Dealers, how strong is your relationship with the manufacturers whose lines you carry? Most will say it’s pretty strong, but ask yourself if your dealership is taking full advantage of all the resources that can be found in the customer portal. Better yet, have you done a deep dive within your OEM’s support services?
As much as you encourage your reps to engage clients with the full breadth of your product and service catalog, it’s equally vital that you’re not missing out on any resource, tool or opportunity to become more effective in selling a manufacturer’s wares. If you’re not performing well with peddling a given manufacturer’s line, that’s a bright red check engine light. Either budget 30 minutes to log onto the partner portal and do some investigating, or pick up the phone and call your OEM account representative.
Selling is becoming increasingly difficult. You’re fully aware that clients (especially millennials and Gen Zs) are doing thorough research into speeds, feeds and feature sets long before they reach out. And when calling, you need to know when contracts are expiring because competitors will look to flip prospects (and your customers) well in advance of the end date. Hell, you’re probably doing the same! This calls for a sophisticated, downstream approach, and you need every tool in the shed to get the upper hand.
So, as part of this month’s State of the Industry report on sales, we asked some of the industry’s leading manufacturers to provide insight into the depth of resources that dealers can leverage to become more effective sellers. Even if none of these options speak to where your sales reps are in terms of selling sophistication, perhaps it will get you thinking about that missing ingredient that can transform them from good sellers to great ones. If it’s not listed here, the answer could be just a phone call away.
Fernando Maroniene
Senior Director of Product Marketing
Brother International Corporation
We understand the success of our dealers is critical to Brother’s success, which is why we equip them with a variety of training, tools and resources. For Brother, digital transformation goes beyond technology—it’s based on three pillars: technology, people and programs. Brother offers state-of-the-art A4 printers, multifunction units and scanners. These devices are no longer standalone but are integrated with proprietary IoT technologies, allowing them to be connected, monitored and managed within a secure environment. Technology alone doesn’t solve our customers’ problems, which is why we support our channel partners with a team of vertical market specialists who help assess, design and optimize customer printing fleets. Our field sales engineers are at their side to customize workflows and provide best-in-class technical support for them. Finally, we’re always thinking about new programs designed to support different business needs our channel partners face.
Market dynamics for reducing and optimizing fleets will continue, and the shift between A3 and A4 is already occurring. Brother understands dealers’ concerns about defending their profitable A3 business, but the time is now to consider reliable and profitable alternatives for A4 products and solutions. This has been a key driver in our growth in the dealer community the last few years as we find ways to ultimately make businesses more competitive and profitable while supporting their existing business model.
Printing needs to adapt to new challenges such as hybrid/remote work, decentralized offices, the need to remotely monitor and manage devices, optimization of printing habits including printing volumes through IoT technologies, and finally making sure it all complies to rigid security standards. Our advice to our channels is to involve our Brother for Business team to discuss each specific customer need so we can advise how Brother can support them.
Juan Carlos Castillo
Director of North America Commercial Channel
Epson
Establishing lasting partnerships is one of Epson’s core pillars, and that extends to our dealers. It’s essential for us to properly communicate to them the value we bring to our mutual customers and to equip them with resources, tools and training required to be successful.
We’ve put together an initiative of high-trust, efficient communication with our partners to mutually exchange information on our customer’s needs and the ways in which the Epson products can effectively address them.
To be successful in the current business environment, dealers need the right talent on their team. Customers expect best-in-class technology, expertise, training and ongoing support to help succeed in their projects and initiatives.
We support training in people skills, sales skills and business skills, and we provide training in technical, product and systems knowledge needed to provide the solutions that our customers expect. We invest in sales enablement, providing training in our HQ to high-potential partners at no cost. We also provide highly effective online, instructor-led training to address the needs of teams spread across the U.S.
And rather than a program focused on a resale motion, we have a partner program that offers multiple paths for partners and accommodates numerous roles/types such as advisor, developer, reseller, managed service providers, etc.
As much as technology, automation and AI are advancing, working in the channel is always about the people, for the people and by the people. We encourage our partners to establish solid relationships and to never sacrifice a customer or peer relationship for short-term profit. At the end of the day, it’s a partnership, and both need each other to succeed.
John Sheehan
Senior Vice President, Channel Sales
Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America
At Sharp, we offer a wide range of tools and resources to help dealer salespeople attract customer interest, enhance product knowledge and close deals effectively.
To capture potential customers’ attention, we regularly publish new materials such as case studies, blog posts and infographics. These can be printed (on a Sharp copier, of course) or shared digitally for sales calls. Additionally, we offer short, engaging product videos that can be downloaded, posted on social media or played at trade shows. Most content is customizable with the dealer’s logo and contact information via a dedicated platform accessible to all salespeople.
