Where does the disconnect lie between business and customer, and what’s preventing so many companies from successfully retaining customers they’ve already gained?

Five years ago, the Top 50 HVACR Distributors survey revealed that 96 percent of respondents had achieved increases in their HVACR sales in the latest fiscal year. This year’s survey nearly matched that phenomenal growth, with 95 percent of all respondents reporting increased HVACR sales.

Finding strategies to stand out from the crowd is no longer innovative; it’s required to survive.

The award is based on market share, sales, growth, and customer satisfaction and is the result of a successful relationship between the distributor and dealer.

HVAC distributors should strive to practice good-pricing hygiene.

Today, HVACR distributors rely on enterprise resource planning (ERP) software to handle nearly every level of their operations. Vendor data, turns, dead stock, cycle counts, sales margins, and much more can be accessed directly from a computer or, in some cases, a mobile device.

George Pattee succeeds Joseph C. Nettemeyer, president and CEO of Valin Corp.

Amazon achieved $178 billion in sales in 2017, which was a 31 percent increase over its 2016 sales numbers. The company is expected to reach $230 billion in sales in 2018. So, how is the company making money so quickly, and what does it mean to your HVAC wholesale business?

“Toshiba has a legacy of innovative industrial solutions that are a natural fit for IAC customers,” said Darrell Smith, president, IAC. “We welcome the opportunity for new business and look forward to working together to exceed the expectations of our customers.”

DT spoke with a handful of contractors and distributors who experienced exceptional success in 2018 and asked them what worked in 2018, what didn't, and how things are shaping up in 2019 and beyond.