Guest Blog

Distributor sales incentives and rebate programs can be deployed to accomplish strategic goals within the distribution channel. These goals might include structuring promotions to drive sales of high margin products, move old inventory to free up space or speed up the adoption rates of new products. There are important considerations to take into account to Read more

Distributor sales incentives and rebate programs can be deployed to accomplish strategic goals within the distribution channel. These goals might include structuring promotions to drive sales of high margin products, move old inventory to free up space or speed up the adoption rates of new products.

There are important considerations to take into account to ensure the success of a distributor incentive program. Utilize these best practices for maximum ROI.

Analyze Your Audience
The success of your distributor sales incentives and rebate program depends on being able to personalize your marketing to your distributor sales reps (DSRs). During the registration process, make sure you are collecting accurate contact, firmographic and demographic data to personalize your promotional marketing.

Align Promotions with Organizational Goals
Having specific, measurable outcomes in mind will allow you to structure your distributor incentive program to achieve those outcomes. The ability to run multiple promotions by product, region or organization can allow manufacturers to be really granular in tackling specific objectives.

Strategically Select Rewards
Your rewards should be scalable to different levels of performance. After all, you wouldn’t want to award your VIP accounts and part-time customers the same amount of value. The types of reward you offer also depends on the length of your promotions. Debit-card based SPIFFs and rebates are more suitable for short-term promotions, whereas merchandise rewards or incentive travel would make more sense for long-term, loyalty-based promotions.

Regularly Communicate with Your Distributor Sales Reps
To maximize the effectiveness of your incentive program, you should strive to regularly provide participants with relevant, engaging communication. This communication includes content on your program website, monthly statements, seasonal emails and promotional marketing via email, SMS and push notifications.

Track Distributor Incentive KPIs
KPIs – key performance indicators – are metrics you can track to ensure your incentive program is on pace to achieve its goals. These include site visits, the percentage of participants submitting claims, email open and click rates and sales-related metrics. It’s important to have software in place to monitor these KPIs and capitalize on opportunities for cross-selling, up-selling and re-engagement with your DSRs.

Monitoring KPIs gives you insight into account engagement and the success of each promotion.

Offer Sales Enablement for Eligible Products
Building brand preference depends on enabling your DSRs to effectively sell your products to dealers, contractors and wholesalers. There are a variety of ways to offer this enablement, such as:

  • Creating interactive quizzes based on content or training videos;
  • Requiring mandatory virtual or on-site training to qualify for promotions;
  • Utilizing your reward program communications to educate participants on your product lines; and
  • Rewarding participants for attending important trade shows.

Provide Convenient Platforms for Claims Submissions
In order to boost participation and maximize the quality of the data you receive, focus on making it easy for DSRs to submit and validate claims. Document upload tools allow DSRs to snap a picture of an invoice on their phones and attach it alongside their sales claims. Furthermore, this will make it easier for you to validate claims and quickly assign rewards. Doing so provides a better UX and will maximize the effectiveness of rewards as a behavioral modification tool.

Providing mobile-ready platforms for participants to access your rewards program and upload sales claim verifications will ensure the success of your distributor sales incentive program.

Switch Things Up to Keep Your Program Fresh
Even an effective incentive program can reach a point of diminishing return. It’s important to switch up your promotions to keep your program exciting and interesting. Point multipliers and limited-time promotions can quickly boost sales growth or re-engage inactive accounts. And adding elements of gamification, such as leaderboards, spin-to-wins, achievement badges and on-the-spot point bonuses will make your program engaging and rewarding from end-to-end.

Seek Feedback and Analyze Results
Finally, you will want to arm yourself with data points to continuously improve your program. Seeking participants on surveys will help you add enhancements to your program and personalize your relationship with distributors. Analyzing KPIs and calculating ROI helps you prove program success and equip you with insights to make your next distributor sales incentive or rebate program even more successful!

For more incentive program strategies and best practices, check out Incentive Solutions’ complementary eBook, The Incentive Program Playbook.

