by tradesmeninsights | Jun 27, 2019 | Industry Articles, Tradesmen Insights
By Matt Sonnhalter, Vision Architect, Sonnhalter
We’ve talked much over the years about customer service and how important it is to resolve issues. And, we’ve also addressed the issue that customer service is everyone’s responsibility, from sales through tech support. Customer service is really all about your customers’ total experience.
This is true in our relationships with distributors as well as contractors. Manufacturers need to be careful, especially when business is on the uptick and attention to detail may come in second to short-term sales increases.
Don’t take your distributor and tradesman for granted. There’s always someone out there that can identify contractor’s needs and deliver—and it won’t necessarily be based on price or delivery—but on the total customer experience.
This article in HVACR Business by Jim Baston stressed, once again, how important customer service is in the big picture. Jim’s article is focused on the HVACR service business, but his points can be transferred to the manufacturing sector as well.
Jim breaks it down into five dimensions of service:
- Reliability: Your ability to dependably and accurately deliver as promised.
- Assurance: Your ability to convey trust and confidence.
- Tangibles: Your personal presentation and the condition of the physical facilities and equipment.
- Empathy: Your ability to demonstrate a high degree of caring and individual attention.
- Responsiveness: Your willingness to promptly and courteously respond to customers’ needs.
As manufacturers, you need to understand your customers’ (distributors and contractors) needs. Remember that everyone in your company is in customer service. If you haven’t asked your customers what their needs are recently, maybe you should. Things change and their priorities might have too. Focus on what matters to them.
If you like this post you may want read:
Manufacturers: Are you keeping up with your customers expectations?
Customer Service: What Are You Doing to Retain Customers?
by tradesmeninsights | Nov 19, 2014 | Marketing Trends, Traditional Marketing
Progressive contractors, I believe, are changing the way they are interacting with their manufacturers. When I ran across this research recently, it verified in my mind that it holds true. I only wish the Electrical and Plumbing markets would do similar research.
HVACRBusiness recently released a new research study, “HVACR Contractors: Trends in the Adoption of Products/Systems & Management Approaches,” (for a free copy of executive summary click here), that highlights new trends on their involvement with manufacturers. I did a podcast interview with Terry Tanker, the publisher, to talk about the results of the research.
Bottom line – 70% are more likely to evaluate additional manufacturers and their products. You can’t depend on your sales rep going to see them personally to introduce a new product. By the time they get there, the contractor may be well down the selection process. Contractors, no matter what kind, are looking for good information, not a sales pitch, but information that can help them do their jobs. If you can do that, it will help keep you in the game.
Here are some highlights.
They define a “High Yield” contractor as being more active in managing their business, having substantial revenues and experiencing significant growth. In other words, The “A” players in the field.
- 93% get involved in the early stages of the selection process of new products.
- Contractors have even greater expectations for products/systems than 5 years ago.
- Contractors are expecting manufacturers to do more to help them compete and operate efficiently.
- The selling environment has become more businesslike and competitive.
The bottom line is that these “High Yield” contractors have made significant changes in their relationships with their manufacturers and expect more out of them. Among them the top three changes are:
- Making manufacturers more accountable for their products/systems.
- Offering more support.
- Making more objective decisions about products/systems/brands.
