ASA members navigate ever-changing healthcare landscape

Panelists at NETWORK2022 talk plan costs, prescriptions, wellness plans and more.

By Mike Miazga, Vice President Sales-Operations, mmiazga@asa.net

One company saw its employee workforce rise from the 400s to the mid-700s after an acquisition, and thus the need and challenge to meld the two companies into one plan.

Another company also has been active on the acquisitions front and has seen premium increases between 5 and 15% over the last four years.

A majority of the panel discussion veered toward various wellness and ancillary programs companies offer — with wellness incentives being top of list.

One panelist noted their company offers a la carte add-on options such as prescription and mental wellness programs that have proven to be good recruiting tools.

One new wrinkle in the American Supply Association’s NETWORK2022 presentation this past November was the addition of five member-led panel discussions.

The results were overwhelmingly positive on topics such as how distributors are navigating emerging trends to avoid disruption, navigating the growing cost of healthcare, marketing trends to attract top talent, what makes a winning culture in a postpandemic world, how distributors are navigating supply chain disruption and handling allocations with their customer base and getting the most out of your cloud ERP.

The health-care discussion was moderated by Weinstein Supply, a division of Hajoca’s Deb Gorra and featured a panel comprised of Michael Hobbs (Carr Co.), Joe Pro (Penn Machine), Bill Zoeller (Zoeller Pump), Nicole Boles (Cregger Co.), Melissa Lunak (Dakota Supply) and Bryce Moore (Hirsch Pipe and Supply), as well as Danielle Capilla of Alera Group.

Each panelist started off by giving a brief rundown of their current company insurance setup. Some highlights from those presentations:

One panelist’s company received two sizable rebates recently that were plugged into a company health and wellness program, and also were used to not deduct any healthcare costs for employees in the month of December, a nice holiday surprise, the panelist noted.

Another panelist explained their company, due to continued growth, was transitioning from being 100% paid-byemployer for almost 40 years to instituting an employee contribution, but with an eye on making sure to keep that contribution fair across all job functions. The panelist revealed the company’s annual healthcare spend, which elicited an audible gasp from the audience in Chicago.

Several panelists mentioned the use of biometric screenings for employees that have various incentives tied to them. “It’s been a great opportunity to look at everything and all the health-conscious supplemental opportunities we have with our employees,” one panelist said. “We’re thrilled to be able to do it.”

Another panelist explained a good biometric screening results in the participating employee receiving extra compensation per pay period.

One company did a wellness challenge that encompassed walking, running, mental health and yoga with prizes awarded at the end, another did wellness campaigns that included eating vegetables, sleeping eight hours and doing pushups, while another company put forth a 3-million walking steps challenge that was met by two teams of four.

On the topic of prescription medication, one panelist noted at one point 40% of total costs on the insurance side came via prescriptions, a number that through some hard work was cut down to 17% last year.

Plenty of prescription cost remedies bandied about by panelists included the use of offshore prescription services (that saved one company $300,000 a year), focusing on generic drugs and the use of online education tools that steer employees to specific pharmacies that offer rebates and even zero-dollar cost for blood pressure medication, for example.

“We try to educate people,” one panelist said. “It could be the difference between picking up a prescription at Walgreens or CVS where sometimes you might get a rebate or refund.”

“It’s been an opportunity to talk about prescriptions and what those costs are,” another panelist added.

The ASA year in review 2022 delivers strong growth.

The American Supply Association continues to be an indispensable resource for PHCP-PVF member companies and their employees.

In 2022, the industry’s only national trade association helped its members further prosper in their businesses through its efforts on the education, business intelligence, advocacy and networking fronts.

ASA once again enjoyed net distributor growth, while also adding 39 new companies to its Vendor Member Division, which includes manufacturers, independent manufacturers representatives and service providers.

ASA achieved net distributor growth in 2022.

ASA distributor members now account for more than $57 billion in sales and operate more than 4,300 branches nationwide.

While ASA continues to grow its membership base, the association is not slowing down when it comes to offering its members even more tools to use in their businesses that will help now and well into the future.

Here’s a look back at ASA in 2022

$57 4,300 billion in sales branch locations

Chief economist keeps ASA members focused on the future

ASA Chief Economist Dr. Chris Kuehl continued to keep members abreast of all the latest economic topics and trends of keen interest throughout the PHCP-PVF supply chain via his live monthly webinars and weekly podcasts — both free member benefits.

Dr. Kuehl’s live webinars provide attendees with an overall update on economic conditions, while his “Keeping it Real with Dr. Kuehl” podcast, published three times a month, zeroes in on a specific economic topic.

