Profitability expert Dr. Al Bates joined us on the Wholesale Change show to talk about why distributors are stuck in a profitability “rut” and how they can escape. Al identified the three action steps distributors can take to improve profitability and explained why sales compensation practices, supplier “special deals” and ongoing price increases are contributing to the problem. Unlike some consultants who specialize in profitability, Al believes distributors should fire customers only in very rare cases. “I’m not anti-sales,” Bates likes to say, “I just want profitable sales.” Al also explained why distributor CFOs are often a key part of the problem and how they can instead contribute to the solution. Al is one of the most popular speakers in the industry and when you tune into this episode of the Wholesale Change show, you’ll see why. He combines extensive experience, straight talk, an entertaining style and compelling arguments to provide insights and takeaways you can use to improve your company’s profitability immediately and on an ongoing basis.