Knowledge Is Profitable
Both Shanley and Heinl acknowledged that it is difficult for distributors to keep up with every supplier's evolving production techniques and manufacturing capabilities, but they stressed the benefits of being informed.
"Instead of distributor learning always being driven by customers' needs for new or unique applications, they should strive for a more proactive approach and be ready to make suggestions that educate customers and create sales opportunities," Shanley said. It isn't necessary to know the nitty-gritty details, but distributors should know about high-quality and lower-quality digital printing equipment, and how the products they produce vary in quality, as well. "Know the quality to expect for the price that's being paid and make sure that it matches the customer's needs," recommended Shanley. "In some situations, a lower-quality digital product might be OK."
- Companies:
- Labels West
- Repacorp
- Sierra Screenprinting
- People:
- John Shanley
- Rick Heinl