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