In the Air - HRAI Industry News

It's an opportune time to be in HVACR sales. Yet, as sales leaders in the wholesale/distribution side of the business know, the path to success is rife with obstacles. In his article for Distribution Strategy Group, Overcoming Sales Leadership Challenges in Wholesale Distribution, Mike Kunkle looks at the most common hurdles facing today's sales leaders and how they can be addressed. 

“By recognizing these challenges and implementing strategic solutions, senior sales leaders in wholesale distribution can overcome obstacles and drive growth for their organizations,” says Kunkle. 

Those challenges include: 

• Navigating disruption / Managing change: In an industry prone to market pressures, regulatory changes, and technological evolutions, sales leaders need to stay quick on their feet and promote a culture of agility among their teams.  

• Adapting to market & buying trends: Similar to above, keeping pace with HVACR market trends means staying informed via consistent market research and industry networking. Doing so ensures sales strategies are aligned with current market demands and challenges. 

• Embracing digital transformation: Ready or not, the world has gone digital. Remaining competitive means investing in the digital tools and technologies that automate and streamline the sales process, enhance the customer experience, and leverage data analytics to drive informed business strategies.  

• Building even stronger customer relationships: In HVACR, as in any industry, customer relationships are key. Forging and maintaining those relationships in an "omnichannel" environment can be difficult. Still, several tactics and tools (i.e., customer relationship management (CRM) systems) can help organizations gain deeper insights into their customers and enhance every aspect of their buying experience.  

• Developing a clear and consistent sales strategy: Inconsistencies and inefficiencies can crop up throughout the sales process. Designing and maintaining a standardized sales strategy keeps everyone on the same page.  

• Developing sales talent: The hunt for skilled talent is on. Building a strong sales team relies on effective hiring systems, ongoing team training and coaching, competitive incentives, and a culture of continuous learning and improvement. 

• Driving sales productivity: Ultimately, the goal of sales is to keep your company in the black. To that end, Kunkle’s article offers several strategies and technologies that “can help sales teams work more efficiently, focus on high-priority tasks, and ultimately, drive sales growth in the wholesale distribution industry.” 

DSG's article shares insights that can benefit any sales leader, regardless of industry. In closing, Kunkle states, "While I can make general recommendations like these in an article, as a leader, you must diagnose your specific situation and sales force and prioritize initiatives that will deliver the most value for your company."  

“As you do that,” he continues, “I hope these ideas will be helpful.”