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Case
| HBS Case Collection
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1998
(Revised from original 1997 version)
WESCO Distribution, Inc.
by
Das Narayandas
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Abstract
In 1996, WESCO, a national distributor of electrical equipment and supplies, charted out a growth of 6 to 8 percent in sales, and 12 to 16 percent in profitability over the next five years. The centerpiece of this growth strategy is the National Accounts (NA) program that WESCO has developed to serve its major industrial customers in response to recent changes that they made to their business processes. However, as of June 1997, the NA program has not delivered the expected results. WESCO now needs to isolate the root cause of the NA program shortfall and implement changes that will put this program back on track. It needs to decide whether to continue to be proactive in initiating, building, and maintaining national accounts, or to be passive and offer the NA program only after customers have shown a legitimate interest.
Keywords: Restructuring;
Customer Satisfaction;
Growth and Development;
Growth and Development Strategy;
Distribution;
Sales;
Balance and Stability;
Distribution Industry;
Electronics Industry;
Citation:
Narayandas, Das. "WESCO Distribution, Inc." Harvard Business School Case 598-021, February 1998. (Revised from original November 1997 version.)