Response rate drives fluid power sales
Education and product availability are crucial to selling fluid power products
By Staff -- Industrial Distribution, 1/1/1998
Ask Marty Jenkins what's most important when it comes to selling fluid power equipment and the vice president of Carolina Fluid Components will tell you response time. Having the product in stock and to the customer when they need it will win you repeat business time and time again."In our surveys of customers, what they value most is response time,'' says Jenkins, "as well as technical knowledge and expertise in the fluid power industry. If you're talking pure replacement parts that require very little technical [support], then they are interested in both response time and price."
Jenkins notes that most customers have moved to just-in-time deliveries, and availability of product is more important than ever. "Customer inventories are smaller than they used to be, so they rely on distributors to have it.''
In addition to quick response time, the other overriding factor in the business is education. As Jenkins notes, "all of the control systems today are a far cry from what they were three years ago. The technology is growing by leaps and bounds, so the need for education is almost continuous.
"We utilize an ongoing, almost continuous educational program for our salespeople, because technology changes so quickly. It creates somewhat of a problem. But we're finding that the ability to embrace computer technology and electronic change is really important. The ability of our sales force to get faster, quicker, better answers [for the customer] is a big issue.''
That's exactly what Brad Sadler looks for in his distributors. As manager of hydraulic product marketing for The Gates Rubber Co., Sadler says distributors look most to his firm for training support, and that education is the most vital aspect for success in the fluid power segment.
"Distributors' number one need is probably training,'' he says, adding that how and where you apply different products is a major concern of most distributors and end users. "People are nervous about all the different types of pressures and applications, and issues like conductive versus non-conductive and what the velocity through the pipeline is."
Like Jenkins, Sadler also says the need for distributors to have parts in stock is essential -- even if that means having a slow-moving coupling stay on the shelf longer than desired. In the long run, not having that product when the customer needs it may result in not having the customer for much longer at all.
"Some of the fittings can be very low earns and turns, but you have to have the certain items in stock,'' he says. "The guy that's buying his everyday stuff from you...if you don't have [the product] once or twice, [he will] start using your competitors.''
Just as important as having product in stock and available for immediate delivery is the ability to manage inventory correctly, according to Sadler. Distributors who are successful with hydraulic hose and connectors, in particular, have to keep an eye on managing the product, he says, as the investment in stock can add up quickly.
"When you get up to four- and six-spiral hoses, you're talking up to $20 a foot,'' says Sadler. "And there are some odd ball fittings that you can't be without in order to service the fast-moving products.''
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