There are multiple ways for you to get involved with your dealers to allow them to get more out of their HVACR businesses which in turn keeps your dealer base strong and profitable for you. You and your territory managers play an important role in taking your dealer to a higher level.
Offering good programs or business methods can change the tone of your business and that of your dealers in a positive way. However, good ideas offer no value to you or your customers without an implementation plan and a positive attitude. Your implementation plan should include focus groups, dealer development programs, developing your territory managers and placing them in consulting roles with your dealers and perhaps most importantly mentoring and coaching your dealers.
Focus Groups Provide Direction
Take some time to explore what is available to help your dealers and encourage your dealers to participate. Sponsor focus group meetings to discuss meeting topics and ask your dealers what programs they believe will benefit them the most. Your equipment manufacturers as well as local and national trade associations may be a good source for speakers regarding important and timely subjects. Be sure to concentrate on business management skills. While technical training is vital to the success of your dealers, business training is paramount. Soft skills training will give your contractor customers’ employees a grip on the importance of keeping customers satisfied.
Offer Dealer Development Programs
Involving your dealers in an advertising campaign is important, but ad campaigns only make the phone ring. What your dealers do once the phone rings is critical to their success. Sponsor meetings to bring in speakers that have a message to tell and a product to offer. Those meetings may be about how to price for profit, the importance of a phone system with an on-hold message, an easy to start, easy to use service agreement program and the value of implementing flat rate pricing in service. The importance of exposing your dealers to business management skills will undoubtedly make your dealer much more ready to handle their customers professionally when your ad campaigns bring business to their doors.
Territory Business Consultants
Take a close look at the role your territory managers play in the success of your dealers. If your TM’s only role is to sell and ship big boxes, they offer little value to your customers. Position your company to maintain a strong dealer base by training your TM’s to become business consultants. Provide them with the skill-set to be the go-to guy or gal that your dealers rely on for everything about their HVACR business.
Become a Business Coach
Your dealers have their hands full trying to stay on top of the day to day challenges in their HVACR businesses. Consequently, your role and relationship with your dealers is more important now than ever before. Become a source of knowledge not only on the technical side but also on the business side for your dealers. Consider your territory managers as territory business consultants and consider yourself as your dealers’ mentor. If you play your role properly in your dealer relationships your customers will never need to ask for your advice, it will always be right in front of them. Call them regularly, don’t depend on your sales staff to maintain the relationships that you have established. Schedule business coaching sessions where you stay involved in an advisory role on a regular one on one basis or through conference calls with your dealer network.
Become a Cheerleader
Everyone likes to hear an ‘at-a-boy every now and then. Call your dealers to let them know you’re watching their success. Give your TM’s the acknowledgement they deserve when they go above and beyond for your dealers. Be a positive force in your business and maintain a positive outlook, its contagious!
Be an Innovator
It was once said that the best way to predict the future is to create it! The best way to create a great future is to find great people looking to do a great job.
When you build relationships where everybody wins, the great people find you and rest falls into place.
* Jim D’Amico and Ken Cederquist are two of the founders of Profit Strategies, a provider of service pricing systems for the HVAC, Plumbing, and Electrical trades. Jim is a former HVAC contractor and Ken is a former distributor.
