I received the following quote headlining a factory email last month. It’s been sitting in my inbox marinating with these crazy times.
“Sometimes you need to stop what you are doing. Take a breath and remind yourself of who you are and who you want to be.”
The email went on to discuss the factories incredible business and the challenges this significant increase in an era of supply chain disruption was causing at the factory. It was sent as a reminder that most people in the factories are doing as much as they can and for the sales staff to please be patient. Every factory I talk with seems to be short staffed and their suppliers as well as the complete logistics chain seems to be the same way. This is causing enormous internal stresses as no one seems able to communicate as promptly as they would like. Whether it be a retailer wanting to know where their furniture is or a retail consumer demanding to know where the service is on their product, people still want prompt answers. We as reps need to be patient, but politely persistent in bridging the communication gap.
As I talk with major retailers, sales managers, and other reps, this sense of overwhelm permeates our industry. Instead of buying and merchandising, buyers are scrambling for any product that will ship. Instead of setting goals and target accounts, sales managers are trying to keep retailers placated when quoting 6-8 month backlogs or trying to figure out where a container or truckload of furniture is. And instead of going out into the field and training, reps have learned how to make presentations on ZOOM or Teams because they are not allowed into buying offices or showroom floors.
And yet the consumer keeps on buying oblivious to all the challenges it takes to deliver them the goods they want to purchase. We are very blessed as an industry because of the incredible demand. But the stresses the crimp in the supply chain is causing has many in our industry on edge. It is overwhelming for everyone in the industry as we all try to do too much. Reps need to remember that both sides of the transaction, retailer and factory, are under enormous pressure and tailor our responses accordingly. Retailers and factories need to understand that reps are in the middle and more often than not have to be the communicator of challenging news. Please don’t shoot the messenger!
And if times get a bit stressful reread the quote above. Take a breath and be happy you are in an industry that can’t get enough of what we sell. The factory email referenced above ended on a positive thought for us all to consider as we deal with the “problem” of too much business (who would have thought that would be a problem).
Working hard for something we don’t care about is called stress.
Working hard for something we love is called passion.
If you aren’t passionate about a business delivering double and triple digit increases as far as the eye can see then maybe you should go work in the hospitality industry where it isn’t quite as fast paced right now. Success is not for sissies!