WFS Ltd., introduced in the opening vignette, is one of Canada’s most respected industrial distributors.
Many customers remain loyal to WFS because they value outstanding service; a broad range of industrial, automotive, and construction products; and a supplier that will work closely with them to solve their buying problems. The success of WFS can be traced to a number of factors:
• A desire to build as many relationships and the strongest relationships possible with all customers . WFS frequently moves employees to new positions within the company: A warehouse person may become an outside salesperson and later be transferred to inside sales; an outside salesperson may be transferred to purchasing or back to inside sales. (Rick Thurston, now president, began as a driver/delivery person at the Leamington branch in 1984.) This creates maximum flexibility within the company but, more importantly, means that inside salespeople know the difficulties that outside salespeople face, and they often have personal contacts within customer firms. It also means that outside salespeople have had the benefit of training and learning while in the warehouse and on the inside sales desk. As a result, customers frequently have strong relationships with and trust in several WFS employees who they know can help them.
• A strong belief that work should be rewarding for all employees . “Employee happiness is very important to us. Happy employees help build positive relationships with customers,” says Rick Thurston. Employees share many experiences, from going to major sporting events to having company parties and picnics. Twice, for example, all of the employees shared an expensepaid trip to Las Vegas. The company also sponsors many community events and encourages volunteerism among its employees. There is an excellent employee benefits package, which includes education and recreation allowances. This employee investment has been rewarded many times over. At one point, the company had gone four years without a single absentee day.
Employees even provide important input on management.
In fact, a management committee, including the president, is elected each year.
• An investment in customer service and a strong service culture . The company has invested in computer equipment and programming and is able to tell customers immediately how much inventory it has and where that inventory is located. Purchasing, payables, invoicing, receivables, account profiles, sales and other financial reports, and vehicle maintenance schedules are all computerized. Employees are empowered to make decisions whenever customer service is an issue.
On one occasion, two employees took a company van and left Windsor to get some material in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, for a customer who urgently needed it, and they returned immediately with the material. If a customer calls to order something that is urgently needed but the delivery truck has left for the day, the customer is never told to wait for the next delivery.
Someone else within the company will see that the order gets delivered.
• A willingness to experiment and grow to meet changing customer needs . In 2008, WFS acquired Keep Industrial Supply, which provided three new locations, and its customer relationships and business solutions complemented those of WFS. With the addition of the South Carolina operation, the company now has 10 branches and numerous on-site customer integrated-supply agreements. Many WFS customers now check inventory, place orders, or check order status online. The company has also established commodity management programs with its best customers, whereby it manages all of the general supply items for these companies. WFS is always willing to add items to its inventory for customers who will buy them, and an increasing number of customers are taking advantage of this service. 

Questions 

1. How might a WFS salesperson add value with fullline selling? Cross-selling?
2. What types of follow-through activities and followup calls should WFS salespeople be prepared to initiate? How can inside salespeople be used to help maintain value-added customer relationships?
3. How can commodity management programs and other special inventory management programs be used to add value for WFS? How can such programs contribute to the company’s long-term success?
4. Assume that you have just received a phone call from an important customer who says, “We just received a shipment that is needed urgently, but there are some problems with it. We need you to take some action fast.” What will you do? Be specific.
How might you partner with this unhappy customer?