Promote the brand but don’t forget to deliver the customer experience
Contractors overwhelmingly responded that they would find another dealer if their dealer no longer carried their preferred brand. Conversely, none of the contractors would choose a brand just because the dealer carried it. Suggestions to help dealers enhance customer retention included free job-site delivery, more training on the product and installation techniques. Contractors cited little interest in incentive programs offered by brand manufacturers.
And it’s not all about the product brand. The customer experience between dealers and contractors needs to extend beyond the brand. When selecting a dealer and returning for new projects, contractors cite many reasons led by competitive pricing, well-stocked inventories and brands carried. A ranking of the top 10 reasons for dealer selection is provided below (ranked in order of importance).
- Competitive pricing
- Inventory stocked
- Brands carried
- Delivery services
- Location
- Sales reps at the order desk
- Credit approval
- Special order requirements
- Incentive packages (e.g., trips)
- Customer service
Dealers have an opportunity to exert their own level of influence with contractors through:
- marketing to customers and prospects to be top of mind,
- developing educational programs to share product performance and installation information, and
- providing a rich customer experience to develop loyalty beyond just the brand of siding and trim.
A number of factors go into becoming a contractor’s dealer of choice. Leverage the insights provided in this article to help you reinforce relationships with your customers.