Housekeeping managers: You have a reputation for being tight with the purse strings and demanding when it comes to specifying products and equipment. We talked to your local distributor and he told us so.

Maybe we didn’t talk to your particular distributor, but we did talk to enough of them to take a pretty accurate measure of what drives your cleaning-product buying decisions. You’re tough negotiators when times are good ... and always find that extra gear in tight economic times to drive your costs down even more. I know you are thinking, “So tell us something we don’t know already!”

Maybe I can. In preparing my cover story this month — “Supply and Demand” — I learned a lot about product distributors. Among other things, these businesspeople know you’re under the gun to cut costs, but suggest that a little empathy directed their way could result in a proverbial win-win that makes you both more efficient and successful.

Believe it or not, one can make a strong case for why distributors and end users really need one another — and the synergy extends well beyond rock-bottom prices for your cleaning wares. Read on.

Speaking of distributors, there’s a great opportunity coming up to rub shoulders with a number of them — as well as check out what’s new in cleaning product and equipment innovation. The ISSA/INTERCLEAN® 2003 convention and trade show runs Oct. 15-17 in Chicago. You’ll be able to network with peers and other pipeline partners, as well as take in educational seminars prepared especially for the facility housekeeping professional. Housekeeping Solutions will be exhibiting at the show.




POSTED ON: 9/1/2003