Tomorrow is National Salesperson Day, the first Friday in March when employers are encouraged to recognize the contributions their salespeople make to ensure the continued growth of their businesses. For chemical distributors, salespeople are a pillar of the industry; without all the hard work they do, chemical distribution wouldn’t be possible.
The central role they play in our industry isn’t just about economics and your bottom line, however. Salespeople can also serve to enhance your reputation with your customers, not only in the level of service they provide but also by highlighting the key steps your company is taking to ensure your products are handled in a responsible way.
At the NACD Responsible Distribution® workshop last month, one topic that came up was that salespeople are not talking about the value and level of excellence distributors are able to achieve through their participation in Responsible Distribution. The main reason I heard this is the case isn’t because distributors aren’t holistically committed to the program – it’s because salespeople simply don’t know about the resources NACD provides to help learn about Responsible Distribution and find ways to talk about it with their industry peers.
When they are selling your products, are your salespeople simply describing product quality, amounts, pricing, etc.? Or are they also talking about your company’s organizational culture and the commitment you make every day to Responsible Distribution? As an NACD member in good standing, you should be talking about the many ways your company works to ensure the highest level of operational excellence and safety.
This National Salesperson Day, I’d like to encourage you to recognize your salespeople. Take them out to lunch or write them a handwritten note thanking them for all their hard work throughout the year. More importantly, make sure to invest in them. One way you can do that is by having them take the Responsible Distribution 101 course on NACDU. Not only will they be grateful for the opportunity to grow professionally, but they will also be better equipped to increase the bottom line for your organization.