The barbecue industry is dynamic and growing fast. It’s a full beneficiary of the Outdoor Room trend; manufacturers, distributors, retailers and reps have the great chance of selling outdoor kitchens and the myriad of products that go into them, e.g., grill, kamado, sideburner, power burner, pizza oven, cabinets, sink, refrigerator, wet bar and on and on.

This industry, in particular, presents a great chance for reps to help out at retail, by being there at cooking demonstrations, by passing along advice gleaned from other retailers on promotions that work, by helping to educate a retailer’s sales team on all aspects of outdoor cooking.

The barbecue business certainly provides reps with an opportunity to ride the Outdoor Room trend and make some money.

Sixty percent of survey respondents sell barbecue products, 94 percent sell hearth products and 32 percent offer patio furnishings.

Seventy-four percent of barbecue retailers have from one to four manufacturers’ reps.

Forty-two percent of barbecue retailers would like to see their reps more than three times a year.

So, did our survey find that barbecue reps are doing a much better job than patio or hearth reps?

Well, perhaps a bit.

“Considering hearth versus barbecue,” said one retailer, “for the most part the barbecue reps are fantastic. Hearth reps still think this is 1980.”

Another retailer has found that, “Except for one or two exceptions, (all) reps are a waste of my and my employees’ time.”

“Most reps today are absolutely useless,” said another. “I have one or two who are old-school and I will buy absolutely anything they are representing because I know they have made sure the product is what it claims and the company is going to support its dealers.”

Many retailers told us that there is a direct correlation between the level of competency of a rep and the volume of his/her products’ sales.

“Our sales have a direct correlation to how much time a rep spends with our sales staff,” said one retailer. “The ‘A’ reps get ‘A’ sales, the ‘B’ reps get ‘B’ sales and so on.”

A poor rep costs his manufacturers money in lost sales, perhaps far more than they believe and certainly more than they can measure.

Ed. Note: At the end of October, Hearth & Home faxed a survey to 2,500 retailers of hearth, patio and barbecue products; a total of 19 questions were asked. Three hundred and forty surveys were returned and usable.

Only 24 percent of barbecue retailers say their reps visit them more than three times a year.

A fifth of responding barbecue retailers say their best reps visit them more than five times a year.

Of the three product categories surveyed, the barbecue industry has the highest percentage of retailers reporting that none of their reps telephone/email them more than twice a month.

Kentucky:

• “Check their product in the store to make sure it’s set up right and looks the way the manufacturer intended.
• If parts are needed for display models, get the order processed while they are at the store.
• Do product training with store staff.
• Keep store and staff updated on new product and discontinued product.
• Help in solving quality problems.
• Help in solving customer issues due to product quality problems.”

Pennsylvania: “For us, the sales reps are useless. Usually a customer finds out first and then contacts the manufacturer for updated price material. Reps don’t earn their percentage. Maybe we don’t sell enough so we are not worth it for them to show up. However, I bet they don’t mind their commission checks. I could name a few manufacturers where we never see a rep and we sell more than $100,000 a year in merchandise.”

Tennessee: “Give advance notice of items being considered to drop from the line. Get involved with past due orders. Help expedite special time-sensitive orders. Suggest best sellers in our region. Expedite warranty replacements. Make us aware of specials.”

Alabama: “Reps should, at the very minimum, visit their customer at least once every other month to make sure the sales staff is comfortable with selling their product and that the catalogs and sales materials are updated and available. If the customer has multiple locations, then the sales rep must visit all locations, not just the one where the store owner’s office is located.

“Reps should introduce themselves to every sales team member in a professional way so the sales staff knows who to contact if they need a question answered.

“Reps should conduct sales training if the store owner/sales staff requests it.

“A good sales rep realizes that our sales staff is the key to selling their product. A good rapport with my staff means the world to them. Sales spiff programs, donuts in the morning, bringing in lunch unexpectedly (yes, my employees can be bribed!) can determine which set my employees might try to sell to the next customer.

“The sales staff is always more enthusiastic and passionate about the furniture/grills/hearth products that are backed by a sales rep/manufacturer who cares about them and that they know will support them.

“Sales reps should treat my sales staff with respect and not talk down to them, and vice versa.

“Sales reps should make all of us want to sell their product and believe in their product!”

Over a third (34%) of barbecue retailers have at least one rep who will help them fix a product in the field.

More than hearth (15%) or patio (37%), 45 percent of retailers say that their barbecue reps just show up rather than schedule an appointment.

