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Jamie Hudson of Holt Paper & Chemical in Salisbury, Maryland has been inducted into the AFDR DSR Hall of Fame as the September DSR of the Month. When Jamie first started in foodservice sales, he mainly sold paper and non-food products, but over the years, he has transitioned to selling more food items than non-foods.
Hudson uses manufacturers’ websites and DOT Foods to learn about new products. He uses will-calls to find out about products he’s not currently selling a customer. During a will-call, Hudson can see exactly what a customer is using because they don’t mind that he’s in their cooler, freezer or stock room. According to Hudson, will-calls are the absolute best time to sell the products they’re not currently buying from him. Jamie says that independent operators count on him, and other DSRs, to bring them products when something happens, which in this business is about every day.
When calling on prospects, Jamie tells the prospect about his relentless customer service and his ability to make decisions on the spot and to help customers make money due to his company being smaller than the giants in this industry.
A/R is still one of the toughest parts of the job, and he has learned and now practices discussing what a customer owes his company at the very beginning of his sales call because many customers get busy toward the end of his sales call, and the last thing they want to talk about is MONEY THEY OWE.
Hudson’s advice to fellow DSRs is to realize that this profession is a marathon, not a sprint. You’re not going to get rich over night; you’ll make money if you keep your customers in business.
Congratulations to Jamie Hudson and Holt Paper & Chemical on this prestigious award!
DSRs, Be a Resource…
and Sell Something!
