BUSINESS ENGAGEMENT
ENGAGEMENT T
THE POWER OF
NBG is all about Partnerships. Not just in terms of its Partner members, but in the way those Partners interact with Suppliers and vice versa. Fiona Russell Horne met the three merchants and three Suppliers voted by NBG as the most switched-on in terms of business engagement.
he NBG focus for this year, launched at the Conference and Exhibition’s Supplier Summit, was Strengthening our Sales. It’s a recognition of the fact that NBG Partners and Suppliers exist in a symbiotic relationship, where the success of the one depends very much on the input and success of the other. And vice versa. Success, in this case, meaning sales.
Increased sales and profit margins don’t just happen if you sell more, but also results from how the businesses sell, how they buy and how they deal with each other. That’s why NBG has put so much emphasis on engagement, and on highlighting how some Suppliers, and some Partners are just working with each other in more detailed, more engaged ways.
Three Partners and three Suppliers were interviewed prior to the Supplier Summit to elaborate on a few things that all believe are fundamentally important to how they engage with each other.
Best practice
Sharing best practice is fundamental to any buying group’s ethos, and NBG Partners are no different, happy to collaborate and share information that will help each other’s businesses run better together.
The three Partners were: McNairs Builders Merchants in Glasgow, Interline Building Supplies based in Devon, and PGR Timber and Builders Merchants, based in Essex. The three Suppliers were: Joint-It, QX Bathrooms, and Mannok.
A single branch builders’ merchants, celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2024, McNairs is based on the outskirts of Glasgow. Competition therefore comes in all shapes and sizes, from other independents and national chains to specialist distributors, which means
January 2024
they need to make what they do that little bit different.
Choosing the right Suppliers to deal with is a key aspect of keeping up engagement, according to Joint Managing Director David Santi. “We look at what deals NBG put forward and who the best fit is for us. We really do view it as a Partnership with the Supplier or manufacturer. They can help us to stock the right products for our business. The right Suppliers will also help with slow-moving stock and ensure we select the right products. Where we have good relationships and successful Partnerships with manufacturers it’s been because both parties are engaged.” It’s important to be open with Suppliers, bringing them into your business if you really want them to be able to help, Santi says. “Our relationship with manufacturers’ senior management teams and area sales managers is very important. We tend to have good relationships. The manufacturer will have somebody coming onto our site regularly, spending time with the staff, promoting the products and coming up with a good package. A good manufacturer will help you move stock on or cleanse it and bring in something new.” By talking to customers and staff to find out
what they think about products, the company ensures that Suppliers understand which of their products McNairs has a market for, because, as Santi says, there is no point having products which the marketplace is not looking for. He adds: “We also consult our own staff to make sure they are comfortable selling the various products, and whether they are or not comes from the support and training that we receive from those manufacturers who have truly embraced the Partnership.” It’s important to recognise that everyone in the chain has a part to play, Santi adds. “It’s not just about the people selling the products, the relationship with the whole manufacturer’s senior management team and area sales managers is very important. At McNairs we make sure that everyone through the company knows who to talk to at the Suppliers, and, crucially, that they are empowered to do so. At Interline, a seven-branch merchant in Devon, Finance Director Neil Robinson, says the most important thing in building proper engaged Supplier and Partner relationships is to remember to have open, consistent, honest dialogue between the Supplier and merchant. “A strong relationship with the manufacturer is critically important,” he says. “The NBG
THIS IS YOUR LIFE SO FAR... 7
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72
