The role of the manufacturer regional manager has been challenged, and redefined, during and since Covid. Whereas it was to be a facilitator and "face of factory" prior to Covid, the question now asked is "what is their value proposition" given that companies are striving to do more with less, virtual meetings have become part of everyday life, and distributor consolidation is … [Read more...] about How Regional Managers (Can) Add Value
Sales & Marketing
Improve Indoor Air Quality: Cutting-Edge HVACR Trends for Healthier Environments
While consumers and building owners focus on temperature control, air quality is a growing concern for many. Companies seek to improve air quality because it impacts employee health. Better air quality = employee safety which, from an ROI perspective involves less sick days, higher productivity and a "happier" work force. And in the wake of Covid and a number of companies still … [Read more...] about Improve Indoor Air Quality: Cutting-Edge HVACR Trends for Healthier Environments
Distributors – Planning Marketing Strategy for 2024
The HVAC market has experienced a dramatic slowdown compared to the past few years, which, with the benefit of hindsight, some of the slowdown / decline should have been expected (can’t expect price increases and supply chain issues to be a “benefit” to distributor sales long-term.” According to the June HARDI report, sales were down 6% but, perhaps more disconcertingly, is … [Read more...] about Distributors – Planning Marketing Strategy for 2024
Using Digitalization to Optimize Operations & Drive New Business in HVACR
To combat the challenges of today’s marketplace, progressive distributors looking towards the future are investing more and more into digitizing their processes to optimize performance. These companies recognize that: Data can be monetized. This means that information in their ERP systems can be acted upon rather than remain in data silos and databases. Whether this is … [Read more...] about Using Digitalization to Optimize Operations & Drive New Business in HVACR
ChatGPT for HVACR Distributors
Let’s have a little fun for a change or, in the words of the comedienne Joan Rivers, “can we chat”? For the past few months there has been lots of media coverage, and conversation, about ChatGPT. Microsoft, which reportedly invested over $13 billion into the company for “only” 49% ownership is a major driver of this new AI (artificial intelligence) technology and is taking a … [Read more...] about ChatGPT for HVACR Distributors
NIBCO Service Enables Access to Specs
The odds of selling a more "technical", or "engineered", product increase the tighter the specs are to the product you're selling. Over the years the specification process in many industries has essentially devolved to "or equal". In other words, "hard specs" became "soft specs" and the term "value engineering" was coined. Value engineering became associated with "how do I … [Read more...] about NIBCO Service Enables Access to Specs
Is Your Marketing a QSR or Fine Dining?
For many small to mid-sized HVAC distributors, marketing has been an after-thought. Something to support sales. It’s understandable given the business started with salespeople and, for a business to succeed, orders need to be quoted, captured, and processed. That’s the role of sales. But, for companies to grow, it takes having a strategy and creating awareness so that … [Read more...] about Is Your Marketing a QSR or Fine Dining?
