Personal Relationships
Retailing and wholesaling are so much more than just the business of selling.
By Quinn Halford -- Gifts & Decorative Accessories, 10/1/2003
Some retailers think they're in the business of selling, but the best retailers know that they're in the business of personal relationships. And the most important relationship is the one with the customer. You may sell to a person once, but unless he or she finds the experience rewarding, a return engagement is very unlikely. Your relationship with your staff is also vital. Disgruntled employees are as big a drag on the bottom line as mistletoe in July and Easter bunnies in October.
Then there's the relationship between retailers and their suppliers. This is the one we seem to hear the most gripes about. A lot of it has to do with both groups taking each other for granted. Often, neither side spends enough time cultivating the relationship because they're too busy "selling." That's not to say that there aren't a lot of retailers, reps, and suppliers who have good relationships. There are. And they're the ones who understand what it takes to be successful.
In the August issue, David Moses, president OneCoast Network, wrote about how good reps can become a retailer's best "free employee." David received a lot of positive response, with a number of rep managers requesting copies of the article to send to their road agents. In this issue, two manufacturers talk about relationship initiatives they're taking. Cast stone manufacturer Kay Berry invited a group of retailers to sit down and have a freewheeling discussion. "It was a wonderful learning experience for us," said president Chuck Wesson. Meanwhile, Greenbrier Baskets introduced booklets of discount coupons for its customers to use. "We did this entirely for the mom and pop retailers," said founder Cyndee Pollock. You can read about the details of these relationship-building efforts on page 18.
We've added a new segment to our popular "What's Selling" column by asking manufacturers and sales rep showrooms what their fastest-moving merchandise is. Now you can read the latest reports on "What's Retailing" and "What's Wholesaling" (pp. 14,16).
It's all part of our effort to reinforce our relationship with you.
