wholesalers

Let’s face it. The way that Americans shop has changed. The COVID-19 pandemic has been a boon to online retailers and delivery services. Consumers who are leery about walking into a store will buy online for delivery or order it for curbside pickup. You and your family members probably ordered something online today. There’s a temptation to let that drift into your professional life as well, but it may not work for securing the brands or quality of products that you are used to securing and providing to your customers.

Plumbing wholesalers must acknowledge that home improvement retailers are not going to go away. But both plumbing wholesalers and plumbing contractors must realize that they, themselves, are offering their customers so much more than a product. Anybody can offer a product for sale but wholesalers and contractors succeed by offering services that the competition either cannot or will not offer.

The big box stores are doing their best to offer services and incentives that mimic those offered by plumbing wholesalers. The issue for now, however, is they can only offer these in a general, corporate way, while the local wholesaler takes great pride in knowing the personality and needs of its contractor customers. A wholesaler knows who those contractors are, what their specialties are, what they want. They know what their customers buy, and they don’t have to look it up in their computer records because they and their counter people have an ongoing business relationship with their contractors. They interact with contractors and their plumbers all the time and deliver to their shops or jobsites.

Another avenue for wholesalers to create relational equity and provide value is to provide on-site training, by leveraging manufacture resources. Heating and plumbing manufacturers and wholesalers realize that one of the best ways to form lasting relationships with contractors is to offer technical training. Contractors will sell products with which they are familiar and comfortable; that’s how they make a profit. If a product is difficult or confusing to install or results in call-backs, they won’t sell it. Homeowners are doing their homework online on space and water heating systems and, while they are well-informed, they certainly don’t know as much as contractors. Contractors must be able to demonstrate a thorough knowledge of their products so that they can discuss, with confidence, why their customers should want to buy what they’re selling.

The way to get that recommendation is through training. Plumbing wholesalers should be set up to offer training, both in-person and virtually. Most training has become virtual because of COVID-19 and we will undoubtedly see some of that continue in the years ahead. It’s incumbent on wholesalers to have the equipment to record video training or to livestream training to their customers. But they should also invest in a proper classroom setup in their facilities in which manufacturers’ trainers and reps can conduct in-person training.

Distributors should emphasize the inventory management and financing services that they offer. They can help contractors keep up with code changes and changes to licensing requirements in their area. They can inform contractors about manufacturers’ rebate offers or give them advice on postcard mailings and other marketing tactics. Everything you do and every bit of information you can provide to help your contractors creates that level of “stickiness” that makes it hard for them to want to go elsewhere.

When thinking about the differences between a local plumbing wholesaler and a big box store, contractors should think about the differences between themselves and a big box store. Any homeowner can walk into a big box store and buy plumbing products. Some will install what they buy on their own and others will reach out to their handy friend.  The biggest trend here, however, is that consumers are walking into the box store to buy their plumbing and HVAC needs and the installation that goes with it.  It’s one-stop shopping for the consumer.  The box stores have swung away to a degree from the DIYers and have now positioned themselves as the seller and installer for today’s consumers.

But what wholesalers offer is individualized support and personal relationships. When one of a contractor’s customers has an emergency on a Saturday night, the contractor has the cell phone number of the wholesaler manager who’s going help them get the replacement equipment they need. Some wholesalers even have formal 24×7 programs to address both residential and commercial emergency installations or repairs. Try doing that through a big box store.  And when it comes to a homeowner installing his new bathroom or kitchen, some wholesalers have showrooms they can walk through to find unique fixtures that they will never be able to get in a retail environment.

Bradford White continues to count on wholesale distribution to support the professional specification and installation of its products. Our distributors bring a level of service and support to the equation that keeps contractors coming back and helps them better serve the end-user.

GUEST BLOG BY:  Matt Kozak, Vice President – Sales for Bradford White Water Heaters. 

A graduate of Loyola College in Baltimore, Matt joined Bradford White in 2007 as a regional sales manager in the southeast.

He progressed to become director of sales for the Eastern U.S. and now oversees sales management and business development teams as vice president of sales for the U.S.

Matt has been actively involved in industry organizations such as the American Supply Association (ASA) and the Association of Independent Manufacturers’/Representatives, Inc. (AIM/R).

The importance of proper domestic hot water (DHW) temperature control in providing comfort, safety and convenience cannot be overstated. Delivering it remains one of the most important responsibilities of plumbing system designers. Kevin Freidt, Caleffi director of product management and technical support, will discuss temperature control at the hot water source, at the point-of-use, in the balanced secondary circuits and in the system as a whole.

You’ll learn:
→ What methods are used to control temperature at the DHW source?
→ What is different about controlling hot water temperature at the source vs. at the point-of-use?
→ Mixing valve standards ASSE 1017, ASSE 1070 and other related ASSE standards.
→ Can an instantaneous heater take the place of a mixing valve?
→ Are electronic mixing valves more accurate than thermostatic mixing valves?
→ How do I properly size and install a mixing valve to assure accuracy?
→ What are some causes of the loss of accuracy in a mixing valve?
→ What about temperature control and balancing of secondary piping circuits when I have recirculation?
→ What does accurate temperature control have to do with preventing Legionella bacteria issues?

Freidt is the intellect behind sizing up the best product offerings in a moving target market and manages an exceptional technical support team. He has a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering Technology, 35+ years’ of experience in the commercial HVAC industry and is a LEED AP. Our audience will thoroughly appreciate his academic passion and concise content delivery.

Coffee with Caleffi technical training webinars are free and intended for contractors, designers and wholesalers. By submitting your webinar registration, you are consenting to email communications to keep you up-to-date on industry news.   A Certificate of Attendance is emailed to attendees following the webinar.

