Recommender: What’s the No. 1 question design/build contractors should ask a distributor?

Product availability tops the list of what contractors should talk about with their distributors. (Photo: Ewing Outdoor Supply)

Larry Giroux

Larry Giroux
Residential and commercial segment manager, Ewing Outdoor Supply

You have a lot to coordinate, including scheduling crews, moving equipment, sales and the administrative tasks of running a business. Ask the supplier about the products stocked and how quickly and accurately they can fill an order for pick up or delivery. Find out if the distributor has multiple locations with a variety of delivery vehicles that can deliver the materials needed for any job. When you rely on a vendor, you can spend less time processing purchase orders and invoices. You can also identify any issues before they become major problems. Partnering with a trusted supplier with the inventory, the ability to offer extended dating on terms and experienced staff with technical knowledge helps ensure every project runs smoothly.

Pat Johnston

Pat Johnston
Irrigation product manager, Horizon Distributors

What products and brands do you stock and support in project quantity? Before you select a partner for your next project, be sure they can support you from planning through completion. Distributors that stock project quantities have the items a contractor needs when they need them. This is important because back orders cost contractors money. When a distributor carries many brands, you know they can deliver the best fit for a contractor’s project. And when working with multiple manufacturers, distributors can incorporate vendor reward programs, product promotions and manufacturer purchase incentives into final quotations. This, along with project-documented invoicing, pricing locks running the project term and constant communication with your sales rep, assures the contractor a project will be completed on time and within budget.

Matt Henderson

Matt Henderson
Category manager, SiteOne Landscape Supply, Natural Stone

The most important question we receive is from contractors wanting to know what product is available so they can start their client’s dream outdoor living space. It helps ensure job completion is quick and contractors can keep profits flowing. Contractors should ask their distributors what products they keep in stock and how long it takes to order-in specialty products to determine if a partnership is a good fit for their business’s needs.