If the COVID-19 pandemic has offered anything positive, it’s the ability to press pause and do a little pulse check on our industry. As suppliers and distributors, we can use this time to look at our partnership and see what’s going well and what can be improved.

To get thoughts on the supplier/distributor dynamic, a survey was sent to our employees at Quality Logo Products. Their feedback shows how suppliers are stepping up to help distributors – and what can be improved.

What’s Going Well?
It’s impossible to interact with every single one of the 2,800 suppliers registered in ESP, but for those we do work with, our employees report these notable positives:

1. Genuine Bonds
We get to know our vendors, and COVID-19 has only strengthened this bond even further. Many of our employees surveyed reported “kind,” “helpful” and “positive” interactions. “I’ve been emailing suppliers more in the last six months than ever before,” said one QLP employee. “We have cultivated a good working relationship and count on each other. This bond only serves to enhance the customer experience all around.”

2. Electronic Integration
There are more ways now for distributors and suppliers to electronically share product information and help distributors add new products to their websites. The response in our company has been overwhelmingly positive. Employees in the survey called it “incredibly helpful” and “streamlined,” and overall, wished more suppliers participated.

3. Quality Products & Printing
We have countless testimonials on our website that speak to the quality of the products from the suppliers we work with. Their words speak volumes, and arguably matter most since they’re coming from the end-user.

What Can Be Improved?
Distributors and suppliers work well together, but there’s room for growth. The survey shows these are the biggest pain points:

1. Slow Response Times
By far, the biggest concern that came up was that suppliers aren’t always timely when it comes to following up on emails. In fact, 67% of those surveyed at QLP mentioned it as one of their pain points. The truth is, 88% of customers expect a response from a business within 60 minutes. It can cause anxiety to wait for information that can make or break your sale. With this in mind, suppliers should make an effort to improve their response times. An update email or a main point of contact is a step in the right direction.

2. Lack of Honest Communication
When a friend asks you if their outfit is ugly, it’s easier to tell them what they want to hear. If a distributor is asking something that can affect their sale, it’s much better to be honest. “I get a lot of ‘I’ll have this answer for you tomorrow’ responses, but then tomorrow comes, and the supplier still needs a few days,” says one QLPer. Obviously, it’s OK to need more time, but honesty is key. As one sales rep in the survey notes: “Issues are going to happen; it’s how it’s handled that makes all of the difference.” Keep the distributor in the loop and it’ll be a much better interaction.

3. Outdated Information on the Website
It’s important to know ahead of time when items are out of stock or if there are pricing changes. The trouble is vendor websites aren’t always up to date.

As a distributor, if you have no inventory and the client wants a particular product, there’s no sale. What’s more, reps on the distributor end will often recommend products from suppliers that are known for being reliable, which could cause you to miss out.

What Suppliers Have to Say
Of course, the relationship between suppliers and distributors is all give and take. We need to do our parts equally in order to have a successful interaction. Here’s what a few of our top suppliers we work with have to say.

“Our history with distributors goes back more than 50 years, and it’s built on trust, friendship and respect. Mistakes happen, but now more than ever we need to come together as an industry and support each other. It’s time to embrace change – all for the greater good.” – Jeff Lederer, president of Prime Line (asi/79530).

“As we continue to move forward, we encourage distributors to push for new products and communicate their clients’ needs to us. We listen!” – Crissy Ocheltree, national sales manager for Illini (asi/62190)

“Distributors are the lifeline for promoting our products. In an industry as complex as ours, there will always be room to improve the speed and clarity of communication between supplies and distributors.” – Joey Fox, national account manager at BIC Graphic (asi/40480).

“One area that can always be improved, is communication. You can never improve that too much, and we plan to see continuing growth on that skillset!” – Ryan Rusiewicz, account manager at PCNA (asi/78897)

“As a supplier, I always appreciate when a distributor is understanding. Any time a distributor is willing to work with us to help us overcome any of our obstacles – or collaborate on different ways we can compromise – the real winner ends up being the end user.” – Melissa Wallin, business development manager for Gold Bond (asi/57653) We couldn’t agree more. Our goal isn’t to point fingers but to make good on this opportunity to come back stronger than ever.

What Does the Future Have in Store?
The world is in limbo right now, but we’re an industry united. “Without suppliers there’s no us, and without us there’s no them,” says one sales rep in the survey, “It’s a relationship just like any other. It takes hard work and sacrifice to make things happen.”

Alyssa Mertes is the lead copywriter at Quality Logo Products (asi/302967), a company based in Aurora, Illinois that operates in the advertising & marketing industry. Alyssa is known for her research and long-form content. She has discussed her work on several podcasts and media websites.