When a rep, who obviously had a good relationship with his principal, started complaining about the number of voice mail messages from manufacturers he had to deal with, the principal nodded knowingly. He quickly offered that “I’m hearing more and more of this from my reps. That’s why I’ve changed the way I communicate with them. I’ve drastically cut back on phone calls, especially when all we’re dealing with is general information and answers to questions—instead I’m using e-mail and text.”

As if this scenario needs any proof, here’s what Piers Fawkes wrote on a website (www.PSFK.com) devoted to covering trends and new ideas: “Something to ponder: on my phone are 36 unlistened-to voicemail messages. There have been 36 for a couple of weeks now because the 36 have filled the voicemail box somewhere on the AT&T’s voicemail servers.”

He continued that “Voicemail feels like it was a technology that was created to fill a gap — until something better came along. And now it has: Sure, ring me but there’s no need to leave a message — I’ll know you called and if you want to tell me something then the emerging modern etiquette evolving is you should just text or e-mail me — not leave a voice message.”

In a subsequent article, he writes: “Tech commentator, Mike Arrington adds to the debate with a post on his site entitled ‘Think Before You Voicemail’ where he argues there’s no need to leave a message. He says: ‘But now an increasing number of people are just plain avoiding voicemail. It takes much longer to listen to a message than read it. And voicemail is usually outside of our typical workflow, making it hard to forward or reply to easily. Typical voicemail messages today include things like “Please don’t leave me a voicemail, I rarely listen to them. Please just e-mail me at [email protected].’”

But back to the manufacturer and rep who appear in the beginning of this item. The rep added: “I’m on the go all day long. I know if I devote too much time to a lengthy phone conversation, I’m not going to be nearly as productive as I could be. That’s why this manufacturer has done me a favor by changing the way he operates. When he e-mails or texts, it’s a response to a question or problem I’ve asked him about. When he calls, I know it’s something out of the ordinary and I give him my undivided attention. We’ve both improved the way we communicate and we’re wasting so much less time.”

The Best Day of the Month

When one manufacturer was questioning the wisdom of paying increased commissions to several of his better-performing reps, another manufacturer weighed in with some words we love to hear. The manufacturer, who was the president of the company, offered that “The best day of the month is the day I send out checks to our reps. And, the bigger the checks, the better the day for me. As long as the checks are sizable, I’m a happy man. The bottom line is the more they sell, the more they make and more important than anything, the more I make. That’s a win all around.”

Employing the Team Approach

A panel of manufacturers was asked by another manufacturer new to working with reps, what kind of support was expected of him to make the partnership work. Almost immediately the word “team” was brought into the conversation. According to one of the manufacturers, “You don’t need one person or one ‘rep champion’ in your company, you’ve got to introduce of philosophy of team support—and that’s more than just support in the sales function. Your manufacturing support team should include individuals from accounting, manufacturing, shipping, advertising, public relations and operations. If you do it correctly, you’ll have someone from virtually every department that even remotely touches your reps. And to ensure that team works well as a unit and with your reps, make sure they meet regularly to keep themselves and you up to date on what has happened, what is happening and what you anticipate will happen in the future.”

Communications Must Be Two-Way

There’s always been a great deal of discussion concerning the communications that manufacturers expect from their reps. Not so much the other way, however. A number of reps were asked what they truly value in the types of communication they receive from their principals.

High on their list of responses were:

• “We have a number of fairly large principals who have done a good job of communicating to us via their newsletters. Where once these were printed publications that were mailed to us, today, they are generally electronic publications. It makes no difference to us as long as we’re communicated with. As to the subject matter contained in the publications, it’s generally market statistics, current sales levels for the products we sell, articles on the company and the people we work with, and occasionally a message from one of their top executives that describes trends or short- and long-term plans for the company.”

• Another rep explained that “While most of our principals are fairly small, putting out a regularly scheduled newsletter would be a chore for them. What they do, however, is to religiously let us know anything important that’s happening that can impact our work in the field. I’d make the point that the form of communication isn’t all that important. What is important is communications. Whether it’s a text, e-mail or a handwritten note, as long as they keep us in the loop, we feel as if we’re one of the family. If anything, it strengthens the relationship.”

Getting the Team to Work Together

Several manufacturers have written asking about the propriety of encouraging their independent reps to work together in terms of sharing best practices, industry knowledge, information on trends, etc. When several reps were asked their reaction to such efforts, a variety of responses resulted.

“The best and most efficient manner in which to get your reps to talk together and share experiences is under the umbrella of a rep council. I’ve served on rep councils for three of my principals and the environment was such that we all felt very comfortable when it came to sharing information. The way the agendas were put together allowed us plenty of time to network and learn from each other.

”If you’re asking me to take time away from my normal duties of working in the field to accomplish the same thing, I don’t think I’m in favor of it. Time is my currency and I have to spend it wisely.”

Another rep noted that “I’m more than willing to help my rep peers if and when I can, but I’m wary of the fact that this type of cooperation could turn into a project in itself and would take me away from selling to the customers in my territory.”

One manufacturer who weighed in on this concept said “I know how pressed for time my reps are. They have to travel great distances between calls and just don’t have the time to do the things that might help their fellow agents. However, one thing I’ve learned early on in working with reps is that once they get to know each other better, barriers to working together come down quickly and easily. That’s why during my annual sales meetings I make cooperation a number-one item on the agenda.

“For instance, in advance of a sales meeting, I send a memo to all of them and ask for them comments on various subjects. Thankfully all of them come to the meeting well prepared with their contributions and we regularly have lively and productive sessions that wind up helping all of us.”

Getting the Needed Cooperation

When he began working with reps about 12 years ago, one manufacturer reports that high on his list of expectations was that his reps would assist him with territory, customer and market research. After a few false starts and some push back from his reps, the manufacturer finally settled into a process that has resulted in all he could have ever expected from his reps.

• “Whenever I have a need for detailed research, I’ll let the rep know in full exactly what I’m after, why I need it, and how this information is ultimately going to help both of us.”
• “It’s important to involve the rep in the entire project. Don’t have him do just a portion of it and then keep him in the dark concerning the results.”
• “Ensure that the lines of communication concerning the research are open both ways and that they are easier to navigate. If the rep has a question, be sure there’s always support staff in the office who can answer it.”
• “Once a project is complete, let the rep know all of the results.”
• “Continually let your rep know how you’re using the results he’s gathered.”
• “In addition to compensating reps for their efforts, be sure to thank them and let them know how much your appreciate their efforts and cooperation.”