Mark Herbert is President and CEO of Incentive Solutions. He has more than 30 years of experience overseeing business operations within the incentives industry. Incentive Solutions currently manages more than 220 programs, many of which are in industrial manufacturing and distribution. Mark Herbert may be reached at mherbert@incentivesolutions.com.

This. This is one of my top 21st-century pet peeves. Yes, I needed something that is why I called. Otherwise I would have texted. Too much back and forth and in-depth information needs to be shared instead of fleeting texts. I understand that people are insanely busy these days and the amount of actual face-to-face Read more

This. This is one of my top 21st-century pet peeves. Yes, I needed something that is why I called. Otherwise I would have texted. Too much back and forth and in-depth information needs to be shared instead of fleeting texts. I understand that people are insanely busy these days and the amount of actual face-to-face and telephone correspondence has diminished, but there is something to be said about a personal encounter or a phone call—eye contact, reactions, expressions, tone of voice and subtle nuances not picked up in texts or DMs.

Perhaps we are entrenched in this the new generation of communication, as I watch my own children interact with their acquaintances more through Snapchat, their gaming systems, and texting, for example. So much so that when I witness the bus stop interactions or holiday gatherings, I see heads down buried deep into their phones and eye contact eliminated.

Stop lights are now being positioned in the streets and sidewalks for pedestrian safety; they don’t actually have to lift their head from their phones to the see the street light. Photo credit Interesting Engineering

As of a few years ago, Gallup did some research on how Americans communicate and texting, emailing and phone calls via a cell phone were the popular choices among the ages of 18-50. Americans 65 and older preferred cell phones, landlines (what’s that?) and email. “The younger the American, the more likely he or she is to communicate using these newer technologies, meaning millennials today are a generation that is highly “in touch” with their friends and relatives … It is also possible that younger Americans have simply been the quickest to embrace the communication capabilities that new technology represents, and that use of such technology will increase in older age cohorts as the millennials age in the years ahead,” said the report. I would have to think that if this same research was done today, social media and texting would be the overwhelmingly favorite choice to communicate.

Running A Business

When it comes to the contractor in the field, we asked some on our Trade Talk group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/1545670948828435/) about their preferred form of communication and most overwhelmingly replied that they prefer email or text so that the correspondence can be recorded or documented. One user commented, “Knowing what channels and methods your customers live in is so important. Giving them multiple ways to communicate with is key. Giving them the option to use what channel/method they prefer is the key.”

This somehow brings me to industry trade shows. As I recall, there were some media outlets that tried virtual trade shows throughout the years, and from what I gathered, they didn’t fare too well. I give credit for the creativity for sure, but you just can’t mimic one-on-one interaction and the ability to “touch” and test out certain products on the floor during the show. And, there is that ever so important connectivity you get with company reps and fellow tradesman while traversing a selected industry trade show. Yes, there are still a lot of trade shows, but there is still value there if the particular trade show is a specific target for you and your business.

Getting Social

According to statista (www.statista.com), market leader Facebook was the first social network to surpass 1 billion registered accounts and currently sits at almost 2.41 billion monthly active users, followed by YouTube at 2 billion, with Instagram coming at 1 billion. According to the site, due to a constant presence in the lives of their users, social networks have a decidedly strong social impact. The blurring between offline and virtual life, as well as the concept of digital identity and online social interactions, are some of the aspects that have emerged in recent

Nevertheless, the wonderful community created on Instagram, for example, encourages support and communication, but better yet, when these people behind the user names and avatars get together for an Instagram meet up, this is where life-long friendships are made and solidified.

Getting back to the original text screen grab above. Is it possible that my number comes up and somebody just doesn’t want to talk at that given time? Nah, c’mon, I can’t believe that for a second. But we do live in a world with a shortened attention span, so the quick text and social media message are the preferred choice here in most instances.

