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1605: Part 2 – Tony Dickson DSR of the Month, – Credit App, Calling on Health Care, Nursing Homes, Hospital, College Accounts, Selling More to Current Customers

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Listen to the Podcast to hear great insights from Tony Dickson about securing a credit application, making prospect calls on long-term health care, hospitals, and college foodservice accounts, plus tips on selling more to your existing customers!! 

“I want it all.” ~Tony Dickson 

In many cases, these types of customers do not have a DSR calling on them because they are on a program and are a “maintenance account” which means they are STARVED for ideas and new products. DSRs driving by would be welcomed if they had some product ideas to share. 

Topics discussed:

  • At what point do you ask a prospect to fill out the credit application?
  • Do you always have them fill it out or do you sometimes fill it out and let them sign?
  • When making a new call on a long-term care healthcare account, who do you call on first and why?
  • Since you cannot go in and eat lunch at a nursing home to do your homework to see what they are purchasing, how do you do it?
  • Since many health care accounts are part of a buying group, does it make sense to still make that call?
  • What questions should you ask when you do get the appointment with a prospect?
  • Can you expect at least a minimum order each week even if they are a part of a buying group versus selling to an independent property?
  • If your company allows you to call on long-term care accounts (some distributors’ DSRs are not allowed to call on these types of accounts), is it worth stopping in?
  • How often do you need to call on these types of accounts since you might be a backup to the program they are on?
  • Penetrating existing accounts is something every DSR needs to be shooting for each week. Tony and DSR Dave give some helpful tips on how you might want to approach this.
  • Tony “wants it all,” learn how he gets the next item they are buying from the competitor.
  • Discussion about inventory/purchasing guides in the effort to sell more to your current customers. Do you use the guide made from sales history or make a custom guide?
  • How often do you update and manage each purchasing guide, and how important is it to keep them current so they become the roadmap for your customers? 

Be a Resource and SELL SOMETHING!!