ConstructionDist.com |

It always seems to happen. A rep from one of your middle of the road lines just wants to drop in to see how things are going. There doesn't seem to be any substance to the sales call, just a friendly hello. Depending on how the day is going, we either accept or reject the intrusion. Unfortunately, if the day hasn't been so rosy, somebody is going to get a double barreled verbal assault right between the ears. Great, now I have to buy something to make peace.

A couple of months ago, I wrote an article about creating a vendor report card. Ultimately, creating this type of reporting is all about setting expectations. In order to avoid the situation I described earlier, we need to establish a set of expectations with the representatives charged with maintaining our account.

Help them help you. We all know the positive effect that a good sales rep can have in our organization. They keep us up to date on new product offerings, they help us manage our dead inventory, they drive sales through our organization and they can even help us train our salespeople to be more effective in the field. A good manufacturer's rep drives profitability in our company. According to the distributors I have interviewed recently, the good reps seem to be in the minority. And, if they are really good, they tend to get promoted and replaced with an energetic young pup just waiting to chew up your slippers. With all the new reps and less than stellar performers out there, we need to develop a program for making the rep a contributor in our organization.

Wait a minute. Isn't that the job of the manufacturer? Don't they sign the paycheck? Yes they do, but who ultimately pays the price for poor representation. We do. Rather than wasting a bunch of time in the blame game, we need to be proactive in our approach with the rep. It is our responsibility to give them a set of ground rules. Show them how to do business with your company.

Drop-in or appointment?

The first place to set expectations is with the sales call. Do you allow drop-in calls with no appointment? If so, what is the best time to reach you? Many of the distributors suggest that they have a business lull between the hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. This would be good information for the sales rep.

If you do not appreciate a drop in, how should they set an appointment? Many of you are fine with a phone call. Others would like to have an email detailing the nature of the call and if there is any specific information the rep is looking for. When I sat on the other side of the desk, I was in the email camp. My generation, so notably termed Generation X, tends to prefer the email route. We want to get to the point and leave the idle chit chat aside. Regardless of your preferred method, clearly communicate this to any new manufacturer calling on your company. They will appreciate the heads up and ultimately help you manage your day.