In our increasingly automated and digitized world it’s common for business relationships to thrive for years without having face to face meetings between the retailer and their suppliers. But there are those times when sitting across the table from each other makes sense - and is beneficial. We would like your opinions and experiences about these meetings and how you think they can be made better.

Please take our survey (only 3 questions) and let us know what you think.

While the West Coast port strike may shave one percent off the fourth quarter’s GDP when numbers are revealed February 27, the short-term impacts of the work stoppage are easier to measure. Countless goods, such as fresh fruit ready for shipment to Asia and festive décor to celebrate the Chinese New Year, languished in warehouses, docks and cargo ships at 29 ports on the U.S. West Coast, including Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle. The reason? A nine-month contract dispute between the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, which represents 20,000 workers, and their employers, the Pacific Maritime Association.