In today's 'show me your invoice, I'll beat it' environment it's difficult to compete against the 'box mover' business model. Everyone wants the lowest price and many people think the product is the only thing that counts, so why pay more?
However, this mentality has one goal: to move the same product as the competition at a lower price, with no concern for the customer experience, no support for if things go wrong and no added value. As the term suggests, it's about moving those boxes off the shelves, period.
So have any of us looked at the back-end expenses that this approach actually cost our businesses? Buying from box movers rather than experienced, knowledgeable industry professionals can create a host of problems for your purchasing team that - I can almost guarantee this - you're not taking into consideration before or after a purchasing decision. Your chosen supplier might have provided the same product as a more expensive competitor, but what if it's the wrong product for what your client or project needs? Without the industry and application specialists whose knowledge is imbued in buying products from a professional company, it's impossible to know. You could do the all the research yourself, but this costs you money and takes your focus away from what's important: your business.
Let's look at an example. You've been asked to quote on rigid POP displays for a short-term retail application. Your purchasing department calls a box mover dealer and requests a quote for the same cast film you always buy. Makes sense - they don't use the product, so how are they going to know any different? The box mover quotes on the cast film as requested which, of course, is the cheapest price in the land. You submit your final costs to your client. Then the crickets start chirping; you wonder why you never heard back.
Here's the alternative story. You've been asked to quote on rigid POP displays for a short-term retail application and your purchasing department reaches out to your dealer or manufacturer partner. These are trained experts in not just their product range but in the market and its typical applications. They ask the right questions to truly understand the project's requirements and, as a result, recommend a low-cost monomeric film for short-term POP applications - the most suitable product for the job. You get your pricing back from the purchasing department and voila: no more crickets. And, by using the right material for the right application, you are more cost effective for your client, and are likely to actually achieve better margins.
It's important to understand and remember that price is not the only important factor in the total equation: using the right materials for the application is paramount to success. It's this knowledge and support that true industry professionals are here to provide. By working with the right dealer or manufacturer partner, there are no hidden costs, just happy customers.
The Hidden Cost of Box Movers
However, this mentality has one goal: to move the same product as the competition at a lower price, with no concern for the customer experience, no support for if things go wrong and no added value. As the term suggests, it's about moving those boxes off the shelves, period.
So have any of us looked at the back-end expenses that this approach actually cost our businesses? Buying from box movers rather than experienced, knowledgeable industry professionals can create a host of problems for your purchasing team that - I can almost guarantee this - you're not taking into consideration before or after a purchasing decision. Your chosen supplier might have provided the same product as a more expensive competitor, but what if it's the wrong product for what your client or project needs? Without the industry and application specialists whose knowledge is imbued in buying products from a professional company, it's impossible to know. You could do the all the research yourself, but this costs you money and takes your focus away from what's important: your business.
Let's look at an example. You've been asked to quote on rigid POP displays for a short-term retail application. Your purchasing department calls a box mover dealer and requests a quote for the same cast film you always buy. Makes sense - they don't use the product, so how are they going to know any different? The box mover quotes on the cast film as requested which, of course, is the cheapest price in the land. You submit your final costs to your client. Then the crickets start chirping; you wonder why you never heard back.
Here's the alternative story. You've been asked to quote on rigid POP displays for a short-term retail application and your purchasing department reaches out to your dealer or manufacturer partner. These are trained experts in not just their product range but in the market and its typical applications. They ask the right questions to truly understand the project's requirements and, as a result, recommend a low-cost monomeric film for short-term POP applications - the most suitable product for the job. You get your pricing back from the purchasing department and voila: no more crickets. And, by using the right material for the right application, you are more cost effective for your client, and are likely to actually achieve better margins.
It's important to understand and remember that price is not the only important factor in the total equation: using the right materials for the application is paramount to success. It's this knowledge and support that true industry professionals are here to provide. By working with the right dealer or manufacturer partner, there are no hidden costs, just happy customers.
Dennis Leblanc is the Territory Sales Manager for the Greater Toronto Area at Drytac.