Page 92 - Lighting Magazine January 2019
P. 92
rep oF thE futurE
RETAIL LIGHTING VENN DIAGRAM
Sometimes that means they eld questions such as, “I have a customer who has requested the XYZ xture in tunable white and it has to work with ‘The Clapper’ they bought in 1986. They would like one clap for 2700K and two claps for 3500K. Is it pos- sible, and do you have it in stock?”
The rep is a professional juggler who has lots of balls in the air at the same time. Realize, too, that the manufacturer, retailer, and the rep face pres- sure from all sides on a constant basis. Here are some examples:
Pressures Reps Feel From Manufacturers
Always being hammered for more sales by their lines
Constant stream of new products to keep up with
Endless reporting (cu ing into selling time)
Lines going out of business or being
acquired
Ever-changing pricing
Endless factory training and sales meetings
One of the key sources for market research
Drop-in visits by factory people
If they live in an area where there is a show
or conference, every sales manager would like to travel with them that week.
Pressures Reps Feel From Retailers
Always being hammered to reduce pricing More work and travel for the same
commission
Keeping literature up to date or using
manufacturer’s website
Employee training — both new and
continual
Changing pricing ( rst dropping, and now
in many cases increasing)
Compatibility of lines/products with
controls
Warranty claims (the rep is uncomfortably
in the middle)
Rotating inventory/buy backs/exchanges
(o en no commission)
Hanging xtures
Fighting for display space
it’s HArd work
The life of a rep is o en seen as a glamorous or easy job, but the reality is that most reps work long hours as they have manufacturers in several time zones. Commission is their only source of income and they face increasing travel costs combined with changing tax laws for deductions. In addition, they are required to a end trade shows all over the country and sometimes overseas. Dealing with unreasonable sales “manglers” combined with reporting and forecasting plays a big role in non- selling time.
All in all, the customer is the most valuable as- set to the representative. Lines come and go yet customers seldom move. Reps are also placed in challenging positions in retailer-dense environ- ments with exclusivity challenges and requests. They are also asked to help with collections from slow-paying accounts. There is a lot on a rep’s plate beyond just selling.
Since it is hard for retailers to drive consum- ers into their showrooms, good reps partner with their customers to give educational seminars to the community. Retailers can get the word out about the event on their website, by using their customer list, and on social media.
Here are examples of seminar topics: The 7 Mistakes Homeowners Make When Integrating LED Lighting and How to Avoid Them; Lighting for the Smart Home; How to Integrate Controls; The Health Bene ts of Human-centric Lighting; Color Control for Function, Fun & Entertainment;
REPRESENTATIVE
RETAILER
90 enLIGHTenment MagazIne | January 2019
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