PACE Courses

Course Name

Learning Objective

As a result of completing this introductory course, you will be able to:

1. Understand how the electronics industry evolved and how it impacts everyday life.

2. Define the fundamental industry partners – Manufacturers, Manufacturing Representatives, and Distributors – and understand their respective Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).

You’ve already been introduced to the primary electronics component industry partners. Now it’s time to meet the supporting network. If you have not already done so, we recommend you first take An Introduction to the Electronics Component Industry: Manufacturers, Reps and Distributors before completing this course. 

By completing this course, you will learn:

1. Where the supporting industry partners play a role in the manufacturing of electronic goods

2. How contract manufacturing birthed Electronics Manufacturer Services (EMS) providers

3. How different trade associations service employees of the electronics industry

A Manufacturer cannot bring a new component to market overnight. Fundamentally, a successful product launch should include defining sales objectives, identifying target sales channels, marketing strategy and post-launch metrics. But the process of bringing that product to launch is complex with a variety of steps and considerations.

In this course, you will learn the processes required for an Electronics Component Manufacturer to bring a product to market, including:

• Product Development

• Product Launch

• Post-Launch Sales, Support & Reporting

• Design Registration

• Inventory Availability and Point of Sale

Electronic products are an integral part of our lives. From aviation to medical and healthcare industries, it’s tough to find an application that has yet to become electronic. With the emergence of smart technologies, even golf balls and baseball bats aren’t safe from the electronics revolution.  

To most, though, there is little more to an electronic product than the product itself, with few wondering what makes an electronic product work. But within every electronic device is an intricate network of circuits and components that allow the system to process information and operate. Although electronic components vary in purpose and appearance, they all serve the same end goal: to ensure an electronic device can operate to expectation.

What makes up an electronic product? Within this course, you’ll learn about how

1. Voltage and current differ

2. Electronic components are classified into passive components and active components

3. Passive components operate and the differences between resistors, capacitors, and inductors

4. Active components vary significantly in purpose and functionality

5. Components come together to fit onto a Printed Circuit Board (PCB)

As a technical, specialized industry with complex product development cycles and sales channels, you may see or hear terminology that you are not familiar with.

Within this lesson, you'll:

1. Be introduced to common industry terminology and their meanings

2. See how terminology is used in everyday communication

3. Test your knowledge by matching terminology to their definitions

Imagine you're a design engineer or purchaser at an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM). You're ready to purchase some parts, but how do you ensure you receive what's necessary in the most effective way? After all, there are many considerations to avoid risks such as over or under purchasing or missing critical deadlines. 

Enter the distributor, who will help ensure the availability, quality, and timeliness of your order. In this course, you'll learn about:

1. The advantages distributors bring to OEMs

2. The practice and complexities of global logistics

3. How distributors ensure you receive the parts you need when, where, and at the quantities necessary

Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) in the electronics industry depend on a network of established relationships between component manufacturers, distributors, and manufacturers’ representatives (rep) to source components for their products. As the customer, the OEM has specific requirements that it must meet before placing an order. Each purchasing channel has its own set of pros and cons, and each customer must determine which suits their needs for any given project. For a positive – and cost effective – experience for the OEM, it’s essential to ensure the needs of the customer are aligned with the strengths of the component manufacturer, distributor or rep.

In this course, we’ll focus on distributors as the most prominent source of component sales, but from the eyes of an OEM and from a component manufacturer (or supplier to the distributor).

Specifically, you will learn about:

1. The different types of distributors and their unique sales models

2. The benefits of each distributor to both their suppliers and OEMs

3. The world of authorized distributors and independent brokers.

According to a recent study, 463 Exabytes (EB) of data will be generated every day by 2025 (https://www.raconteur.net/infographics/a-day-in-data/). That’s 463 followed by 18 zeroes. 

463,000,000,000,000,000,000

For comparison, the more familiar Gigabyte is followed by 9 zeroes. 

The electronics industry has fueled this data consumption through developments in technology like smartphones and the ever-increasing and connected world of Internet of Things (IoT) devices. But data is more than a byproduct of technology; data and the platforms generating it are the backbones of today’s manufacturing and supply chain businesses. 

Within this lesson, you’ll learn how the electronic components industry uses platforms and data, such as:

1. Customer Relationship Management (CRM)

2. Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)

3. Electronic Data Interchange (EDI)

4. Business Intelligence (BI)

And how all of that information feeds the digital supply chain. 

The average person is much more likely to encounter a salesperson than an engineer. Despite this familiarity, many of the procedures of sales are only partially understood. 

