Positive Customer Experiences Can Trump Price Tags

Cheaper isn's always better. According to this Clean Link article, when customers look back on their experience with a distributor or product, they rarely put price at the top of their list. Instead they focus on how the sales rep was able to help boost the bottom line and provide a positive service. "At the end of the day, that's what distributors should strive for."

Christopher Sessums, Flickr.com

Even when customers present cost comparisons for comparable products, it’s best for distributors to stay firm on price, says Charles Moody, president of Solutex in Sterling, Va.

He says he has steered away from providing steep discounts to customers by proving that competitors don’t always come out on top when comparing apples-to-apples.

For example, Moody points to “nominal gauging” (an indication of varying product weight) and “cheater sheets” of toilet tissue and paper towels, as examples of how competitors mislead customers with lower prices. Moody also shines a light on longer delivery cycles, shipping costs and chemical concentration to help customers see the differences. Then he reiterates his value.

“A lot of times what appears to be less in price is not the case,” says Moody. “I never want them to buy from me because I am the cheapest guy. We want a little bit of the decision to be based upon how well we do our job and service. A lot of distributors sell lower out of fear.”

To read the full article, click here.