by HIGH POINT — As part of its mission to help independent sales reps be as useful as possible to their retail customers, the International Home Furnishings Representatives Association recently conducted an informal survey with 20 retailers.
The retailers represent a mix of Top 100 companies, midsize retailers and smaller retailers.
Knowing that a rep’s opportunities to conduct in-store visits were curtailed during the height of the pandemic, IHFRA asked retailers how often their reps had called on them this year.
According to the respondents, 30% said reps call on them weekly, 30% said monthly and another 30% said “as needed.” The remaining retailers indicated that their reps call on them quarterly.
The vast majority of the retailers (80%) said that the current frequency of their rep visits was sufficient. The reminder (20%) felt their current visits from reps were not sufficient.
Retailers added that they rely on reps to inform them of any changes to the lines, to share information about trends, styles, what is working at retail, etc.
When specifically asked what they rely most on reps for, all of the respondents said product information. Ninety percent said in-store training; 40% said sales trends; 20% said industry news; 10% said information about competitors; and the remaining 10% said ideas and ways to improve.
IHFRA also asked retailers to share what their best reps provide for them. Here is a sampling of what they said:
+ Ways to improve our products and information to make smarter business decisions
+ Product information, training, industry insights and helping us see a broader landscape in the industry.
+ Sales training/shipping info and availability
+ Competitive information
+ Strategy
The survey also asked retailers what reps could do to be even more valuable. Responses included:
+ Share our feedback — work with suppliers to execute our feedback to improve products, supply chains, processes, etc.
+ Communicate and respond in a timely fashion
+ Provide high-quality sales training more frequently
+ Be our partner. Bring us ideas, best practices and market intelligence
+ Become more tech savvy
One criticism that was mentioned by numerous retailers was that many of today’s sales reps don’t have a deep understanding of a click-to-brick (web-to+retail) mindset. Specifically, the retailers said they wished more sales reps could support them as they sold their products digitally.
The retailers also said that any information reps could share about a product’s velocity (unit sales, by price, by color, etc.) would be valuable.
When asked how they saw the role of the rep changing, the retailers said they hoped reps would continue to improve their communication, increase their efficiency, garner a better understanding of digital assets, and most of all, embrace current and new technology.
One retailer, underscoring the comments of many, said, “Sales reps who do not embrace technology will simply not be able to keep up with the retailers who get it.”
Based on the input from retailers, reps looking to bring value to their retail customers need to:
+ Consider the frequency of their communications and store visits
+ Treat their retail customers as true partners
+ Embrace technology to enhance the quality of communication, support and information they bring to their customers
+ Provide timely, accurate product information, deliver superior sales training and share market trends and market intelligence.
Another great IHFRA post by Ray
Ray,
I’ve known who are since your time at Furniture Today. We’ve spoken a couple times at events over the years. The most recent was several years ago during one of your performances with the band at McPherson’s in Jamestown. Fun times.
This is a solid article, straight down the asphalt (that’s rep lingo), good reminders with today’s update as it relates to digital technology. I’ll talk about this with some of my brothers and sisters in our part of the industry.
Something I’ve noticed as I read your HNN articles – you are brief and to the point, like never before. We have recently tested our account list focusing on what we see as the weak link in routine communications. Accepting the fact that showing up in person “as needed” for each account can never be replaced, we still must dispatch a tremendous amount of information as it becomes available. Price lists, updated production times, freight information, discontinued product are just a few examples. My partners and I were discussing the disproportionate number of requests we were getting for this info after we had blanketed our territory with it. We decided to run a test to see how many of our customers actually read our email blasts. We created a brief, easy to read, production update – important stuff – with a final two-sentence paragraph, admonishing our partners to simply respond “I read it!” and we would enter their names in a drawing for some company swag. Here’s the numbers, Ray. Out of 152 emails dispatched, we received that message back from nine dealers. Nine. We think this points to a lot of issues at the retail level, virtually all of them understandable. Now we work to find ways to address this dilemma.
Great report.