The subtle irony here is that I am posting this to our site and through social media. At Mechanical Hub, we value our followers and interactions each and every day. We hope that we can meet you at a meet up, trade show or some industry event. Stay tuned for more on that …

Most of us have works spaces that are not connected to central heating, making them a large cold spot in most home heating systems. When winter comes, an unheated workspace can be a cold and unappealing place for work, home maintenance, tinkering and other hobbies. One way to keep a workspace toasty even in the Read more

Most of us have works spaces that are not connected to central heating, making them a large cold spot in most home heating systems. When winter comes, an unheated workspace can be a cold and unappealing place for work, home maintenance, tinkering and other hobbies.

One way to keep a workspace toasty even in the harshest winters is choosing a top-notch electric heater. Electric heaters offer several benefits over other heating systems — they don’t require venting like gas heaters and can be more cost-effective.

Electric Heater Benefits

One factor to consider when heating a workspace is safety. Electric heaters do not pose the same risks as propane or natural gas heaters. Along with a work vehicle, a contractor probably has other flammables in their workspace. Because there are no open flames or exhaust fumes with electric heaters, they’re safer to use around vehicles, gas, liquids and tools.

Electric heaters also offer efficiencies that other heaters do not. With an electric heater, every bit of electricity used is converted into heat. With propane, on the other hand, only 80 percent of its fuel is used for heat while the other 20 percent is lost by-products. That fuel loss translates into inefficiency and can mean higher costs.

Electric heaters also provide the flexibility to provide warmth without taking up floor space or creating a tripping hazard. They can be mounted on the wall or ceiling, and angled to push warm air horizontally, vertically or in any other desired direction. These installation and airflow options are much harder to achieve with a gas heater.

Choosing the Appropriate Heater

Whether using the workspace for jobs, random hobbies or a regular hangout, there are several electric heating options to choose from including radiant electric, portable heaters and fan-forced units:

  • Radiant electric heaters are designed to target a specific area with heat, typically using infrared technology to heat the objects in the room instead of the air.
  • Portable heaters are easy to move around the work space, targeting heat to the necessary spots where one is working.
  • Fan-forced heaters move warm air throughout an entire work space for balanced, all-over heating.

Consider how the heater will be best used in your work space before making a selection.

Heater Installation Tips

How best to install an electric heater varies depending on the type. Some models may need to be wired by an electrician or trained professional, while others are portable and can be easily mounted and simply plugged in.

If the equipment needs to be installed by a professional, hiring one with problem-solving experience under their belt is worth considering. Plus, one that understands the importance of statistics in electrical engineering. Any electrician with knowledge of statistics and engineering of electrics in their repertoire is worth their weight in gold.

That means any installation problems can be effectively solved on-site, on the day. And you’ll have an electrical professional that’s worth knowing and putting in your black book of contractors. Just in case you have any more electrical issues that can’t be solved by any average joe.

If you’re installing the electric heater yourself, it may be worth your time consulting a professional anyway. There’s nothing worse than getting your new electrical equipment hooked up, and then it doesn’t work correctly. Or worse, you blow out the electrics for the whole office.

Before hooking anything up, be sure to check the voltage requirements. With a plug-in 120V electric garage heater, for example, all that’s needed is an outlet. An electric heater that runs at a voltage higher than 120, however, will need to be wired in. This will require some electrical work.

Also, make sure that the model of heater is sized appropriately for the space. To ensure a heater is generating enough heat to warm a designated area, match the wattage level of the heater with the size of the space.

No matter how it is being used, if you’re looking to heat up a workspace, one might consider an electric heater to keep the space warm even in the coldest of conditions. Marley Engineered Products has a wide variety of electric garage heater options to suit any and all needs. View the selection at https://www.marleymep.com/electric-garage-heaters.

Jim Herring is the supervisor of Total Custom Solutions & Technical Services at Marley Engineered Products®, a leading North American designer and manufacturer of reliable comfort heating and ventilation solutions for residential, commercial and institutional buildings. Recognized by contractors, architects, engineers and HVAC professionals for providing a wide range of high-performance, reliable heating and ventilation solutions, Marley Engineered Products’ brands include QMark®, Berko®, Fahrenheat® and Leading Edge®

With energy-efficiency and water conservation at top of mind for savvy consumers and forward-thinking homebuilders, it is important for plumbing installers to have a piping solution that meets energy codes but can also install quickly and effectively. Enter pre-insulated PEX pipe. With PEX pipe now installed in more new-home construction than copper and CPVC combined Read more

With energy-efficiency and water conservation at top of mind for savvy consumers and forward-thinking homebuilders, it is important for plumbing installers to have a piping solution that meets energy codes but can also install quickly and effectively.

