When Operators Shop Online, Dealers Save, Too

In today’s challenging economic environment, it’s more important than ever for operators to cut expenses.  This means not only analyzing the volume of purchased equipment and supplies, but also how those products actually are purchased.  Increasingly, savvy operators are turning to the internet to attain significant savings while still accessing quality products and knowledgeable salespeople to guide them through the purchasing process.  Before you cringe at the idea of serving as a guinea pig by buying equipment online, consider this:  A number of equipment suppliers have been selling online for eight, 10, 12 or more years –longer than many restaurants have even been in business!   E-commerce kinks and challenges were worked out long ago, so the process is even more refined than buying from local sales reps.

The benefits for operators of purchasing online extend beyond price, although that is the primary driver for many who consider web-based transactions.  There’s also the aspect of time – both in enhanced convenience and effective use.  Is it more convenient for you to sit down with a sales rep during your lunch rush or would you rather click a few keystrokes and have your replenishment order fulfilled at a time of your choosing?  Even if you’ve got a considerate rep who observes the sacred rule of not calling during breakfast, lunch or dinner service, they still must meet with you during downtime –and is this an effective use of your time?  I’d argue that hopping online and placing an order is much more efficient.  Let’s face it: Most of operators’ equipment and supplies purchases are routine, as the same items are ordered over and over again.  Why have the (1) cost (2) inconvenience and (3) inefficiency of meeting face-to-face or having to head to your local cash and carry outlet for routine items?  Operators who switch to online procurement can typically spend more time focusing on improving their businesses and saving money, too!

I know there are dealer sales reps out there with smoke fuming from their ears right about now.  To be clear, I’m not advocating that salespeople should lose their jobs – just that they should spend their time working to provide clients with value-added services that the online market cannot duplicate. The benefits accruing to dealers who embrace online sales are simply too great to justify keeping a DSR on the street handling routine orders.  Dealerships that handle order processing, sales creation and customer service functions through web-based interactions with operators usually recognize significant savings.  This frees up the time of their expensive outside salespeople, allowing them to concentrate on business development and selling items with the highest value proposition.

The bottom line is that purchasing foodservice equipment and supplies online is neither a new nor a scary concept.  The results are a win-win for both operators and dealers, and should be embraced as a way of streamlining the E&S procurement process.  Saving money while becoming more efficient – what’s not to love about that?

.