Sixty-five percent of responding barbecue retailers have at least one rep who will give them a hand at a special sale or event.

Massachusetts: “In season, stop by at least every six weeks or call. Keep us informed on supply issues, new product introductions, problems with certain products. Always email or call first to set up an appointment; our time for our customers is pre-set and a rep who just shows up distracts us from doing what we had planned to do.

“Don’t be rude if you’re not meeting quotas. Have some technical ability. Call on us a minimum of twice in any particular season. Work home shows and in-house events where possible and with advanced notice from dealers. Make certain that dealers have up-to-date POP and literature. Don’t try to unload product that dealers can’t move and that you know will be discontinued.

“Acknowledge that you’re important to dealers by having regular communications via telephone, email or in-house visits. Bottom line is that many ’70/’80s-era independent and manufacturers’ reps need to retire. Best reps today are under 40 with few exceptions. I’m 60, by the way. Younger reps understand the pressures of the Internet while older reps are sitting home collecting royalties with little or no representation. Of course, there are some poor young reps and excellent older reps.” 

Washington: “We expect our reps to spend as much time with our sales staff as possible. Our sales have a direct correlation to how much time a rep spends with our sales staff. The ‘A’ reps get ‘A’ sales, the ‘B’ reps get ‘B’ sales and so on. We also expect them to help us with customers who require rep help, and to train our operations on the particulars of their specific products.”

Ontario: “Ensure displays are clean and brochures stocked, and answer any questions our salespeople may have. I would like to see the reps drop in to each location (we have six) at least once a month. The reps’ territories are so large, and they have so many dealers, that it’s almost impossible for them to do so.”

Idaho: “I’m at the end of the road, so don’t expect quarterly visits. However, twice a year would be nice. The ones I don’t see tend to lose business to the ones that do make the rounds. While I don’t need to see reps that often, the squeaky wheel seems to get the sales!”

Fewer than half (48%) of retailers have barbecue reps who offer to hold staff sales meetings.

Almost four out of 10 barbecue retailers say that none of their reps will help them deal with an upset customer.

Over a third (36%) of respondents don’t have a barbecue rep who will back them in a dispute with a manufacturer.

Washington: “All tasks should be done in a timely manner. It does no good to find out that last month I could have received a five percent discount on orders.

“Keep informed of all information from every company you represent. Show us new details of products at market. Help with issues involving your product. We are in the ‘wayback,’ so I don’t expect monthly visits from our reps. I’m fine with emails keeping me updated on product.”

Florida: “A rep should disseminate literature, explain new buying programs, pricing and special purchasing deals, and if there is a problem with the factory, the rep should help us find a solution so I’m not pulled away from my business to sit on hold for an hour trying to get someone from the manufacturer to deal with a shipping problem or a credit issue.

“Most reps today are absolutely useless. I have one or two who are old-school and I will buy absolutely anything they are representing because I know they have made sure the product is what it claims and the company is going to support its dealers.”

Maine: “Except for one or two exceptions, reps are a waste of my and my employees’ time.”

Washington: “I believe that reps are spread thinly due to the present economy. We deal with our inside sales reps much more than outside sales reps. In their quest to build a reputation with new business, I feel they sometimes forget those of us who have been with them a long time. Some of us have stayed small but have proven to be the best in this economy. Maybe we have become too self-reliant, but it would be nice if they would check in at least once a month with an email or phone call.”

Colorado: “There are only a few reps who do a good job.”

Texas:

• "Keep me updated on new products or changes to current products.
• Be able to answer general technical questions about products.
• Be a liaison between me and the manufacturer when I have a problem or a special request – make sure it’s brought to the correct person’s attention.
• Check on me several times a year to make sure I have current marketing and promotional materials and brochures.
• Give me news from the outside world! How are other dealers doing with different products; let me know what’s working and not working out there.
• Help me keep up with paperwork related to spiffs, dealer coupons and co-op credit.”

Over a quarter (27%) of barbecue retailers have at least one rep who helps them with information to better run their business.

A little more than half (51%) of retailers have one or two barbecue reps who keep them up-to-date on technical and promotional changes.

Sixty-one percent of barbecue reps have one or two reps who are well versed in all aspects of their products.

It’s a fairly even split between barbecue retailers who say manufacturers’ reps are better than independent reps, those who disagree and those with no opinion.

Forty-three percent of responding barbecue retailers say that none of their reps earn the percentage of the retailer’s business that they get.

Of those responding ‘yes’ or ‘no’, 64% of barbecue retailers feel that reps did a better job 10 to 15 years ago.