BUSINESS ENGAGEMENT
teams might do the negotiations and set up the deals, but it is up to the individual Partner organisations to do as much as we can with those Suppliers, to make sure we, and they, get the best out of the deals.”
True business engagement cascades down from the top management, Robinson says. “It all comes back to relationships. Relationships are so important in this business and if a relationship deteriorates then it’s going to hit your bottom line. We really try to encourage Suppliers to come in to the branches, to deliver training and get to know our staff at the branch on a personal level. That way, when there are awkward questions or answers, they are easier to deal with because you have that connection.”
Being fully engaged with Suppliers and Partners means any issues can usually be sorted out amicably and effectively. Robinson adds: “Very rarely does it come to a point that a relationship deteriorates to a degree that you to change Suppliers because it’s generally not easy to do. You’re going to have rocky patches but if you’re fully engaged, you’ll get through those issues in a more effective and efficient manner. Breaking relationships causes problems, both administrative and operational, so it’s far better to keep those long-term relationships.”
Cultural engagement At PGR Timber & Builders Merchants, the 40-year-old Essex based merchant, engagement is built into the culture, according to Managing Director Steve Atkins. “Too many people think getting the deal signed is the end of the deal,” he says. “They complete the paperwork, stick all the details on the NBG Hub, and then think that’s all they have to do. We don’t see it that way. At PGR we don’t just want to tick the boxes and attend our allocated monthly or quarterly meetings. We want to make every interaction we have with Suppliers count, and really make a difference to both parties.”
Atkins echoes both Santi and Robinson when he says that contact with people at every level of the Suppliers is important. “We might have a great relationship with the sales director, or the area manager, but other people in their organisation influence that relationship too. We want to understand how the chain works. It’s very important with our key Suppliers that we speak to a member at every level of the business.
“When we have a deal, we work with Suppliers to agree an action plan with clear
January 2024
communication from the bottom to the top of the business, whether that includes marketing departments, e-commerce, internal sales or external sales. You need to join the links and understand the role each one plays, because when one link is broken that’s when everything fails.” Being open to Suppliers’ ideas and observations is another important facet in being truly engaged, Atkins believes.
“I want to hear Suppliers’ observations and ideas about best practice or new approaches, so that we can improve,” he says. “We’re very open to new ideas and ways of doing things. An example of this recently is the way we worked with Tembe. They challenged us to sell a new product, so we developed a sales plan, action points and an end goal for it. It worked really well and we met their challenge, because we’d thought about how we could work together to get the best out of it.” Understanding that people can’t always give you what you ask for is also key, Atkins adds. “The reaction when you ask or request something is crucial. Ideally, we want either a yes or no answer. If we know our Suppliers are not able to do something it helps us as we’re then able to move on and try something else.“ PGR also like to think that they are prepared to give something back, making the relationship a two-way process. That’s why the company holds a Supplier lunch every year.
Atkins says: “All we do is ask them to attend, we have a few drinks, have a chat and just say thank you. All of our Suppliers attend and we always have a very positive response. There’s no ulterior motive, we just want to say thank you and I think it goes a long way. “Our Suppliers are as important to us as our customers, and I don’t think too many merchants treat them like that,” he adds. “Without our Suppliers, we have no customers.”
Joint-It, a small family-owned Supplier of paving compounds and accessories, was formed in 2014, and has grown rapidly over the last nine years. It started out manufacturing some materials out of the back of one of the directors’ garage, and now has its own 30,000 square foot factory. Sales manager Kenny Wilson says: “We are family-run so we get where the NBG Partners are coming from. We only do landscaping products, we’re very niche, and what we do,
THIS IS YOUR LIFE SO FAR... 9
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