Most customer-facing employees working for any industrial distributor—no matter how knowledgeable they are—are likely not as successful at selling disposable gloves. That’s no knock on anybody, just the truth that accompanies an unusual product.
Why? Because gloves are a strange commodity: Practically every business uses them, but sales reps who truly understand the nuances of the product or the market are few and far between.
To make matters worse, the reps’ companies are often neither aware of the deficiency or just don’t let it bother them. So they have a problem they didn’t even know existed.
This is a situation that can be rectified with proper training. Most good salespeople are highly motivated and keen to learn. Try a gentle nudge to get them going.
Go directly to the source
So who can help you train your salespeople? AMMEX can! But you need to fully recognize the benefits of selling gloves and take the time to learn the business.
If you’ve had 30 minutes of training and think that’s enough, you’re misinformed. Becoming a glove expert takes time. The accumulated knowledge of long-term relationships with customers will serve you well over time. But in some cases it might even take a couple years to become fully versed.
Is it worth it? Well, that depends on how much money you want to make. The more questions your reps ask, the more other avenues for selling gloves will open up. Above all, reps should be aware of what is possible—and do what it takes to become glove experts.
For your careful consideration
A few important points to ponder:
Considering that 80% of businesses buy single-use gloves, if you establish yourself as a source of both gloves and glove knowledge, that customer will likely buy from you indefinitely (as long as you deliver the goods). Then you gain a long-term, even a lifelong, customer.
Disposable gloves are quite the lucrative product. They can be exceptionally profitable—as long as you align the user with the right glove. If you know what you’re selling, and can translate that to suit the customer’s need, there is business to be had.
One of the great advantages to including gloves in your product offerings is repeat business. People buy gloves to use them, not stash them away somewhere. They have an ongoing need, and when they run out, they buy more. If you are there to fulfill it, you will benefit.
Target your sales by size
Smaller customers, like independent auto mechanics, local non-chain restaurants, and some janitorial operations, are likely to settle on one or maybe two glove styles at most. Larger customers, however, tend to use a wider variety of gloves—often choosing different colors to distinguish between processes or guard against cross-contamination in foodservice—and in larger quantities.
AMMEX has a variety of excellent tools to help you grow your glove sales. Log into our Online Portal to find data and specification sheets as well as download print-quality product images, guides, catalogs, and our Chemical Resistance Chart, invaluable for choosing the right glove for the job. And be sure to make copious use of glove samples, the best sales tool there is.
Want to sell more gloves? Train a few experts and watch your sales grow.