Distributors Prepare the Next Generation of Salespeople

A potential crisis is looming. In 2024, a record number of Baby Boomers will reach retirement age, resulting in a sudden loss of experienced salespeople in the jan/san distribution industry. Seeing as the number of retirees outpaces the number of viable replacements, distributors continue to face the dual challenge of attracting new talent while also trying to capture and retain the expertise of soon-to-retire sales reps.  

Fortunately, this is also a time of tremendous growth and transformation in the industry, opening the door for the next generation of salespeople to leave their mark.  

“Those coming out of college want to know that what they do has an impact,” says Jinny Kcehowski, vice president of commercial training and enablement, Imperial Dade, Jersey City, New Jersey. “When there’s change, there’s openness to the fresh ideas and perspectives that they bring — and this industry is ripe for that. It’s up to the organization to foster that exchange of ideas, which will help them to facilitate change.”   

Finding Purpose 

Selling janitorial supplies may seem like a lackluster career path for prospective hires; a hurdle to finding new workers. Nevertheless, many distributors are positioning jan/san sales as an enticing job opportunity by shifting the focus from selling products to finding solutions.  

“This industry isn’t glamorous, but it’s exciting and rewarding to be able to help a client,” says Ian Quan, sales consultant, Waxie Sanitary Supply,a subsidiary of BradyPLUS, San Diego. “We try to focus on what hardships they’re dealing with and come up with solutions. Because at the end of the day, you want to have a good feeling about what you’re doing and make an impact.” 

Indeed, the desire for meaningful work is a marked characteristic of Millennials and Gen Zs, and often ranks higher in importance than benefits and pay. Like Quan, Ryan Fagan, sales executive for Fagan Sanitary Suppy, Pittsburgh, recognizes that these generational groups want to make a difference, and he strives to meet that need.  

“We use workloading software and dig deeper than just supplying product to make facilities efficient,” he says. “That puts more of a mission-driven focus on the job for our younger group. We’re not just selling a bucket of soap; we’re creating cleaner, safer, healthier facilities.”  

Additionally, distributors are appealing to a younger crowd with job opportunities that build camaraderie and put their determination to the test. These positions serve as a valuable bonding experience for employees and help distributors assess their skills and potential. 

“We bring in young men and women to do some of the entry-level project work, and we get to be with them shoulder-to-shoulder,” says Fagan. “Aristotle said, ‘To be a friend to someone, you must eat a sack of salt together,’ meaning you need to sweat and go through the struggle together. When we get to that happy hour, that’s what we bond over: The struggles and challenges we all worked through.” 

Project work also gives Fagan the chance to gauge a new hire’s curiosity. He recalls an occasion when he was working alongside a new hire on a gym floor, and the employee asked him how floor finish worked.  

“When I heard that question, I started to work more closely with him because he had that spark,” says Fagan. “Eventually he became an account manager for us.” 

Like Fagan, Mark Licata, vice president of Royal Papers, St. Louis, appeals to the younger generation’s natural curiosity and lust for learning when promoting jan/san sales as a career option. 

“I explain to job candidates that our business brings us into offices and areas of companies that a lot of people don’t have the faintest clue about; they have no idea what happens behind the back doors,” he says. “Jan/san sales give the next generation the opportunity to understand how different products are made.”  

Transferring Knowledge 

As more salespeople prepare for retirement, distributors face the potential loss of knowledge and client relationships that have been established and nurtured over decades. For those who have given fair warning of their impending retirement, now is the time for distributors to harness their expertise.  

Succession plans can formalize the transfer of knowledge and aid in passing on leadership roles — provided those plans are malleable.  

“Succession planning provides continuity from a leadership perspective and can help prevent high-performing employees from leaving the company due to a perceived lack of opportunities,” says Kcehowski. “But if plans are too rigid, it can also be problematic. They need to be future-focused and adaptable to address ever-changing business needs.”  

Whether or not distributors have a formal succession planning process, they can take steps to prepare their sales roomsfor the next generation of talent. Kcehowski refers to this as “minding the gap” and “mending the gap”; in essence, understanding the generational differences in attitudes, behaviors, preferences, and expectations between salespeople who are exiting the workforce and those who are entering the workforce — and working to bridge it. 

Leverage technology and AI. Younger generations expect just-in-time, on-demand access to information; they are resourceful, self-paced learners. Kcehowski recommends equipping new hires with technology that allows them to ask questions and get curated responses — then connect them to additional resources and experienced salespeople for follow-up questions as needed. 

Give them a say.The next generation is wired to question authority; they not only want to know the what, but the why. Distributors should communicate their expectations and desired results but provide the authority to determine the how. 

Step outside the comfort zone. Kcehowski acknowledges that different generations have different approaches to tasks — one may prefer to communicate via text; the other over the phone. If different generations can accept each other’s preferences and explore them together, they can build the trust needed to successfully transfer business.