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Contract Cleaning
Distribution can be the solution
What does a distributor really do? Brian Chapman, managing director of The Supplies
House, describes the value-add role of a distributor in the current market
hat do distributors do? It
W
might seem an obvious
question, but there’s
actually a lot more to being a good
distributor than at first appears.
One of our main tasks is to
handle supplies requirements from
contract cleaners, often in relatively
small quantities and at very short
notice. Our particular ‘value-add’
there, is providing a buffer
between large manufacturers’
minimum-order quantities and
slower delivery times, and the
individual cleaning managers’
needs for fast-turnaround, smaller-volume services.
Working with a distributor, contract cleaners can efficiently obtain
products from a wide range of suppliers through a single point of
contact, minimising the amount of stock they need to hold and
therefore helping them keep costs down.
One example is the experience of Office and General Put to the test
Environmental Services.“When Supplies House introduced their We recently helped CleanDomain find an appropriate cleaning
online ordering and management service, we were able to make product for a new type of floor with very high footfall.“The Supplies
many tens of thousands of pounds worth of efficiency savings,” says House got several manufacturers in to test and demonstrate the
Jonathan Smith, director,“far more than we could ever save by different products, keeping in mind the cost factor, which plays a
trimming a few pence here and there off each bottle of chemicals, or significant part in this industry,” says Paul Lunn, general manager.“As
each paper product.” a result we have been able to identify the right product with good
Our customers also come to rely on us for less obvious but equally results, and more importantly, client satisfaction.”
essential tasks. One of the most important is that we continually We also help contract cleaners identify discrepancies in their
monitor and test new product launches from suppliers – not just the orders or resolve unusual cleaning challenges. For example, when an
main suppliers, but other niche providers that we research. Our end-customer required bins in a particular shade of purple, we
customers look to us for new product ideas, new ways of cleaning happily rose to the colour challenge and were right on target
and improved chemicals. Our value there is to provide objective sourcing the correct products. On another occasion, we spared more
assessments, continually helping them improve quality, reduce costs than a few blushes on the part of organisers of a race meeting when
and stay competitive. we saw that the order for toilet rolls was nowhere near enough to
meet the requirement. Organising a rapid overnight delivery solved
the problem, or the guests may have had to resort to collecting
discarded betting slips.
Feel the benefit
From the obvious supply services to a wide range of added-value,
extra-mile support, back-up and assistance, contract cleaners can
derive significant benefits from working with an effective distributor.
As a lot of what we do is delivered in their name, our services
enhance their professional reputations, resolve problems and help
them build relationships with their own clients.
A good distributor can also help contract cleaners bid for new
work, proposing improvements and innovation in products, service
and cost-effectiveness. All this increases their chances of winning
new and incremental business.
As I see it, today’s distributor relationship has moved way beyond
pure product discussions. It’s about partnership and mutual
business benefits, where the distributor should be seen as more
value chain than supply chain.
42732 or cleaning-matters.co.uk/enquiry
Tel: 020 8806 8666
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