wholesaler

In today’s ever-changing business landscape, strengthening the contractor/wholesaler channel is critical to survival. A recent general session at PHCC CONNECT drilled deep into the conversation.  “How does my supplier make me look like a rock star?” asked Dan Callies, President, Oak Creek Plumbing, Inc., Oak Creek, Wis., during the “Collaborative Connections: Strengthening Supplier-Contractor Relationships for Read more

In today’s ever-changing business landscape, strengthening the contractor/wholesaler channel is critical to survival. A recent general session at PHCC CONNECT drilled deep into the conversation.

 “How does my supplier make me look like a rock star?” asked Dan Callies, President, Oak Creek Plumbing, Inc., Oak Creek, Wis., during the “Collaborative Connections: Strengthening Supplier-Contractor Relationships for Success” general session at the PHCC Connect show last month in Cleveland. Joining Dan on stage was an all-star cast featuring emcee Robert Grim, Senior Vice President, Global Sales, InSinkErator, Mount Pleasant, Wis.; Scott Robertson, President, Robertson Heating Supply Co., Alliance, Ohio; Kathryn Poehling-Seymour, President and CEO, First Supply LLC, Madison, Wis.; and Jason Pritchard, Co-Founder, PriCor Technologies, Seattle.

contractor, wholesaler, supplier, plumbing, manufacturer, supply chain, training, technology, collaboration, PHCC, PHCC CONNECT

From l to r: Robert Grim, Senior Vice President, Global Sales, InSinkErator, Mount Pleasant, Wis.; Scott Robertson, President, Robertson Heating Supply Co., Alliance, Ohio; Kathryn Poehling-Seymour, President and CEO, First Supply LLC, Madison, Wis.; and Jason Pritchard, Co-Founder, PriCor Technologies, Seattle.

That’s the million-dollar question, right? How does the supplier/contractor relationship make each other better at his/her jobs, and contribute to the overall company mission? Throw in the manufacturer here too, for that matter. Some of the fundamental tenets for strengthening that relationship—that were discussed at the general session—included collaboration, value distribution services, availability, technology and training, and expectations.

Can’t We Just Get Along?

InSinkErator’s Grim asked about the value of working together, and Poehling-Seymour stressed that collaboration is critical in this relationship. “We must understand the pain points and what is working and what isn’t.”

And with that comes better communication. “We are in a relationship industry where communication is imperative,” said Pritchard. If that means paying a bit more for that stronger relationship, then so be it, intimated Pritchard.

Callies echoed this but stressed right communication over more communication. The common thought is “wide equals pricing and deep equals relationships,” said Callies.

So, let’s go deep as an industry. When asked what the landscape is going to look like in five-to-10 years for the contractor/wholesaler/manufacturer, people, processes and services matter. Through trust and preferences, “Relationships are going to matter more,” said Pritchard.

What about expectations? “We want to be around for another 10-20 years,” said Robertson. “We want to see contractor loyalty in the channel,” continued Robertson. “And that means a loyalty to the wholesaler in your particular market.”

Stock Market

Let’s not avoid the 800-lb. gorilla in the room. With contractor loyalty, comes availability and pricing. For Robertson, inventory presence is critical so much so that Robertson Supply holds inventory for approximately 100-125 days. “Listen, we don’t make or install anything so we better be damn good at inventory management,” said Robertson.

Value distribution services ties right in here, “It’s about right product, right time, right price,” said Poehling-Seymour. “Be that added value family.”

Tech Relevant

It’s imperative for these brick-and-mortar supply houses to stay on top of the latest trends and technology. “The key to survival is to stay progressive and current,” said Robertson. Upon further self-reflection, “how do we make it easier to find product?” asked Robertson. “This includes being totally integrated with our contractor partners and researching and developing a technology that contractors will use.”

Poehling-Seymour added that First Supply LLC institutes “customer councils” to continuously get a pulse of the customer. “We try to make sense of the noise,” said Poehling- Seymour. “Where is critical mass in that noise so we can make the right decisions?”

Unless you’ve been riding under a technology rock, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has dominated the talk in most every corner of the tech universe, and it has crept into the PHVAC industry as well. While artificial intelligence, in and of itself, can sound scary and intimidating, according to Poehling-Seymour, “AI has real application in the industry purchasing and predictability.”

For suppliers, it’s imperative to keep all “moving-forward” options available, as Robertson suggests. This includes, and nothing new and earth shattering in our industry, maximizing e-commerce when necessary. “E-commerce presents the right tools at your fingertips,” said Poehling-Seymour. Robertson adds that for his company, online ordering represents 20% volume. Other tech advancements, which included the use of QR codes to streamline processes and online training, were mentioned.

Training Room

InSinkErator’s Grim offered that in today’s business landscape, there is more need for training.