Enter pre-insulated PEX pipe.

With PEX pipe now installed in more new-home construction than copper and CPVC combined, it has become the standard for residential plumbing systems due to its flexibility for faster installs and fewer connections along with extreme corrosion and freeze resistance.

Couple those benefits with a piping system that already has the insulation on the piping, and you have a smart solution that brings efficiency and ease to your installs without the need to add insulation after the pipe installation.

Pre-insulated PEX is available in pipe sizes up to 2″ with insulation thicknesses from ½” to 2″. This offering can meet various energy code requirements for any residential plumbing application. And because the pipe is available in long coil lengths up to 100 feet, it helps to eliminate unnecessary connections, speed installs and limit potential leak-point liability.

The lightweight pipe is both strong and durable, but very easy to move around the jobsite, helping to support worker safety and reduce liability from injuries. And the PEX joining system is fast and easy to learn (see below for a brief overview of each method).

For an expansion connection, simply slide an expansion ring over the end of the pipe and expand the pipe and ring with an expansion tool. Then, insert a larger-diameter fitting. As the pipe and ring shrink back down, it creates a solid, strong connection.

One of the biggest benefits of the expansion system is that it cannot be dry fit. It is fast to learn, easy to install and is the only PEX connection system that actually gets stronger over time. This is because it maximizes the “shape memory” of PEX, which means the pipe always wants to return to its original shape. Plus, the system is approved for direct burial in soil and concrete.

With crimp, you slide a copper ring onto the pipe, insert a smaller-diameter fitting and slide the ring back toward the end of the pipe before compressing the ring onto the pipe. While this is an inexpensive, fast and easy-to-learn technique, crimping works against the “shape memory” of PEX (which always wants to return to its natural shape). Without the confirmation of a go/no-go gauge, a loose crimp can potentially lead to leaks because the pipe is constantly pressing against the ring (away from the fitting). Additionally, this method opens up the potential for dry fits.

Clamp connections are similar to crimp: slide a stainless-steel ring onto the pipe, insert the fitting into the pipe, position the ring over the pipe and fitting and compress the ring. Again, this method is inexpensive, fast and easy to learn, but it does not capitalize on the shape memory of the pipe, so the pipe is always working against the connection, pressing back against the ring. It also can be dry fit, which adds to the liability of the system.

While push-to-connect is simple and easy to learn and doesn’t require special tooling, the system is slightly more expensive compared to crimp and clamp. Plus, fittings must be wrapped in an impermeable material prior to direct burial in soil. However, the biggest concern relates to the durability of the connection itself. Freeze tests and pull tests show these PEX connections are more susceptible to failure. This is because PEX is more malleable than metal, so the fitting’s teeth can slide off the pipe.

Lastly, there’s expansion with compression. This process involves sliding a metal sleeve onto the pipe, expanding the pipe, inserting the fitting and then compressing the sleeve over the pipe and fitting. This process can take more time, and the tool can be hard to maneuver into tight spaces to make the compression portion of the connection. Additionally, there’s also potential for injury due to the pinch point area near the compression jaws.

But no matter which connection method you choose, here’s one very important piece of advice: stick with one brand. Because most PEX manufacturers offer a warranty with their pipe and fittings (some up to 25 years), you want to ensure you have the full warranty behind your work. Once you start mixing brands for the pipe, fittings, sleeves and rings, it can greatly reduce the warranty (or even become void). Don’t get left holding the bag if you have a service or warranty issue and the manufacturer can’t help because you’ve mixed brands.

If you’d like to learn more about PEX and the manufacturers for North America, visit the Plastics Pipe Institute website at plasticpipe.org or the Plastic Pipe and Fittings Association website at ppfahome.org.

