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WHAT A MANUFACTURERS' EXPORT REPRESENTATIVE IS NOT
Unlike distributors, who add cost to the goods they sell, export reps are not an additional channel, nor a channel intermediaries.
They are the manufacturers' sales personnel in the territory, simply paid on a different basis- rather than salary plus incentive plus expenses. In fact, reaching the channel in the most cost-effective manner is probably the most prevalent reason for choosing the rep route-although manufacturers report that their reps bring them many additional marketplace advantages besides the clear economic benefit of no sales expense until there is a sale.
More than a Source, A Resource
The ability of manufacturers' export representatives to outperform direct employee
sales forces starts with the inherent benefits of product line synergy, and continues with the caliber of export rep sales personnel. Export Rep success is directly tied to productivity, so the profession attracts and retains the top talent in each industry. The factory-direct salesperson who produces is likely to be promoted, whether to another location or to the home office.
Being rooted geographically leads to stability of relationships, an important added value in a world where the customer is king. Another, possibly the most simplistic: the multiple-line sales call is simply more
cost-effective. The buyer saves time discussing several needs during a single meeting.
Because of their multiple-line perspective, export reps are more likely to look at the forest, not just the trees. Their job is to
add value, satisfying the customer's need and facilitating the flow of goods to the customer, in the way that the customer wants to buy.
Independent international sales representatives are not only a source but
a resource. They supply in-depth multilevel, interdepartmental coverage, helping to bridge the frequently encountered communications gap between purchasing and
engineering. Their advice is cogent because of the familiarity achieved over the years not only with the customer's needs, but also with the customer's total corporate culture. Their greater global market exposure gives them access to a broader range of information, which they can analyze with objectivity and added perspective.
Advocacy-The customer’s most important resource
The objectivity and perspective that the multiple-line sales professional brings to the table is never more important than
when the customer's need
diverges from the manufacturer's standard operating procedures. Whether it's a product modification or an expedited delivery, the international representative can, and will, fight harder for the customer. The export rep has more at stake, with all the other products being sold into that company, as well as more freedom than the direct salesperson to carry his clout on the customer's behalf all the way to the top.
Because they're in the territory for the long term, export representatives
look beyond the sale to the total relationship. Territory knowledge combined with multiple-line exposure and entrepreneurial personality adds up to a wide- perspective on who's doing what, how it's working, and where it leads. The international market intelligence gleaned from export reps goes far beyond sophisticated forecasting. Good export representatives provide immediate feedback that is invaluable to the manufacturers they represent and to the customers they call on.
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