Distributor Roundtable: Execs on Trends, Contending With COVID
Wholesale distribution executives discuss the latest product trends and technologies, opportunities, market challenges, and programs available to assist security dealers and systems integrators.
For both dealer/integrator operations and their solutions deployments, the Cloud is becoming king. Wholesale distribution executives convey how their organizations have helped the channel keep pace amid a pandemic.
HOW DISTRIBUTORS MET COVID CRISIS HEAD-ON
ADI: Put together a dedicated team early on to monitor the situation. In its branches, the company quickly made modifications to ensure customers could safely continue to access essential goods. In addition to providing all its team members with facemasks, ADI implemented curbside pick-up to minimize interactions. The company encouraged online ordering and provided how-to videos to help customers take advantage of ADI’s digital branch. The firm created a dedicated webpage where customers could learn how services were modified and improved to help meet needs, and find information on available relief and loan programs. The distributor also made sure its service offering matched the “new way” people are working, whether from home or through contactless transactions with paperless billing, extended return policies, online returns, flat-rate shipping, etc. To maintain training, particularly for products in rising demand like thermal cameras, ADI hosted free daily webinars to help dealers reposition their business and stay educated.
BlackWire: Having already been focused on technology made it easy for the company’s staff to work from home with little to no noticeable difference for customers. The business continued to take and ship orders, and answer the phone and emails. Plus its website is available 24/7. The firm maintained one employee onsite in the warehouse who closely followed the CDC’s recommendations by wiping things down and not directly interacting with anyone coming to pick up an order.
Lone Star Supply: Remained in place every day offering curbside pickup and expanded freight options. The company cleaned locations at regular intervals and has abided by CDC recommendations. And anyone who could work remotely has done so.
ScanSource: The distributor launched its Go Remote sales and enablement program to make it easy for its partners to continue to support their end customers navigating the topsy-turvy business landscape. The program provides ready-made remote workforce solutions and bundles. In addition, it offers the firm’s partners original, custom-created educational content from its experts, as well as technical insights and additional resources to help guide them through challenging times. ScanSource also created the COVID-19 Partner Resource Guide and CARES Act Resource Guide to serve as quick references and information related to relevant legislation, stimulus programs, insurance regulations, etc.
Wholesale Distributor Directory
Erin Harrington has 20+ years of editorial, marketing and PR experience within the security industry.
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