What comes to mind for me when I look at the variety of the transactions I do every day, I realize that many of the routine choices I make are because I like the people providing the service and habitually buy from them. While rehabbing homes, I usually ate at the same diner where I knew the wait staff, I shopped at Menards where I felt treated much better (and consequently knew more staff than Home Depot or Lowes--their turnover seemed far too much), used the same subcontractors, etc.
This comes under the phrase, "Be easy to do business with" (just being easy going and likeable), and takes it a step further to making a personal contact. The personal connection is greatly enhanced when there is an expertise and/or solution conveyed in the transaction. ("Have you tried our {Cobb Salad}--the guys love it", or "For those materials, try this adhesive for waterproofing".)
The personal connection goes a step beyond the economics and reaches into the customer's emotions. This has the customer feeling that this is a great experience, that they have an ally solving their problems, and only incidentially about the products themself.
Are there direct connections to web sites and phone calls? Try to be creative about that. Can consultative-type selling be digitally replicated with phone banks and AI? It looks like the better the "know your customer" data that goes in, the better the output and result.
From an experience earlier this week, i was on a chat line answering questions, and the answer to the next question was already in my previous answer. Were they checking to make sure they heard it correctly? It did not seem like it. It did seem like they never read the reply because they were working too many threads. I never did get a return email to answer my question (new account), but they did want my account number.
Mark, Thanks for hosting this and posing interesting questions!
In a way, it was me trying to analyze why I buy what I do. The Zorbent product is more expensive per bag, but the bag does more than clay or saw dust. Unlike its ultra light competition, it is dust free, so it is cleaner and safer. Lighter weight also makes the economics work. To become a raving fan, the right user has to experience the product. They mechanic who wants a clean shop sees how fast, easy and safe it is. But, most people and companies just by the kitty liter becasue it is what they know and is cheaper per equivalent looking bag.
How do I get the target to try the product? I am looking for a trusted, consultative type of interaction, one that introduces the product and adds credibility. With my one distributor, the product is now in a corporate focused group trying to introduce their top 35 innovative and profitable products.
Can that be replicated in the retail aisle or at an industrial distributor? I need to find those types.
Mark,
What comes to mind for me when I look at the variety of the transactions I do every day, I realize that many of the routine choices I make are because I like the people providing the service and habitually buy from them. While rehabbing homes, I usually ate at the same diner where I knew the wait staff, I shopped at Menards where I felt treated much better (and consequently knew more staff than Home Depot or Lowes--their turnover seemed far too much), used the same subcontractors, etc.
This comes under the phrase, "Be easy to do business with" (just being easy going and likeable), and takes it a step further to making a personal contact. The personal connection is greatly enhanced when there is an expertise and/or solution conveyed in the transaction. ("Have you tried our {Cobb Salad}--the guys love it", or "For those materials, try this adhesive for waterproofing".)
The personal connection goes a step beyond the economics and reaches into the customer's emotions. This has the customer feeling that this is a great experience, that they have an ally solving their problems, and only incidentially about the products themself.
Are there direct connections to web sites and phone calls? Try to be creative about that. Can consultative-type selling be digitally replicated with phone banks and AI? It looks like the better the "know your customer" data that goes in, the better the output and result.
From an experience earlier this week, i was on a chat line answering questions, and the answer to the next question was already in my previous answer. Were they checking to make sure they heard it correctly? It did not seem like it. It did seem like they never read the reply because they were working too many threads. I never did get a return email to answer my question (new account), but they did want my account number.
Mark, Thanks for hosting this and posing interesting questions!
Hi Russ,
Great comments! For more on the human touch - and innovation opportunities - you might check out my conversation on the Wholesale Change show, below.
Does any of this play out in your business?
Mark
https://pages.distributionstrategy.com/acton/media/6612/wholesale-change-how-distributors-can-innovate-the-physical-store
In a way, it was me trying to analyze why I buy what I do. The Zorbent product is more expensive per bag, but the bag does more than clay or saw dust. Unlike its ultra light competition, it is dust free, so it is cleaner and safer. Lighter weight also makes the economics work. To become a raving fan, the right user has to experience the product. They mechanic who wants a clean shop sees how fast, easy and safe it is. But, most people and companies just by the kitty liter becasue it is what they know and is cheaper per equivalent looking bag.
How do I get the target to try the product? I am looking for a trusted, consultative type of interaction, one that introduces the product and adds credibility. With my one distributor, the product is now in a corporate focused group trying to introduce their top 35 innovative and profitable products.
Can that be replicated in the retail aisle or at an industrial distributor? I need to find those types.
Hi Russ - let’s talk live. I have some ideas for you. Next week?
Yes. In fact I will be in CO briefly next week.