→ Registration

Missed a webinar?  No problem, our webinar archive is available 24/7 for your convenience.

If you have questions on webinar content, please direct them to bob.rohr@caleffi.com.

E-commerce solutions for the kitchen and bath industry are crucial for contractor suppliers.

The right online solution must combine the complexity of business-to-business with the ease of consumer simplicity. It can enhance, develop and support customer relationships. But it involves the relentless pursuit of the exact mix of data, technology, training and support.

In the end, it preserves old-school relationships, adds a new-school solution and becomes a tool to spur new business.

A Rich History of Relationships

Contractor supply has historically been a relationship business. Customers go to the supply house and develop face-to-face relationships with staff, who become more than just order-takers.

Tailoring the right online solutions for customers can maintain that personal touch and help everyone get their jobs done faster.

What Customers Want

Distributors are adapting to a changing buyer profile that expects online services – from requesting and checking quotes, to reviewing local inventory and pricing in real time, to placing orders quickly for scheduled delivery.

But e-commerce systems and personnel can do more than help current customers. They can help win new business.

E-commerce is more than just creating a shopping cart. It’s a complete digital transformation.

A Complex Transaction

It’s critical to get input from both customers and from every level of the supplier organization. At MORSCO, we listen closely to customers, as well as our inside and outside sales teams, operations, accounts payable and other internal stakeholders. All these parties must help develop the solution and train customers afterward. It becomes everyday business, not just a one-time project.

Keep it Personal

Even with stakeholder input from all levels, e-commerce can still seem impersonal. But with support from the staff at the local branches – particularly inside sales—and with communication from local contractors, the face-to-face support will remain. Orders and follow ups should go through the local branch—not a call center—so customers know they are still dealing with suppliers at the local level who understand their needs.

The right online solution also frees up time for the outside sales staff. With advanced features, like easy-to-use custom pricing and quoting tools, the outside team can better support new and potential customers. Instead of tracking down invoices and delivery slips, outside sales reps can leverage digital platforms to spark better conversations with customers, bringing sophistication to a centuries-old industry.

Suppliers in the kitchen and bath industry, meanwhile, can continue to serve as personal consultants, troubleshooters and more, all in a face-to-face capacity. That provides better, faster service, while maintaining an unmatched level of local, personal support for customers.

Benefits for Vendors

E-commerce sites can also serve as a vendor’s marketing tool, salesperson and cashier. Benefits include:

• Mobile solutions like phone and tablet access that help customers search for products and inventory at the local level and place orders anywhere, anytime, including on job sites.
• The ability to increase customer reach and become the preferred online vendor for customers.
• Increased sales and loyalty with existing and new customers.

The Right Solutions

So what does it take to offer world class e-commerce? Solutions that:

• Help people get jobs done more efficiently, freeing talent for higher-value tasks. Viewing and paying invoices can now be done online, much more quickly, and at the customer’s convenience.
• Allow access anywhere from desktop computers to job sites through mobile phones. Offer technical documents, catalogs, component and accessory information, as well as substitute items and recommendations.
• Include side-by-side input from customers and support from employees.
• Invest in training for all sales and branch staff, ensuring the face-to-face support can be seamless and add value.

• Offer support that involve local branches, which are critical for both your customers and your employees. Be sure users know the types of support offered and that support tickets are addressed quickly and completely.
• Leverage technology: Power your digital customer experience with top-tier e-commerce, search, marketing automation, analytics, and data platforms. At MORSCO, this gives customers the 24/7 access they need, increases our ability to make complex online transactions that vary by a customer’s needs and creates the customer value that goes beyond the online shopping cart.

E-commerce solutions must remember the importance of the long-standing relationship nature of the business. It’s an exciting time for those who can adapt.

Story contributed by by Darren Taylor, CMO, MORSCO

Winsupply, one of the largest distributors in the nation, has selected its annual Vendors of the Year for 2016 in their respective product categories.

The Winsupply Preferred Vendors that won in each category were chosen based on volume sold over a period of years, being one of the leaders in growing the business, selling to a breadth of locations that buy the vendor’s type of product, and having no major issues during the past year.

The winners of Vendor of the Year include:

Electrical: Pass & Seymour/Legrand

Fire: Victaulic

HVAC: Johnson Controls

Industrial: NIBCO

Plumbing Finished Goods: American Standard

Plumbing Rough-In: NIBCO

Pumps: Liberty Pumps

Showroom: Delta/Brizo

Tools: Milwaukee Electric Tool

Waterworks: A.Y. McDonald

National Account Manager: Mark Terrel of American Standard, and Bobby Leggett of Johnson Controls.

“Winsupply nominated the best of many excellent suppliers in each respective industry and our local companies provided input to help us make these selections,” said Roland Gordon, Winsupply president and CEO. “The winners are manufacturers who share our desire to be partners in serving our customers. They played an important part in our growth in 2016, our third consecutive record year in sales.”

About Winsupply Inc.

Winsupply Inc. (www.winsupplyinc.com) is a leading supplier of residential and commercial construction and industrial supplies and equipment headquartered in Dayton, Ohio. The privately-held company has nearly 580 wholesaling locations in 45 states and offers entrepreneurs the unique opportunity to own a meaningful part of the local business. Collectively, Winsupply is known as “The Winsupply Family of Companies” and includes Win-branded locations, Noland Company, Carr Supply, Security Plumbing & Heating Supply, and Wyatt Irrigation. In the family are companies conducting business-to-business wholesale distribution of supplies and equipment in plumbing and heating; hydronics; pipe, valves and fittings; HVAC and refrigeration; electrical; fastening hardware; waterworks and utility; pumps; turf irrigation and landscape; and fire system fabrication. Follow Winsupply on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.