A manufacturers’ rep who’s been a friend for many years was
chatting about how many reps he knows who had major customers suddenly turned
into house accounts by principals. The roster was a long one. Independent reps
think there’s a special place in hell for manufacturer sales executives who
pull this stunt. The tales of woe all sound alike - a rep firm spends years
working their tails off to pioneer a line in a territory, and just as they
start tasting a big payoff, the front office skims the cream off the
top.
Where the rubber really hits the road is when reps are
called upon to continue providing technical and other customer services,
usually for nominal pay, to house accounts that once were in their pockets.
Imagine how galling it would be if a divorced person were compelled to do
housework in a residence the court awarded to the former spouse.
There are two sides to every story, and I’ve spoken with
enough manufacturers over the years to anticipate what most would say in
response. Reps are always complaining about having business yanked from under
them, but they never mention all the sales that come to them “over the transom”
with little or no effort on their part simply due to territorial rights. Repeat
business is easier to obtain than new accounts, and reps tend to spend most of
the time hanging around with old buddies while neglecting the harder
prospecting work. And besides, while reps think of themselves as the center of
the universe, sales require teamwork. Some customers may primarily buy the rep,
but others stay loyal because of pricing, trusted brands, vendor relationships
and various other factors. Plus, buying groups have diminished the importance
of reps with certain accounts.
It varies case by case as to which side’s perspective is
more compelling. Surely there are reps who have been unfairly squeezed out, and
just as surely there are some who have been surfing a wave of prosperity that
was generated by others.
When do you think it’s justified to make a customer a house
account? Let’s give the industry a sampling of opinions on this.
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