Dr. Kuehl also delivered his live industry forecast at NETWORK2022 in Chicago this past November, and also spoke to attendees of the ASA Northeast Summit last June.

NETWORK2022 draws record crowd

NETWORKO2022, ASA’s premier annual event, drew a record crowd of 850 attendees to the Fairmont Chicago Millennium Park for three days of education, best practices sharing and networking. A total of 89 ASA member distributor companies were in Chicago.

Monthly Economic Webinars

Viewed More than 1,600 Times

Weekly Podcasts Listened To More than 5.000 Times

OPR participation continues upward trajectory

ASA’s annual Operating Performance Report, regarded as the gold standard of benchmarking reports in the PHCPPVF industry and now in its fourth decade of publication, once again saw strong participation in 2022.

The OPR gives ASA-member distributors more than 70 financial data points to benchmark their companies against the industry in general, specific sales volume, specific product categories and specific geographic regions. A company report card is provided to participating distributors, and in some cases, a buying group-specific report is available.

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Highlights of NETWORK2022 included numerous memberhosted best practices panels on topics such as healthcare and ERP system implementation, the popular Great Ideas best practices roundtable session, a presentation on ASA’s role in helping recruit new talent into member companies during the ASA annual member lunch, as well as the wholesaledistributor-vendor conference appointments — a staple of the industry’s biggest event of the year.

Mark Your Calendar NETWORK2023 takes place Nov. 8-10 at the Signia by Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek. Look for registration details soon at www.asa.net

EMERGE2022 in New Orleans surpasses attendance record

ASA’s Emerging Leaders group set a new attendance record with its EMERGE2022 presentation in New Orleans last May. A number of well-received additions to the EMERGE lineup in New Orleans included member-led panel discussions, as well as a state of the PHCP-PVF industry panel. Staples such as the best practices roundtables and night out closing event provided key networking opportunities for attendees.

EMERGE2023 heads to Savannah, Georgia May 10-12 at the Hyatt Regency. Registration details are available at www.asa.net .

10,694

101 256

Course enrollments in 2022.

Engaged distributors in ASA University in 2022.

Training tracks sold in 2022.

Two new programs help ASA member companies get their teams training

ASA University rolled out a pair of new programs, both aimed at helping members enhance their employee training and education efforts.

ELEVATE2022 sets new WII benchmark

ASA’s Women in Industry Division continues to be the fastest growing special interest group in ASA, as evidenced by a record-setting 225 attendees at ELEVATE2022 in Louisville, Kentucky.

WII attendees were treated to a packed schedule that featured education topics such as sales, leadership and personal development and growth. An evening outing to the Kentucky Derby Museum provided great a productive networking setting.

ELEVATE2023 will be held April 11-13 in Charleston, South Carolina. Register at www.asa.net

The “How to Develop an Effective Training Program” manual is a literal how-to guide on how to develop a successful training program — all chapters were written by ASA members.

ASA University also debuted its live trainer’s forum in Chicago last summer, bringing together trainers from ASA member companies for a day of education and best practices sharing. Details on the 2023 trainer’s forum will be released soon.

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ASA is growing its presence on social media

ASA continues to grow its social media presence through its LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter channels.

To close out 2022, ASA had nearly 3,600 followers to its LinkedIn page @American Supply Association (ASA), while the association’s Instagram offering continues to grow in scope.

ASA’s PROJECT TALENT helps members in their hiring journey

ASA’s PROJECT TALENT careers recruitment platform has proven to be a key driver in helping member companies in their hiring journeys. Through the use of an industry branding campaign via the SupplyIndustryCareers.com website and social media advertising, prospective job seekers are gaining a clear understanding of what a career in the PHCP-PVF industry looks like.

PROJECT TALENT Highlights:

More than 13 million ad impressions on Facebook in 2 years.

More than 100,000 social media ad clicks in 2 years. 23,000 unique users visited the Supply Industry Careers website in 2022.

3,599

Number of followers on ASA LinkedIn page.

Q2 ASA REVIEW ASA Winter Leadership Meeting Volunteers converge in Arizona to discuss key association initiatives. 22 Why employee training is crucial for long-term success How to attract top talent How AI can help sales reps manage more accounts Q3 ASA REVIEW Do your pay your team members competitive wages and benefits? 22 State of the mechanical and industrial PVF industry How intentional working helps achieve career goals Building roadmap for distributor digital transformation Q4 ASA REVIEW 2022 Fred V. Keenan Lifetime Achievement Award ASA honors Mid-City Supply’s Jeff New and Hajoca’s Gary Jones 22 Also In This Issue: State the Industry Survey Results The Importance of Customer Segmentation Enhancing Connections With Contractors

4 quarterly ASA Review publications provide thought-provoking content to more than 8,000 readers in print and online

ASA Political Action Committee backs candidates who support the PHCP-PVF industry

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ASA’s PAC supported 23 candidates (10 Senate and 13 House) that won their races in the recent 2022 elections (23-2 record).