To support dealers in expanding their product knowledge, my team of Sharp representatives are available for in-person or virtual demonstrations and product consultations. For salespeople looking to become experts, Sharp offers a variety of webinars on a special dealer portal to boost both product understanding and sales skills. For those who prefer face-to-face learning, Sharp conducts periodic roadshows across the U.S., bringing product experts directly to dealership locations.
Our Inter-Territorial Program allows dealers to engage in multi-region, mid-sized account opportunities beyond their authorized territory. Through this program, dealers can connect with a network of participating national account dealers who agree to standardized service and installation compensation, ensuring that both the customer and all participating dealers benefit.
When it’s time to close the deal, we partner with local, state, and cooperative contracts—such as Sourcewell, Equalis, and Premier—to offer dealers the best possible negotiated pricing for their clients.
Peter Morisco
Vice President of Regional Sales – Eastern United States
Toshiba America Business Solutions
Many manufacturers seem to adopt a “check the box” mentality when it comes to training programs for dealers. They train once and then move on. I don’t subscribe to that philosophy.
Monthly, I report my region’s sales to Toshiba management. The results have been consistently good, with one exception—our latest software solutions. These results are shy of what I expect each month. Although our offerings have incredible value, these solutions aren’t getting traction from our dealers. Reflecting on my training experiences and my early days as a sales representative, I would only present a product or solution I understood, or I’d have the manufacturer’s representative there to support me.
Upon surveying our sales team and dealers, and consulting our solutions team, a revision to our solutions training was necessary. After much consideration and research, we created a “solutions immersion” program that resonates with salespeople, their prospects and our clients. It will expand our dealers’ capabilities and sales. Dealers want to expand and diversify with software solutions, and we want to help facilitate this. The shift from hardware to software opens many new and adjacent revenue streams.
We’re trialing our solutions immersion program with select reseller partners by visiting their offices twice a month to conduct training on a specific solution. The sessions last two to three hours and have been informative and engaging. Afterward, the dealer selects a salesperson on my team to accompany on sales calls. This firsthand approach deepens relationships between the Toshiba team and the sales reps and ensures more comfort in real-world scenarios. By participating in those sales calls, we’re not training and leaving—we’re training and helping. If the sales rep visits a prospect or customer with interest, the Toshiba team can elevate the conversation on the spot.
We repeat this process: morning training and afternoon fieldwork. Ideally, there will be an appointment to discuss the solution trained on in the previous sessions. In the best-case scenario, it becomes an active prospect that closes. Either way, there are positive outcomes. The salesperson gains knowledge and benefits from working with an experienced Toshiba person. They also learn firsthand how to have a technology conversation with a client using the tools and techniques presented. Trust develops, helping us build advocates for our offerings and mutual sales with clients.
This six-month program per dealer continues to evolve. This approach is a return to what matters and investing in our dealers’ success rather than checking a box and moving on to the next initiative.
Our business has changed so much over the years, but some constants remain:
– People buy from people they like and trust.
– You can’t sell a solution if you lack the understanding of what it resolves.
Jayne Tuma
Director, Partner Business Development and Field Marketing
Xerox Corp.
Xerox provides a comprehensive suite of training, online resources and tools to equip dealer partners with knowledge and support to sell Xerox products more effectively, meet client needs and drive business growth.
In-depth training offered by Xerox is tailored to dealer partners, covering the latest technologies, product lines and sales strategies. These programs include an eLearning library, in-person and virtual instructor-led sessions, and monthly webinars on topics and trends. Training ranges from entry level to advanced and is designed to improve product knowledge, sales techniques and industry expertise. This ensures partners can confidently engage with clients, present the right solutions and win more business.
A wealth of Xerox online resources support dealer partners. The Xerox Partner Portal offers access to sales enablement tools and trusted content, and partners can also find industry resources, case studies and competitive analysis documents that help them stay ahead of the market. They can book virtual demos with a subject-matter expert, targeted to the client’s specific requirements. The portal is a one-stop destination for all the information needed to engage clients effectively.
Partners can also use a range of sales tools designed to streamline the selling process. These include product configurators, pricing tools, workflow mapping and customizable collaterals that allow for tailored proposals and engagements. Additionally, they have access to the Digital Marketing Automation Center (DMAC), a no-cost collection of multi-touch digital marketing campaigns including social posts, emails, blog and newsletter templates, and web syndication. With mobile-friendly applications and cloud-based resources, dealer partners can access these tools anytime, ensuring they’re always ready to assist clients and close deals.
By offering comprehensive training, rich online resources and powerful sales tools, Xerox empowers dealer partners to maximize their selling potential and drive success in a competitive market.
