Congratulations to Mitchell Smith of Gordon Food Service, Springfield, Ohio for being named AFDR’s DSR of the Month for December 2025, earning him a permanent place in the AFDR DSR Hall of Fame.
Mitchell Smith has been a successful DSR for Gordon Food Service for 27 years, covering the Sydney, Bellefontaine, and Indian Lake areas in Ohio with his warehouse just about 55 miles away in Springfield, Ohio. His long tenure and success are rooted in strong relationships and the ability to adapt to industry changes.
“Five out of five operators need help—most just don’t realize it because they’re so busy working in the business instead of on the business.”
- Building a Foundation for Longevity
- Unconventional Path: Mitchell’s background is in Food Business Management (Ohio State) and food manufacturing (frozen pizza, ground beef production), not traditional restaurant or sales roles. This background provides a strong focus on the “business end of food.”
- The Power of Mentorship: He received a year-long, hands-on training from GFS, including riding with mentors. When he took over established accounts, the key was earning the customers’ trust by providing the same high level of service as his successful predecessors.
- Initial Hurdles: The hardest parts of the job initially were mastering the overall organization required to manage products, service issues (out-of-stocks), and AR collections simultaneously.
- Shifting from Collector to Consultant
- The AR Revolution: In the past, AR management involved constantly collecting physical checks. Currently, Mitchell’s AR runs in the high 90% because he has successfully transitioned most customers to electronic payment (ACH).
- The Trust Factor: Getting operators (especially those in rural areas who prefer face-to-face interaction) to switch to ACH requires deep trust and a strong relationship.
- Result: This shift frees up significant time, allowing Mitchell to be a consultant and seller instead of primarily an order-taker and collector.
- Strategic Prospecting and Customer Acquisition
- Acknowledge Loyalty: Mitchell recognizes that switching suppliers is hard for operators due to loyalty to their current salesperson and product. He defuses this by validating their loyalty while emphasizing his goal: finding ways to help their business grow and improve without sacrificing quality or price.
- The First Step is Essential: You must “stop the car” and meet the owner/decision-maker to start building a personal relationship.
- Homework is Crucial: Social Media and Website Analysis – He actively checks and follows the prospect’s accounts on social media (like Facebook) and reviews their website.
- Reading the Comments: The most critical step is reading the customer comments to gauge public perception, identify potential quality issues, or find areas of praise.
- The Goal: To pick out something specific from the comments, a recent post, or a menu item to talk about, ensuring he doesn’t arrive empty-handed or unprepared.
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- Addressing Pain Points: If he sees a negative public comment (e.g., about a dirty restroom), he addresses it directly, bringing information on janitorial or non-food supplies (like a hand soap system). This positions him as someone who cares about their entire business image, not just their food purchases and turns a negative into an opportunity.
- Elevating the Menu: If the restaurant is famous for a specific dish (e.g., a hamburger), he brings new product ideas (a different flavored bun, a new cheese) or recipes to show them how to “elevate” that famous item, not change it. This shows he respects their brand while offering value.
- Setting the Next Step: If the decision-maker isn’t available, he always leaves his card and attempts to set a follow-up meeting to continue building the relationship.
- The Consultant Mindset: Selling Solutions
- Operators Need Help: Mitchell believes 5 out of 5 operators need help, even if only a few realize it. They are typically too busy working in their business (cooking, cleaning, staffing) to work on their business (profit, strategy).
- The Menu Math Blind Spot: A major area where operators need help is menu pricing and engineering. Many price items based on “the going rate” instead of their actual food cost, leading them to unknowingly lose profit.
- DSR Role: Use pricing analysis to show operators where they are missing out on $4 to $5 of profit per item and educate them on calculating appropriate food costs (e.g., aiming for 30–33%).
- Educate on Distribution Costs: Customers often request frequent deliveries because they don’t know the high cost this incurs for the distributor. DSRs should inform them that reducing delivery frequency can help both parties save money, if storage space allows.
Key Philosophy: Solving Problems
Mitchell’s core philosophy is that his job is to make the operator realize they need help because they are too busy “working in their business” to step back and work on it. By addressing issues they overlook (like menu math or a dirty bathroom), he demonstrates value and trust, which is the necessary foundation for winning their business.
Be a Resource and SELL SOMETHING!!
