Actions speak louder than words
Industrial Supply Company wins the coveted Progressive Distributor Sales Training Excellence Award
by Rich Vurva
Distributors often pay lip service to the importance of employee training. Far too few companies back up their talk with action. Industrial Supply Company, a general-line industrial and contractor supplies distributor headquartered in Terre Haute, Ind., is among that rare breed of distributors with a culture focused on continuous improvement and education. The 94-year-old company is the recipient of Progressive Distributor magazine’s 10th annual Sales Training Excellence Award.
In the past year, company employees completed 132 Web-based Product Spotlight “Knowledge at Noon” training Webinars hosted by Affiliated Distributors, and attended 55 weekly supplier-led product training sessions. Six salespeople completed coursework on lean manufacturing techniques at nearby Indiana State University, and new employees participated in training through Tooling University, the Internet training site focused on manufacturing.
During 2008, two Industrial Supply salespeople finished required course work to become certified sales professionals with major suppliers. Troy Howard received the Seco Certified Pro3 designation from Seco Tools and Ken Pugh achieved the 3M Certified Sales Specialist classification after completing three weeks of training.
“Training is one of the highest priorities in our organization,” says Jack Simpson, vice president and operations manager. We strongly believe that education and training are essential for our associates.”
Company president Don Ireland says the company has always made employee training a high priority.
“In our type of business, you have to offer solutions to your customers’ problems,” he says. “Customers can source products anywhere, and often times at a cheaper price. We need to bring them more value and help them solve problems. That’s our niche. That’s how we get their business.”
Training center
About five years ago, Industrial Supply converted underutilized warehouse space in its three-story headquarters building into a training center. The training room, which holds up to 40 people and is equipped with high-speed Internet access and technology for multi-media presentations, is where Industrial Supply has hosted Dale Carnegie professional sales training classes and training programs designed for customers.
The primary purpose of the training facility is to hold the weekly product-oriented sessions every Friday at 7 a.m. Marketing coordinator Mary Webster is responsible for scheduling the meetings with key suppliers.
“I meet with major suppliers at our annual marketing Summit in November and schedule all of the training for the next calendar year. It’s a big undertaking,” she says. She remains in contact with vendors throughout the year to adjust the training as needed to coincide with new product introductions or to feature suppliers that did not participate in the annual Summit. Recognized in part for her efforts to coordinate the weekly training sessions, Webster received the 2008 MVP award from A-D’s Industrial Supply Division.
Sales certification
In addition to attending company-sponsored events, Troy Howard, a 20-year employee, was one of two Industrial Supply salespeople who earned sales certification from vendors last year. He received the Seco Tools Certified Pro3 designation after attending the toolmaker’s comprehensive Seco Technical Education Program (STEP). In order for distributors to be classified as a Seco GoldStar Distributor, they must have at least one Seco Certified Pro on staff. Howard was one of only 44 salespeople nationwide who earned the certification since the program’s inception.
“The distributors with certified salespeople are significantly outpacing the growth of our overall distributor network. So, it’s an effective program,” says Ron Bawol, manager of distribution development for the Troy, Mich.-based cutting tools manufacturer.
To receive certification, salespeople attend two three-day training sessions at Seco facilities. STEP 1, aimed at people with a basic understanding of machining, covers cutting tool applications, understanding speeds and feeds and how to identify common causes of failure. STEP 2 provides hands-on machining experience.
Participants also must pass an online proficiency exam administered by Tooling U. The test can take up to two hours to complete. “It was not an easy test by any means,” Howard says.
Before receiving certification, Bawol says participants also must teach a seminar on cutting tools to their co-workers. “The idea is that we want them to feel comfortable presenting the information they’ve learned and to demonstrate to other people within their organization that they’re the go-to person for Seco products,” Bawol says.
Simpson says other Industrial Supply salespeople are eager for the chance to earn supplier certification. One employee has already been selected by 3M to participate in its certification program in 2009. “Our suppliers know how much we appreciate and pay attention to training,” he says. “We believe it sets us apart from our competitors.”
Ireland says training has been part of the company’s culture for as long as he can remember. He says employees recognize that the more they know about the products they sell, they more they can benefit.
“We’re very proud of winning this award. We appreciate the recognition,” he says.
This article originally appeared in the January/February 2009 issue of Progressive Distributor. Copyright 2009.
