By Jeffrey Pease
Director of Distributor Programs, The Ashkin Group

I truly enjoy working with distribution companies in our industry. These organizations come in all shapes and sizes with various areas of focus, expertise and management styles. And while no two are exactly alike, there are far more similarities than there are differences.

At The Ashkin Group, when we take on a distributor client under our Green Sales Management Program, we integrate ourselves into the organization with the single goal of increasing sales and profitability. We assist in developing a clear vision of how to leverage a green bundle of products and services in order to position the distributor as the green-cleaning expert in the markets they serve.

In order to achieve that goal, there is a wide variety of initiatives we suggest. As it relates to internal education on Green, one of the most effective training methods is working one-on-one with the distributor sales representative (DSR), making joint calls.

Just recently, I was making joint calls with a DSR, assisting him better understand how to leverage "green" industry trends in order to open new business and gain greater wallet share in his established accounts. This representative was not new to the business; in fact, he had over eight years of outside selling experience and was considered a seasoned veteran.

Fred (not his real name) and I had three scheduled calls that day. These three customers were significant accounts and because of his strong relationship, the calls were easy to schedule and truth be known, Fred was in his comfort zone: long-term accounts that didn't require much work in setting up the call which resulted in a positive reflection on him.

Prior to entering each account (2 Building Service Contractors and 1 Convalescent Home), Fred would give me an overview of the exceptional relationship and proudly reflect on his majority share of the business. Our goal in each of the accounts (per Fred) was to make the customary introductions, discuss industry trends and answer any questions they might have on Green. Our first call was with Fred's third best account, a mid-size Building Service Contractor (BSC) who was already purchasing a few Green products. We met with the Director of Purchasing and the owner. After introductions and the appropriate dose of small-talk, I asked, "Why are you buying Green products? What prompted you to do so?"

After an uncomfortable pause of silence in the conversation, the response came back, "Well… for some of our accounts, it's a requirement written in the contract."

I continued, "Based on what you're seeing, what percentage of RFP's contain Green language related to products and services?" "I can't really put an exact number on it, but we are seeing more and more", responded the director of purchasing.

"Based on the rise in demand you're seeing for Green, how do you think your company is positioned to be awarded these types of contracts?" I asked.

The director of purchasing (who seemed to be doing most of the talking) responded positively, stating that he felt they were winning their "fair share" of contracts. Based on the economy, he felt they were doing "pretty good" and "holding their own". The owner, who was listening closely to the conversation, concurred in support of his director, but his tone and manner of response could not conceal his belief that his company could be doing better.

The conversation went on for quite awhile, much to the dismay of Fred, who thought this would be a quick call. At all times, I was very polite and respectful, listening intently to the customers responses. Each response set up my next question. Once I better understood the mindset of the customer, I was able to discuss and differentiate the services that Fred could offer. Most importantly, I was able to share with the customer how Fred's services would positively impact their business, creating a win-win scenario. Some of the subsequent questions I asked were:
• How do you define "fair share" and "holding your own"?
• How do you communicate your expertise in Green-Cleaning?
• Have you truly adopted Green-Cleaning products and procedures, or, is it discussed only when it is demanded?
• How do you validate your knowledge in Green-Cleaning – is it formalized in your Standard Operating Procedures (SOP)?
• Does your web site or brochures indicate your Green-Cleaning capabilities?

Then I asked another question, "May I ask, what percentage of your business does Fred get?" With a nod from the owner, the director of purchasing stated Fred's company was getting approximately 60% of the business.

My last question, directed to the owner was, "if we could help your company create an improved value proposition, allowing you to land more business, is there any reason you wouldn't direct 90% of your business to us?" (This, of course, would represent a 50% increase in Fred's sales)

The conversation continued in the owner's office. Very quickly, the owner shared his concerns about positioning his business for the future. Once Fred and I established ourselves as experts in Green with an understanding of industry trends, the owner began to open up and view us as a true business partner – not simply a distribution company selling products.

After our initial call on one of his top accounts, Fred and I discussed what transpired. What was going to be a 30 minute call with his customer resulted in a highly productive planning session that lasted well over an hour. We left the account with an action plan to assist the BSC with his business and a commitment to move more business to Fred.

Fred admitted that he was a little concerned over my line of questions and initially felt it was inappropriate to be so direct and challenging. He was very satisfied with the business he was getting; thus, never wanted to "rock the boat" by coming across too aggressively.

It was Fred's relationship that opened the door and allowed us to get the proper audience. If the meeting had not included the owner, then the call would not have gone nearly as well. And, if we had not asked direct, tough questions, we would not have communicated our expertise nor understood the BSC's challenges. We still have work to do; however, we learned that there was much greater opportunity in what was previously considered a very good account.

Needless to say, Fred and I were both excited over that first joint call. The subsequent calls also went extremely well and Fred vowed to adopt a tougher stance with his accounts and not simply accept a "business as usual" relationship. He was well aware that providing a greater value proposition could result in greater business – he just didn't realize that his Green knowledge had that level of impact.

Finally, Fred saw firsthand that there's nothing wrong with leveraging knowledge and asking tough questions to the right person; and, even in his best accounts there was potential for substantial growth.

So if you know a "Fred" or perhaps see a little of Fred in yourself, becoming an expert on Green Cleaning and truly becoming a resource to help your customers succeed is also your best formula for success.

Good selling.

Jeff

P.S. If you have any questions or stories to share, please drop me an email at JeffPease@AshkinGroup.com.

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