Are you right for success in the rep world?

Our recent MANA survey resulted in some fresh new ideas about what reps and manufacturers expect and want from MANA. There were lots of comments about helping both parties come together and understand each other better. Thanks for the ideas about improved collaboration, better cooperation and the key to it all: clear communication.

These are easy words that require fairly difficult and consistent actions. We have talked about selecting the right rep, getting and setting clear expectations and being on the same team. In recent times, all of us have been tested to determine which relationships are long term, and who had the persistence and patience to continue to see it through. Doing the right thing and doing it well has never been more important.

It’s easy to blame and judge others on your team. In fact, I think we have really created low levels of trust and high levels of blame. This is not part of a winning recipe. We will all have good days and bad days, and we will make mistakes. It’s the only way we grow. Growth is all about new, and new is all about change, so do something different. You must!

MANA can really help. We’re in the business of promoting the rep function and, as obvious as it sounds, we do it for the good of mutual success — for reps and manufacturers. We know clearly that outsourcing sales to a professional manufacturers’ rep is the best method to take products to market. The intellectual property of manufacturers’ reps is the knowledge of and relationships with their customers. This is what they do best.

The Q1 2010 focus of Agency Sales has been on the partnership between manufacturers and reps. Hopefully we are not reiterating too much, nor simplifying this seemingly magical recipe of truth, trust and respect. Success is really about building relationships into partnerships that sustain and survive through the good and the bad times. YOU make the relationship work.

It’s all about open and honest communication, fair and reasonable collaboration on expectations and goals and true cooperation by both rep and manufacturer that focus on the number one person in your lives: the customer! (OK, maybe the number two person.)