What issues will be important to your business success in 1997?

• OSHA enforcement and standards-setting: 65%
• Keeping up with information technology: 64%
• Electronic commerce conducted over the Internet: 40%
• Training and education for your employees: 60%
• Increased power of purchasing departments with your customers: 51%
• Decreased power of safety departments with your customers: 45%
• Having significant new products to sell: 60%

In 1997, what percentage sales increase do you anticipate?

1-5%: 19%

6-10%: 36%

11-15%: 22%

16-20%: 12%

21%+: 11%

In 1997, what percentage do you expect your expenses to increase?

1-5%: 49%

6-10%: 37%

11-15%: 5%

16-20%: 8%

21%+: 1%

In 1997, do you plan to invest or upgrade in any of these technologies?

Internal e-mail: 28%

External e-mail: 42%

Personal computers for sales personnel: 37%

Personal computers for office personnel: 33%

Your own web site: 51%

Fax: 18%

Telesales (telemarketing): 27%

In 1997, do you plan to:

Hire inside sales personnel: 51%

Hire outside sales personnel: 55%

Consider selling your business: 10%

Acquire a distributorship(s): 18%

Increase your training for sales reps: 66%

Consolidate the number of overall PPE lines you carry: 40%

Increase the number of imported PPE lines you carry: 27%

In 1997, which of the following services will you offer customers?

Inventory management programs: 58%

Integrated supply systems: 42%

EDI (Electronic Data Interchange): 65%

Workplace surveys: 64%

Training: 79%

The Industrial Safety Equipment Association and the Safety Equipment Distributors Association are merging into one new, larger association. Do you think this is a good idea?

Yes: 83%

No: 17%

Which of these figures best represents your company's 1996 sales volume of safety products?

Less than $1 million: 23%

$1-3 million: 15%

$4-6 million: 17%

$7-10 million: 9%

$11-20 million: 8%

$21-50 million: 14%

$51-75 million: 4%

$76-100 million: 1%

$101-200 million: 3%

$201 million or more: 5%

Which of the following titles best represents you job function/responsibilities? (check only one)

President/Owner: 53%

Corporate Management: 15%

Operations Management: 15%

Purchasing Agent: 4%

Sales Manager: 9%

Sales Personnel