Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/964617
40 FEDA News & Views attention given to unique customer roles and providing data transparency to build effective supplier partnerships. "We rarely use the word customer," says Wagner. "In every account, we need to communicate with multiple people with very different responsibilities to drive specifications. Saying 'the customer wants this or that' isn't actionable. To win, we need to meet the different needs of engineers, production, buyers and quality control." Krayden's challenge is to tailor its message to fit the role and responsibility of every individual that can impact a decision. Buyers in the procurement department need to understand that not carrying a very wide range of products and brands is not a weakness relative to distributors that make promises of one-stop- shopping. Engineers and quality control need to understand that technical assistance, offered by a distributor, strengthens the solution beyond the intrinsic value of the product itself. Production people demand proof that whatever the price and features of the product, the distributor's total solution will drive productivity gains in the customer's operations. Managing a diversity of needs is a difficult challenge and Krayden's insights are important. e first step toward success begins with using precise language about roles, responsibilities and needs when identifying a customer need and offering a solution. Responding to this challenge requires a shift in the company's business culture. Progress is in the Proof When close collaboration with suppliers is required by a new distributor business model, another culture shift is required. Many distributors pursuing similar strategies are finding that promises of incremental share and new business development require proof of value, and proof is all about data. e closer the collaboration and the higher the commitments, the more data is required to cement the partnership. is reality flies in the face of traditional distributor reticence around providing data and is deemed internal and proprietary. For Krayden, building partnerships with select suppliers around premium brands is all about transparency. "We are willing to answer our premium supplier's question at any time, and we answer with verifiable data," says Wagner. is is a huge change, one that requires a mind shift away from defaulting to protecting distributor data as a line of defense against the slippery slope of manufacturers selling direct or sharing propriety data with KRAYDEN IS A STOCKING DISTRIBUTOR FEATURING ADHESIVES, SEALANTS, ENCAPSULATES, COATINGS, SOLDER, SOLDER CHEMICALS, RELEASE AGENTS, DISPENSING EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES WITH LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES, CANADA AND MEXICO. "SOMETHING WE HAVE ALWAYS PRIDED OURSELVES ON IS THAT WE MAY NOT HAVE THE MOST PRODUCT LINES, BUT ONE THING WE KNOW IS THAT WE HAVE THE BEST," SAYS PRESIDENT WAYNE WAGNER.