In fact, says Grim, PHCC members ask for training and education now more than ever. “With evolution and advancement comes training and education,” said Callies. Doubling down on this, Poehling-Seymour stated that First Supply opened a training center and offers a variety of training through streaming content.

Callies suggests that people still are the cogs in the wheel that makes this industry run, “Digital when you can, verbal when you must.” Pritchard and Poehler-Seymour agree, saying that people and the process are key through direct communication, and that includes all members of the channel—contractors, manufacturers, all the way down to the inside and outside sales, drivers, dispatchers, etc. within each organization.

So, let’s go back to the original question: How do we all make each other look like rock stars? Consuming all of the above, and, quite simply, “look for successes and build on them,” said Callies.

This article originally ran in PHCC’s Solutions magazine. You can learn more about the Plumbing-Heating-Cooling-Contractors (PHCC) Association at www.phccweb.org.

A. O. Smith, a leader in water heating and water treatment solutions, announces the launch of its newly updated website, hotwater.com. The fully redesigned website offers an immersive and user-friendly experience with a focus on meeting the diverse needs of today’s trade professionals and homeowners. Key improvements to the website include a mobile-friendly design, a Read more

A. O. Smith, a leader in water heating and water treatment solutions, announces the launch of its newly updated website, hotwater.com. The fully redesigned website offers an immersive and user-friendly experience with a focus on meeting the diverse needs of today’s trade professionals and homeowners.

Key improvements to the website include a mobile-friendly design, a reorganized navigation system and enhanced search functionality. These upgrades, made possible by the new Salesforce Commerce Cloud platform, provide users with a seamless browsing experience and quick and easy access to the information that’s important to them. As consumers are researching new water heaters they can quickly navigate to the Contractor Locator Tool, which will connect them to an A. O. Smith installer who can help them select the best-fit water heater for their installation needs.

The new Hotwater.com features a range of additional enhancements designed to benefit trade professionals:

All users will also benefit from:

  • Rebates Center: The improved Rebates Center makes it easier for customers to find rebates and incentives for installing A. O. Smith high efficiency products.
  • Educational Content: The enhanced Info Center educates customers on frequently asked topics like Water Heater Sizing, Water Heater Venting and more.
  • Accessibility: The website is now equipped with an ADA-compliant tool, ensuring a more inclusive experience for all users.

“A. O. Smith’s updated website is the result of a year-long endeavor aimed at enhancing our online customer experience. Before starting the overhaul, our team surveyed customers to find out what resources were most important to them. We then used this feedback to guide our efforts to diligently craft a digital experience that seamlessly aligns with their evolving needs, delivering unparalleled value and convenience,” said Jeff Storie, A. O. Smith marketing director.

Experience the enhanced A. O. Smith website today by visiting www.hotwater.com.

Niagara’s New Wholesale Program Created with a Variety of Benefits Niagara®, the leader in high-performance, water-saving toilets, has developed a new program and product lineup designed exclusively for the plumbing wholesale channel. Niagara’s Wholesale Program and new toilet product lineup will help wholesalers serve the needs of their plumbing professionals by offering advanced technology and Read more

Niagara’s New Wholesale Program Created with a Variety of Benefits

Niagara®, the leader in high-performance, water-saving toilets, has developed a new program and product lineup designed exclusively for the plumbing wholesale channel. Niagara’s Wholesale Program and new toilet product lineup will help wholesalers serve the needs of their plumbing professionals by offering advanced technology and high performance for those who are looking for wide variety of water-efficient products, with flush rates of 0.8, 1.0, 1.1 and 1.28 GPF.

With the new program, Niagara is a launching a dedicated pro website that provides detailed information for wholesale partners and plumbing professionals.  Also available will be an online portal that provides detailed information for wholesaler partners and rep agencies. Niagara has expanded its sales organization to include regional sales managers and business development managers who are working with industry rep agencies on a national level.

“Previously, Niagara products were not widely distributed within the wholesale channel and channel support was not provided,” said Jeff Pratt, vice president of sales at Niagara. “We spent the last year building our new wholesale program and are now launching our product lineup filled with the features that pros want. These products will be sold exclusively to the wholesale channel and supported by our national rep agencies.  Through our new program, we are committed to providing attractive products and services to the wholesale distributor, plumber and trade partners in the industry.”

Over the past year, Niagara has expanded its rep network nationwide, with more than 20 rep agencies. In addition, Niagara has already signed agreements with over 50 new wholesalers to distribute their products. Niagara has also joined AD and IMARK Buying groups, as well as several key plumbing and wholesale associations, such as ASA, PHCC, ASPE, SWA, NKBA, USGBC, AIM/R and AIA as well as several contractor buying groups.

In addition to the new exclusive product lineup offered to the wholesale channel, Niagara remains committed to driving specifications through architects, engineers, trade mechanical workers, residential builders and professional plumbers, all in support of the plumbing wholesale distributor.