ASA’s PAC enjoyed a 41% increase in total dollars raised compared to 2021 and closed out 2022 with its best reporting period in several years in the fourth quarter.

A total of 59 additional ASA members took part in the PAC in 2022.

Using employer branding as a weapon in the war for talent

By Steve Edwards, Recruitment Marketing Director

With the unemployment rate at its lowest level in decades, employers across the nation continue to struggle staffing their companies with high-quality talent.

This situation isn’t limited to specific industries or regions. It’s rare to drive through any city across the country without seeing “Now Hiring” signs everywhere you look. Companies that aren’t trying to fill open positions are the exception.

While tried-and-true recruiting tactics such as job postings, attending job fairs, and employee referral programs are still effective, competition for talent is fierce and is requiring companies to take measures never taken before.

Companies are further integrating their recruiting and marketing efforts to reach more qualified candidates while ramping up their messaging about the benefits of their culture and values. As a result, employer branding is critical to recruiting and has become a priority with countless companies and a growing capability and emphasis for marketing and recruiting firms.

What is employer branding?

In traditional corporate branding, an organization’s brand is the essence of the value it provides customers. When a current or potential customer is asked to describe a specific business, the answer is that company’s brand, good or bad. This is why many businesses have invested in brand management because it has become so important in business, particularly in an age where customers can share their opinions so easily and broadly.

Employer branding is the same concept, but the objective is to convey and influence a company’s reputation as an employer and its value to current and potential employees. Corporate branding is designed to ultimately sell more goods and services to customers. The goal of employer branding is to position a company as a great place to work with existing and prospective employees. An employer brand can help attract the type of candidates a company desires and ideally positions it ahead of the competition.

Why is employer branding important?

As mentioned earlier, the competition for talent is intense and fueled by an extremely tight labor market. Companies are not only vying for talent with their direct competition, but with every other business and industry. Firms that are winning the war for talent are using employer branding as a strategic advantage.

Companies that invest in employer branding are more likely to attract the candidates who not only have the right skills and experience, but fit best with a company’s culture and values.

Employer branding also gives businesses the ability to compete for jobseekers on more than just compensation. It’s often discussed that successful distributors don’t compete on price but on the value of relationships and service. The same holds true with employer branding and finding talent who consider a company’s promise and employee experience with as equal weight as pay.

Employer branding not only helps with recruiting but retention also. By using employer branding to show what it’s like to work for a company and examples of successful employees, it sets an expectation for incoming employees and eliminates potential surprises or the perception of bait and switch.

Recruiting experts believe employee turnover can be cut by almost two-thirds with effective employer branding.

Aside from these possible benefits, there’s also the potential downside of not investing in employer branding and simply continuing with recruiting practices that may have been effective in previous years or decades. Like the old adage about employee training that asks: “What happens if I train my employees and they leave?” compared to “What happens if I don’t train my employees and they stay?” The current labor landscape is simply too competitive to not include employer branding as a recruiting strategy.

Source: The Brookings Institute

How ASA can help with employer branding?

ASA’s PROJECT TALENT, one of the association’s key strategic initiatives, was born to help brand the PHCP and PVF distribution and manufacturing industries as attractive and viable career options, and assist members with their local recruiting efforts.

The combination of these efforts is much like the analogy of the Goodyear blimp and local tire sales. The Goodyear blimp has flown over sporting and other events for nearly 100 years and is a highly recognizable corporate icon. When most people think of blimps, Goodyear comes to mind. However, it’s the combination of that recognition with the sales, promotions and service efforts of local Goodyear tire dealers that result in the purchase of their products.

PROJECT TALENT is very similar in approach. ASA has invested in increasing and enhancing the visibility of the industry while building and providing tools and resources for members regardless of their recruiting capabilities or investment.

Through social media, email marketing and the creation and promotion of the supplyindustrycareers.com website, ASA continues to show examples of the benefits of the industry while drawing interested jobseekers to members.

Additionally, ASA has created an online Recruiter Toolbox for members that includes tools and resources to augment members’ local recruiting efforts.

The proper attention and focus on a company’s employer brand can help a business rise above the rest in its recruiting efforts. This, combined with ASA’s industry branding work and the tools and resources available to ASA members, give PHCP and PVF distributors and manufacturers a fighting chance in the ongoing battle for talent.