In today's market, adding value and providing a high level of service is critical to stay competitive. To do so, we must invest in our most valuable asset: our employees. Distributor salespeople are an extension of our customers' purchasing and maintenance teams. To increase our value, customers expect us to perform at a higher level.

Customers today demand partners who can provide technical solutions. A well-trained sales force is critical to retain existing customers and win over new ones. Investing in employee product training requires more than just lip service. Whether product training comes via formal, structured schools and classes, or vendor-sponsored "dog and pony" shows, make sure to set aside time to learn, and regularly refresh your employees' knowledge base.

Not only are distributor salespeople an extension of a customer's purchasing and maintenance teams, but their skills reflect on the manufacturers they represent. Today more than ever, manufacturers need distributors with a high level of product training to be successful in this challenging market. It's not good enough to just have field salespeople passing out manufacturer catalogs. Distributors must be well equipped to sell a variety of products and offer the right solutions.

Almost contradictory to that, many manufacturers are spending less time on product training with their distributors. Tighter budgets have led to distributor training schools being replaced with training via the Web or other electronic methods, or eliminated altogether. Reduced sales staff levels, additional product offerings and more distributors on whom to call also mean that manufacturers' sales reps are spending less time on product training.

As a result, the responsibility for developing a high-level sales team primarily falls on the distributor. We can meet this challenge by taking advantage of available support from manufacturers and supplementing our own product training with tools available from industry associations.

Distributors can't always afford to budget enough dollars to provide a high-powered product training program. To do this, distributors must utilize all possible tools available including: manufacturers' product training schools, the Web, home-grown product training, and industry associations like the Power Transmission Distributors Assn.

As an example, the PTDA offers both a handbook and a multimedia CD-ROM designed to enhance knowledge of power transmission/motion control products and concepts. Both can help salespeople better meet customer demands for technically proficient suppliers without blowing the training budget.

During these challenging economic times, it is even more critical that we invest in our employees. Many companies today are running lean with staff at many levels. Let's set our employees on the path to excellence by raising product knowledge. Today's customers and manufacturers expect better-trained and more knowledgeable salespeople. What are you doing to increase your competitive advantage by meeting this demand?

LeRoy Burcroff is vice president of sales for Bearing Service Inc. in Livonia, Mich., and serves as Technical Education Committee Chair for the Power Transmission Distributors Assn.