistics Committee retained Al Bates of Profit Planning Group to study our industry and develop an Excel-based delivery cost analysis template to help you determine your true cost of delivery. Click here to use the template. He further developed an accompanying white paper designed to provide you some tips on how you might improve control your costs. Read more here..

We hope you find this new addition to your WF&FSA benefits package of great value.

WF&FSA Management Institute to Feature Jim Pancero
Focus on Your Sales Opportunities During This Unique Program!
Mark your calendars now for the 2012 WF&FSA Management Institute, March 1-3, to be held at the Embassy Suites Airport in Nashville, Tennessee. Increase your profitability by enhancing your team's selling skills and unique strategic competitive message. The majority of sales trainers simply teach attendees “how to shoot.” Providing basic “shooting skills” to experienced sales people will not generate significant change in behaviors or results. Jim Pancero’s uniqueness is his ability to work with experienced sales teams to help them become better “hunters.”

Jim's sales and sales management training is the most advanced approach being taught in corporate business today. This program and working relationship will be researched and specifically developed to focus on the unique issues facing your team.

Watch for more information in the near future.

Florists' End-of-Year Sales Projections Slip
Reprinted Courtesy of SAF E-Brief, November 16, 2011
As the consumer gets closer to singing Auld Lang Syne, retail florists are lowering their end-of-year sales expectations, according to results of SAF's 2011 Third Quarter Economic and Christmas Sales Outlook Survey.

The percent of florists predicting their sales would be up for the year compared to 2010 continued to decline, to 33 percent at the end of the third quarter from 43 and 37 percent respectively at the end of the first and second quarters. Conversely, there has been a rise in the proportion of owners saying sales for the year will be off from a year ago, from 16 percent at the end of the first quarter to 28 percent after the third. These results are based on responses from 400 retail florists. Read more.

House to Vote on Bill Blocking "EFCA-Lite"
Reprinted Courtesy of SAF Washington Week in Review, November 18, 2011
As previously reported, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has been particularly active this year, issuing a number of proposed rules and regulations that would make organizing a labor union much easier. The suite of rules, deemed “EFCA-Lite” by the business community, would:

Dramatically decrease the time employers have to speak with their employees about union representation, potentially shortening the entire election process to just 10 days from current median of 38 days (called the “Ambush Election” rule).
Make it easier for unions to organize in smaller bargaining units and exclude employees who oppose unionization (called the “Specialty Healthcare” or “micro-union” rule).

Simply put, what could not be done legislatively by passage of the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA…or “card check”) is manifesting itself in a set of administrative rules by a very pro-union NLRB. Despite SAF members having successfully lobbied against card check during previous Congressional Action Days, some of its provisions may be accomplished thru regulation! Though CAD is not scheduled until this upcoming March, you can still do something about these egregious rules from your computer.

The House is scheduled to consider H.R. 3094, the "Workforce Democracy and Fairness Act," during the week after Thanksgiving. Allies have asked for significant grassroots support, as moderate Republicans are feared to be "on-the-fence" due to tremendous union pressure. Read more about what you can do here.

WF&FSA Announces Essentials of Profitable Warehouse Operations Coming to A City Near You!
WF&FSA, in conjunction with the Association Education Alliance, is offering a new one-day warehouse training program which will travel soon to a city near you! This one day course is based on the Essentials of Profitable Warehouse Operations© course, originally conceived by the American Supply Association. The course is intended to give managers a framework to teach essential warehousing functions to the teams they manage. The content also serves to refresh old concepts and introduce additional operating efficiencies. Topics include:

The role of the wholesale distributor in the supply chain
Inventory as cash
Warehouse security
Inventory accuracy and cycle counting
Preventative maintenance programs
Employee safety
Facility layout and storage systems
Inventory movement analysis
Dead Stock
The order transaction
Functional roles in the transaction
Team leadership and supervision

This course will move around the country to fit the needs of members. To view the list of cities for the first six months of 2012, or to learn more about this course, read more.

2012 University of Industrial Distribution – Forget the Industrial!
March 5-8, 2012,Indianapolis,Indiana
UID logo I know, I know. Why would WF&FSA promote a University of INDUSTRIAL Distribution? Despite the name, this program is designed for all distributors and wholesalers – here is a sampling of the courses offered during this four day program:

Marketing Strategies

Pricing Strategies

How to Improve Any Sales Force

Creating a Winning Marketing Plan

Creating a Competitive Distinction

Profit Myths in Wholesale Distribution

Branch and Operations Management

Managing the Account Portfolio

How to Get Paid for Service Value

And more!

Presented by the leading industry trade associations, including WF&FSA, and delivered by content experts and nationally recognized university faculty members, the UID program is now in its seventeenth year and is recognized as "the source for distribution management education and cross-industry networking."

To learn more about this program, please click here.

WF&FSA SPOTLIGHT ON:

WF&FSA endorses ABC-Amega, Inc., a commercial collection services firm because of their reputation, professionalism, and aggressive fee structure which includes a 10 day Free Demand Period. If your debtor pays you within the 10 day free period, there is no charge to you. More important than their fees, they consistently achieve substantially higher recovery rates than the benchmark of the Commercial Law League. You must be a WF&FSA member to participate. Read more.