Hardware Retailing The Industry's Source for Insights and Information
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By Kate Klein, kklein@nrha.org
Attracting or keeping pro remodelers’ business requires focusing on what matters most to them.
Many of the home remodelers who participated in a contractor study from the Home Improvement Research Institute (HIRI) use big-box home centers as their primary sources of supplies.
However, contractors who made a recent switch in suppliers left big-box home centers and took their business to other types of operations, such as hardware stores.
The top reasons contractors changed loyalties were that the new source offers a wider selection of products, better prices, higher quality service, higher quality products and their preferred brands—all motivators related to why they chose their primary suppliers in the first place.
Applied to Retail
Don’t assume your operation is excelling in the areas that your home remodeler customers value, even if you currently have their loyalty.
You need to keep pro contractors’ priorities constantly in mind and regularly reassess how well you’re offering what they need.
Keep your retail outlet well stocked and competitive on price. Stay in tune with how quickly your customers need deliveries, and revisit your product mix regularly.
Communicate often with your pro customers so you can adapt to keep them happy. Then, work to stay ahead of them by setting new delivery speed goals and developing plans for regularly comparing prices with competitors.