Kim Bliss is the content development manager at Uponor. She can be reached at kim.bliss@uponor.com.

Homes are getting smarter as technology evolves, and devices like smart thermostats enable homeowners to create a perfect oasis inside their home while also lowering utility bills. As an HVAC expert, homeowners will look to you for guidance on choosing the right thermostat, so understanding the different variations and features of smart home technology is Read more

Homes are getting smarter as technology evolves, and devices like smart thermostats enable homeowners to create a perfect oasis inside their home while also lowering utility bills. As an HVAC expert, homeowners will look to you for guidance on choosing the right thermostat, so understanding the different variations and features of smart home technology is key.

To determine which thermostat will achieve a homeowner’s own personal degree of perfection, ask your customer these questions:

  • How do you want to feel in your home?
    A homeowner may not know what device or equipment they want, but they do know how they want to feel in their home. Asking them to describe their ideal environment and how they prefer the air around them to feel will help you get a sense for their individual level of comfort.
  • What do you hope to gain from having a smart thermostat?
    Is your homeowner looking for an easy way to control the temperature? Do they want to lower their energy bills or even-out the humidity levels in their home? Curate your smart thermostat recommendations around the homeowner’s greatest needs, which oftentimes are not mutually exclusive. Lennox’ iComfort S30 Ultra Smart Thermostat includes Allergen Defender, a feature that monitors and cleans the air in the home, and the ability to control temperature remotely from a smartphone.
  • What level of control do you want over the temperature and air quality in your home?
    Some homeowners want to monitor their home temperature remotely any time of day, while others prefer to set the perfect temperature once and leave it alone. If your homeowner opts for the former, choose a smart thermostat that provides a granular level of control and extensive remote capabilities. For example, the iComfort S30’s Smart Away Mode uses GPS to detect how far away the homeowner is from the house and adjusts the temperature accordingly. On the other hand, Lennox’ iComfort E30 Smart Thermostat’s Perfect Temp feature allows the homeowner to set the desired temperature and the system will automatically adjust heating and cooling to maintain that setting. Identifying the homeowner’s perfect level of comfort is key to suggesting the optimal smart thermostat.
  • Do you want a thermostat that is compatible with digital assistants?
    Some homeowners prefer to control temperature and air quality through a digital assistant. Lennox’ iComfort smart thermostats are compatible with assistants like Google Assistant, Apple HomeKit and Amazon Alexa to create the ultimate comfort experience.

Smart thermostats not only provide a wealth of benefits to homeowners, including decreased energy usage and control over temperature levels, but they can also improve how you work and interact with customers.

  • Proactive troubleshooting. Oftentimes, smart thermostats will alert you when there is an issue with your customer’s HVAC systems. This allows you to proactively fix the problem, even before the homeowner is aware there is an issue. Through Lennox’ Dealer Portal, dealers can – when permitted by the homeowner – diagnose problems with the HVAC system and fix them remotely.
  • Improved relationships with homeowners. Installation assistance and remote access provided by smart thermostats enable dealers to maintain and nurture relationships with the homeowner. Relationships are no longer one and done – you can be an ongoing resource for a homeowner with the touch of a button.
  • Increased ease of installation. Smart thermostats don’t have to be difficult and time-intensive to install. For example, Lennox makes it easy through a four-wire installation with the S30 and E30. With faster and simpler installation, you can shift your focus to forming and nurturing long-lasting relationships with your customer.

Having a variety of options and capabilities allow both dealers and homeowners to find the ideal thermostat to meet their respective needs. Homeowners can surround themselves with perfect air, while dealers can provide higher levels of customer service. To learn more about how to help your homeowner find their perfect level of comfort, visit the Lennox website.

Guest Blogger: Sweta Hari is the Director of Product Management for Controls and Indoor Air Quality at Lennox International. She and her award-winning team are responsible for ideating, developing and commercializing products that improve home efficiency and honor Lennox’ commitment to healthy and comfortable air. With an intense focus on the HVAC dealer and homeowner’s customer experience in mind, Sweta and her team deliver industry-leading products that are recognized for their thoughtful design and overall functionality.