At the recent PHCCCONNECT2023 plenary session, industry leaders came together to explore in depth how to strengthen the contractor/wholesaler channel and bring this relationship closer together for the sustainable success of the industry.
During the keynote address at the conference, Oak Creek Plumbing, Inc. President Dan Callies poses a thought-provoking question: “How can my suppliers make me look like a rock star?” This question ignited a heated discussion on supplier/contractor relations with the plenary guests.
Callies was joined on stage by industry luminaries including Robert Grim, senior vice president of Global sales at InSinkErator, Scott Robertson, president of Alliance Robertson Heating, and Kathryn, president and CEO of First Supply LLC Poehling-Seymour and PriCor Technologies co-founder Jason Pritchard.
At the heart of the discussion are collaborations, value distribution of services, availability, technology and training, and expectations. Poehling-Seymour, while stressing that cooperation is crucial to the relationship, stressed the need to deepen communication. “We have to understand the pain points and what works and what doesn’t,” she said.
Looking ahead to the next five to ten years, industry leaders agree that people, processes and services will be key factors. “Relationships will become more important through trust and preference,” Pritchard said.
Finally, the discussion also focused on expectations. “We want to be around for another 10 to 20 years,” Robertson says. We want to see contractor loyalty to the channel, which means loyalty to wholesalers in specific markets.”
PHCCCONNECT2023 provides the industry with a platform for deep thinking and future planning, highlighting the critical importance of collaboration and communication in strengthening supplier/contractor relationships.
Post time: Dec-26-2023