For example, in other areas in economic life, price is a static number and the same for everybody. However, in the electronic components industry the price for a Bill of Materials can vary vendor to vendor, from salesperson to salesperson, and from day to day. 

In the world of electronics, sales agreements can appear even more opaque, including arrangements for engineering new designs and assembling components. These clauses can affect the price of the Bill of Materials as well.

In this lesson, we will take a glimpse behind the scenes to try to understand the rationale of sales departments. In a general sense, we’ll try to undercover the central mysteries:

1. How do salespeople determine price in a deal?

2. What is a margin, and why does it fluctuate from deal to deal?

3. Why do salespersons so often travel and meet customers in person?

4. How do salespersons use conversation as a tool, and why?

From its inception, the electronics components industry has been characterized by constant innovation. From the earliest days of amateur radio to the current era of tech titans, the industry has grown and evolved to meet ever-changing needs.

Today, the industry is moving faster than ever. Electronics have become ubiquitous in the modern world, leading to a rapid diversification of applications. As the applications have evolved, so too have the technologies and business models within the electronics sector.

In this lesson, you will gain insights into the evolution of electronics applications, including:

1. A breakdown of emerging applications in key market sectors

2. Broad trends that are causing tectonic shifts across all market sectors

3. The impacts of these changes on the electronic components industry

This course is intended to familiarize technical and non-technical new employees of electronic component supplier companies with essential marketing concepts and how to begin thinking about them as part of the buyer’s journey.

We will not teach you how to “do marketing” in this module but rather will familiarize you with essential definitions, categories, and tactics. You will complete this course with an understanding of:

• High-level marketing terminology

• Inbound vs. outbound marketing

• Key marketing channels

• The “Sales Funnel” and how it has evolved over time

This course outlines the roles of engineering staff working to develop a new electronic product. By understanding the context and decision points of the engineer’s journey, salespersons can devise strategies to provide helpful and valuable information about needed components.

The Influence of Engineering on the Purchasing Process In this course, we will:

• Explore the different types of engineers that may influence a purchase decision.

• Find out the needs and challenges among engineering staff.

• See how different engineering roles can form a sphere of influence on a purchase decision.

• Learn how the concerns of engineers evolve from initial contact to each milestone.

• Identify strategies for salespersons to engage with engineering along the development timeline.

• Describe the ideal relationship between sales representatives and design engineers.

This course dives deep into the world of procurement within Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), Electronic Manufacturing Services (EMS) and Contract Manufacturers (CMs). You'll gain insights into:

• Procurement's Diverse Roles: Discover the various specialists within the procurement department and their unique functions.

• Decision-Making Power: Explore procurement's significant influence on supplier selection, negotiation and final purchase decisions.

• Procurement's Needs & Challenges: Learn the pressures and priorities driving procurement decisions.

• Building Bridges: Understand the critical relationship between procurement and engineering, focusing on procurement's perspective.

• The Gatekeeper: Explore the process of creating and managing the Approved Vendor List (AVL).

This course provides a comprehensive understanding of lead times in the electronic components industry, an important variable for professionals involved in customer quoting and supply chain management. You'll explore various aspects of lead times and their impact on supply chain operations and customer satisfaction.

Key topics include:

• Definition and importance of lead times

• Impact of lead times on supply chain planning and inventory management

• Meeting customer expectations and delivery commitments

• Identifying and managing variability factors and risks

• Leveraging technology solutions for lead time optimization

By the end of this course, you'll have a thorough understanding of lead times and their central role in the quoting process. You'll be equipped with practical strategies to manage lead times effectively, meet customer expectations, and optimize your supply chain operations.

Learn essential post-delivery strategies to boost customer satisfaction, tackle quality issues, navigate crises, and drive continuous improvement. Discover effective communication, collaboration and problem-solving techniques for ongoing success.

This course equips you with the essential skills to excel in post-delivery operations. You'll learn how to:

• Build Strong Customer Relationships: Implement strategies to ensure customer satisfaction and loyalty.

• Handle Quality Issues Effectively: Master issue resolution, root cause analysis and corrective actions.

• Navigate Crises with Confidence: Develop a robust crisis management plan and response strategies.

• Drive Continuous Improvement: Establish feedback loops and leverage lessons learned.

• Foster Collaboration: Enhance teamwork between departments for optimal results.

• Master Communication: Develop effective communication strategies to manage client relationships.

By the end of this course, you'll be equipped to elevate post-delivery performance and drive organizational success.