How Distributors Can Help Their Bulk Wipes, Tissues, and Paper Towels Customers with Increased Product Knowledge

How Distributors Can Help Their Bulk Wipes, Tissues, and Paper Towels Customers with Increased Product Knowledge

As a distributor, your first priority is to help your customer have the best experience possible with their products. But what happens when a business owner has a time-sensitive question about a specific wipe, tissue, or paper towel? Often, reliable distributors must act as the go-to resource for these types of product inquiries — and having a source of your own to draw from is essential in a pinch. 

This article continues our six-part series providing valuable insights and resources to distributors. Here, we’ll list the types of product information your team should be well-versed in, and explain the clear benefits of becoming an expert in the disposable wipes, tissues, and paper towels you offer. 

The importance of in-depth product knowledge 

Market analysis can help you gain valuable insights into industry trends, but no distributor ever has total assurance of what sales challenges might be around the corner. The global pandemic is the latest proof of this. Within a very short amount of time, supply chain shortages and skyrocketing costs threw international markets into a frenzy and caused concern for many customers. 

At times like these, there may be more product-specific questions than usual as customers determine the best course of action for resource acquisition. But even without a global crisis bearing down on your client’s market, knowing your products inside and out will help you find the best options for each of their industry applications. Being the resident “pro” for your bulk wipes, tissues, and paper towels will help you convey transparency and thoughtfulness about the solutions you create for your clients. 

Customer-centric information

Some types of product information are more highly-requested than others. Here are the most important categories to learn about your products for when questions inevitably arise. 

Product applications 

You should be able to tell your customers the common industry applications for each wipe, tissue, and paper towel you carry. For example, Berk International stocks multiple heavy-absorbency wipes — but while Scrim is used for more general cleaning purposes, SPUNLACE is optimal for equipment maintenance in industries like automotive and aerospace. 

Materials 

A product’s material makeup often determines its end uses. For example, wipes that are 100% wood pulp may not be very durable but will provide more absorbency, while wipes reinforced with other materials will be more sturdy. Some material names need additional explanation to fully understand, such as DRC (double-re-creped, both the name of the product and the way it is assembled). Finally, some products are designed to be more environmentally friendly than others. Customers who promote sustainability in their business need to know the material makeup of each wipe, tissue, and paper towel they purchase so that they can make an informed decision and keep true to their company values.  

Pricing 

Not only will customers need to know the range of prices for the products you carry, but they may also need to know the reasons for product costs. Are you able to give a detailed breakdown of the factors that go into each wipe, tissue, and towel’s cost?

Pros & cons 

Finally, you’ll want to understand the benefits and potential drawbacks of each item as they apply to your customer’s industry. It’s best to approach this subject with honesty and transparency, as your ultimate goal is to find the product that will best suit your client’s needs. 

Best practices for gaining product knowledge 

The most logical way to learn more about your products is to go straight to the source and ask your manufacturer for the specifics. It’s important to find a reliable manufacturing partner that supports its distributors in gaining and leveraging this product knowledge efficiently, using these key strategies: 

  • Sell on value: Reliable manufacturers will sell products based on their value to each distributor and industry. Berk International understands and relays these applications to their distributors, matching each need and use case with the appropriate wipe, paper towel, or tissue. Each recommendation is carefully considered and valued on a case-by-case basis — and the reasons for each choice are clearly communicated for distributor knowledge. 
  • Aim for longevity: The best manufacturers want to build a secure future with each distributor partner. Berk’s clear understanding of these products is one of the most important factors that allows them to build these long-standing relationships. Their distributors know that they will be able to get the product information they need, regardless of industry.  
  • Stay accessible: Having a manufacturer who knows their stuff is only helpful if they are easy to get a hold of! Berk personnel are reachable by email, phone and text. We will meet virtually with distributors if they need a refresher on any product. 
  • Spread knowledge through training: It’s an integral part of Berk’s business model to train new distributor partners on their products — so the information they need is delivered directly through instruction. The team visits distributors on-site whenever possible to conduct these onboarding sessions and conducts virtual meetings when necessary. 

Over 20 years of shared expertise

The team at Berk International is ready to assist you in delivering the best experience possible for your customer base. With distributors in many different global industries, an expansive line of top-tier public and private label products, and a premier distributor success program, we have a lot to offer — and all these perks are supplemented by our team’s in-depth knowledge of each bulk product in our catalog. Your end users will never be left with a question unanswered about product applications, materials, pricing, or anything else that impacts their bottom line.

Contact Berk for more information about forming a knowledge-fueled manufacturing partnership. In our next article in the series, we’ll explore how distributors of wipes, tissues, and paper towels can establish reliability amid supply chain challenges.

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