Has the AV Distribution Model Gone Stale
Our Sales Director, Rob Greenlees, took a look at the changing landscape of AV distribution and how our loyal installers could benefit.
When was the last time your distributor picked up the phone just to see how things were going? Not to confirm an order or ask about a payment, but to actually check in, talk about your upcoming projects, ask how the pipeline looks, or even offer to help with margins or product availability?
For most AV integrators and installers, those kinds of calls are few and far between. And in a trade where timing, pricing and reliability make all the difference, that silence can come at a cost to your business.
The trouble is, many traditional suppliers treat the customer relationship as purely transactional. You place an order, they send the stock and that’s it. There’s no conversation, no collaborative thinking, and certainly no proactive strategy. And yet, procurement in this industry shouldn’t just be about ticking boxes. You shouldn’t have to keep sacrificing margins, your profitability, your system configurability, and your client satisfaction just to get stock out the door.
And if that wasn’t enough, there’s also the operational drag. Time-poor installers might list the same range on a regular stock list, mark the page in the paper, negotiate for stock – rinse and repeat, again and again. But margins are shrinking, preferences are changing, and customer behaviour is different. It’s a whole new ballgame!
Whether it’s adding AV to commercial refreshes to open up new service opportunities, wanting to save on shipping, or simply a customer’s desire to know their availability or margin at a glance – the supplier who’s proactive, engaged, and more profitable? It’s not just about discounts. Nowadays, it’s about building that procurement process into your profit strategy.
Many integrators stick with the same distributor for years without questioning whether they’re still competitive or really value your business. That loyalty is understandable as relationship matters in the inherently small business sector, but loyalty shouldn’t mean complacency. When installers ride the time to price-check their regular orders elsewhere, it’s not unusual to find double digit swings. That adds up fast, especially when it comes to core kit you’re ordering for every job.
TIME POOR
The problem is, nobody has time to go shopping around when installation deadlines, contractor management and client requirements need to be front-and-centre. That’s where the best distributor and supplier partner should help: A company that will work responsively for you, without the legwork and the time savings clearly marked.
There are examples of this in lots of other multi-brand/multi-product supply models because, ‘Every Little Helps,’ for a great example!
There’s also the operational drag of juggling multiple suppliers. It’s the time managing stock flow from two or three vendors, but quite another when you’re constantly switching between 10 or 12. Different invoice formats, varying shipping levels and order methods, returns processes all eat into time that could be better spent onsite or with clients. There is a tipping point where dealing with too many sourcing channels is no longer productive.
What you really need is a distributor and supplier who can give you access to the brands and products you need, at the prices you want, with the reliability to reduce admin workflows, reduce stress and give you clearer visibility of stock in and around AV equipment.
Someone who equips your business by working side-by-side instead of just selling stock. She has the advantage of someone in your side, to show you those newer business models, that shake up the old-school procurement process.
The truth is, the distribution model hasn’t really changed in years – but installers have. And while stock levels have stabilised for now, uncertainty, price instability, time pressure and the labour market are all still real-world pressures. You need to build your pipeline with someone who gives you that peace of mind – and product availability – from the get-go.
If your distributor hasn’t called in months, if you’re not seeing weekly stock summaries or if you’re still placing every order manually, it might be time to think about what’s next.
At TVDB2B.com, we’ve built our business around one thing – being better at business. The trade account model means eligible AV-ready businesses have free and instant access to thousands of lines and great prices. If you’re ready for a distributor who’s as committed to fresh thinking as you are to sourcing, we’re ready to talk. Give us a call.