Increase sales volume, profits and speed up the product selection
BY PETER SCHOR
Showroom specialist
One of the best showroom selling tools is the Pre-Printed Showroom Long Quotation Forms.
This form is used by most of the successful plumbing wholesalers and DPH-type showrooms across the U.S. These custom-made forms offer the most benefits and help to:
• Sell bigger packages
• Make more money
• Cut down on the sales process time
• Prevent getting shopped
• Serve as a basis for providing more in-depth coordination services
• Prepare for architectural plan take-offs
• Remember all the products that you can present and sell
• Quote consumers and trades that are just budgeting for loans and estimates
• Conceal model numbers and manufacturer names
• Justify packaging bids for each complete bathroom, kitchens sink, and so forth
• Tag each room separately when shipping products for a complete house.
Before I provide more details and give you the reasons and the benefits why, let me attack the fundamental challenges that the plumbing wholesaler and DPH-type showroom have in using this “tool.” I recommend that you read two articles from The Wholesaler (check the online archives): “Fundamentals of Successful Plumbing Wholesaler Showrooms,” from May 2008, and “Increase Sales, Profits and Save Time,” from July 2008. A laser refresher on the first article includes:
• Qualify clients
• Who sent the client into you showroom?
• Who is buying the product?
The July 2008 article has lots of solid content that demonstrates the need for using the long quotation form.
You should know that the Pre-Printed Quotation Long Form can be used from one complete bath to a complete house of baths, plumbing, kitchen, and other products. It is not for someone coming in looking for one or two bath/plumbing products.
Using the quotation
Complete bathrooms and other unit’s forms should be done on a horizontal 81/2"x14" form. Don’t spare the paper and descriptions as these forms have multiple purposes such as master job release forms that can be transferred onto actual invoices, hiding the model numbers, and much more.
These forms are then put in manila folder and a note is added to the outside of the folder. This note should include dates that clients called to order products for release to the job site. Individual sheets should be made for: Master Bath; Guest Bath; Typical tub secondary bath and typical shower secondary bath sheets. I would leave the name of the bath off the top so you can write in the name of person using the bath or the plan call number such as Bath #2. Then create separate sheets for the Powder Room; Kitchen Sink; Vegetable Preparation Sink; Wet Bars Sink(s); and more. Inside each bath should be every possible thing that could go into that bath and can be sold by your showroom. Leave nothing left out, although most showrooms will leave out decorative traps and water supplies lines.
Obviously, you know the drill, yet as an example of products in a Master Bath that you might forget to mention include options such as medicine cabinets. Just because it is not drawn on the plans does not mean the client does not want them. Tub waste, shower drains, toilet tank levers, whirlpool/air massage tub, all bath accessories – 18", 24" 30" towel bars; paper holder; towel rings; robe hooks; shower doors; towel warmers; steam generators; magnification make-up mirrors; hand showers, both wall mount and deck mount, etc. Don’t leave out bath accessories and non-plumbing type products because the plumber does not want to buy them. These products need to be sold to someone else – builder, consumer, etc. The same thing goes for a kitchen sink: instant hot and cold options, purified water, chiller unit, soap dispenser, sink, and yada, yada, yada. Remember that with a set of architectural plans and this long form quotation you can make product take-offs without the client and speed up the product selection.
Please note when looking at the pictured form the following:
• Quantity ordered, you make the plan take off like you are going to sell everything possible in each room. When you get to the Medicine Cabinets and they are not drawn in, you put in the quantity and a question mark (?). If when meeting the client they say no to M/Cs, you change the ? to 0 quantity. You can change the pictured photo of the form to fit your needs.
• Release date and invoice number.
• Notice, “Fixtures” and an open space to the right. This is for the “Color”. Where it says trim finish is for the “Metal Finish” throughout the bath.
• In the “Description” field comes the variables.
• Please note that the “Master Bath” continues on the next page with products like: Air massage system; steam bath; towel warmer; bath accessories, bidet; bidet fittings; and much more. There should be pre-printed sheets for all units: Kitchen Sink, Island Sink, Wet bars, Powder Room, Guest bath, Full Tub Bath, Shower Bath, Laundry Room, Garage Sink, and more.
The short version in the “description” is dependent on the client and their client’s relationship. For instance, if a client did not pay you a fee to specify, and you got the strong feeling they are going to shop a lot, you could put in the description under lavatories “self-rimming oval.” On the far right side of the form of the 14" width of the form in the open space, you could put the model number like K-2905 for the lavatories for your staff only internally. When the client wants a copy of the quote, you fold the flap of the quote form eliminating the model number. If the client is not paying for services, they are not entitled to get the model numbers. This is a “win (them) and lose (you)” scenario. Then note at the bottom of the quote form, “all quotes are good for 30 days”. Note the freight costs are added depending on your company policies. Important, note the signature and date section that when signed signifies that these are the final customers choices.
The signature and date addresses two issues:
• “I never ordered this product” is another way of saying “I now realize I do like what I ordered”
• When the buyer receives the quote, they will see that their customer signed it and might take it as a commitment for him to buy these products from you!
In the case of selling a packaged price for a bath, the contractor must agree with you to protect both of you from being shopped. If the budget is being met for the entire bath, why would the consumer need to see the breakdown? Obviously to shop the pricing.
If you have any questions regarding the long form, I am an e-mail away. Please contact me at: pschor@dynamicresultsinc.com.
Peter Schor, president of Dynamic Results Inc, is a bath/plumbing industry speaker, educator, author, columnist and consultant in the many segments of our industry. For the past 20 years, he conducted seminars and speaks at numerous conventions. Schor has great expertise in the field of showrooms and hotel bathrooms and has won many industry awards. He also consults manufacturers in taking their products to market in the areas of sales, marketing and public relations. Schor can be reached at 1302 Longhorn Lane, Lincoln, CA. 95648, phone 916/408-5346, fax: 916/408-5899. e-mail pschor@dynamicresultsinc.com or visit his web site: www.dynamicresultsonline.com.