The Many Benefits of Power Transmission Distributors

Lovejoy has long been an active member of the Power Transmission Distributors Association, and been a loyal supporter of the mechanical power transmission distribution channel going back to its earliest days (several generations ago). Since this time, Lovejoy has expanded its product line, and joined the Fluid Power Distributors Association and our German operation has joined the European Power Transmission Distributors Association.

Taking it one step further, Lovejoy had designed its website largely to be a funnel for its trusted distribution partners. While the website is rich with content data, and it is Lovejoy's hope that users find any and all content they need... Lovejoy also puts prominent "Find a Distributor" buttons on nearly every page of its website as well. The goal is for end users to find the information they seek, and then be immediately able to find a distributor in their area that can help them.

So... the question remains, why does Lovejoy value its partnerships with local distributors so much?

While I could go on for a while, the short/distilled answer is customer awareness and engagement. Distributors have a wide selection of products and solutions that far exceed Lovejoy's high quality of solutions, and they also have the opportunity to readily and completely go out and see/understand an end users complete application.

At the end of the day, Lovejoy understands that its end users really aren't buying simply a component... but rather system up-time and reliability. As such, having strong distribution partners in the field who can eat, breath, and literally live to serve a given end user... and who completely understand the challenges and history of a given end users applications... are invaluable to Lovejoy, and we are honored to be partnered with them. 

The internet may be making information gathering much more accessible to end users, which is great (and Lovejoy's website continues to see increased traffic)... but the internet cannot replace the value of a well-rounded and seasoned brick and mortar distributor who can go out and really become an integral part of an end user's team. 

To elaborate on this point, given the internet age and end users increasing ending up on manufacturer websites, I believe it is critical (for both distributors and their manufacturing partners) that value adding distributors ensure they are well represented on their trusted manufacturing partners' websites.

More than ever a manufacturer's website is becoming their brand, and, given how important distributors are for maximizing value to our end users, we believe it is critical that we highlight and go to great lengths to encouraging end users visiting our website to reach out to our highly valued and trusted distributor partners. (For more on the topic of manufacturer websites, I wrote an article that was recently published in Industrial Distribution magazine that may be of interest to you.)

Going back to the question, to end with an example, if you are a steel mill... Lovejoy certainly has plenty of experience selling a variety of couplings into your market... but we do not have experience selling bearings, chain, and many other products that a distributor partner will have. Similarly, we have not lived in your specific facility the way your one or two preferred distributor partners have. This same logic applied to almost any and every industry Lovejoy serves... be it paper mills, or power generation, or logging... 

To find a Lovejoy authorized distributor located just miles from you who is ready to become a lifelong partner to you and your organization, please check out the Lovejoy "Find a Distributor" tool.

3 Sales Tips from a "Next Gen" Power Transmission Sales Representative

Guest Post: Joe Johnson, Lovejoy Field Sales Representative

As a relatively new sales guy in the mechanical power transmission world, I have observed three trends that I believe deserve further discussion as we look to ensuring this industry's continued success. Those topics/trends are: a quickly aging/retiring sales force, the growing short term focus of some near retirement sales personnel, & relationships remaining king regardless of generation or age.  

1. Start Training & On-boarding "The Next Generation" Now - As a young man building relationships in my territory, I’ve noticed how I am one of the youngest sales reps in the business. (In fact, I have only met one person that comes close to my age in my territory.)  I think this is telling when it comes to foreseeable problems in the future of this business.  I believe there will be a large demand gap in people to do any manufacturing related business in the coming decade.  I’m also proud to see my own organization seeing the writing on the wall and making strides in developing younger talent to meet the demand that is to come.  

2. Guard Against Potential Short Term Motivation of Near Retirement Individuals - Another issue I have run across is the growing short sighted mentality of some older generation sales personnel in our industry. Specifically, I’ve witnessed a few industry representatives being open to going around the distribution channel to chase the short term sale (regardless of the long term damage it may cause). 

This is dangerous and problematic on multiple fronts (but, potentially somewhat beneficial to folks like myself who maintain a long term perspective and can quickly counter such misguided competitor missteps). 

The trust between a manufacturer and distributor partner is vital. As sales reps near retirement, manufacturers must guard against any potential that sales representatives become shortsighted in their approach to selling. Long term manufacturer-distributor corporate relationships trump a local short term sales lift. 

Should there be any doubt to this, consider that the local OEM person you are selling to is likely also running towards retirement & will be in Florida on the beach in a few years. (A quality local distributor is much better suited to maintaining multiple contact points and managing personnel change within an end user versus a manufacturer/manufacturer's representative going it alone.)

Standing by and solidifying your distribution channel relationships allows for you and your product to be ingrained and trusted by your distributor's sales force. This pays dividends later when new business opportunities arise (you get first crack)... in addition to retaining the business that you have already established at the distributor. 

3. Remain Focused on Growing Relationships (Relationships Remain King) - During my limited tenure in the industry, I’ve quickly come to understand what relationship selling really entails.  My territory is 90% relationships. If you are genuine, hardworking, quick with responses, have follow through, and run at problems as they occur... you succeed. 

By following these keys to relationship success, the "next generation" power transmission sales force will fast develop a deep understanding of the industry and the relationships that drive the industry forward. This will then allow them to play an active and critical role in securing the bright future for this industry (and themselves), for the greater benefit of society. 

After all, it's the mechanical power transmission industry that keeps the world rolling, turning, sliding, spinning... moving forward.

Joe Johnson is a "Next Generation" Lovejoy sales representative who has quickly come up to speed covering the dynamic (oil & gas active) regions of Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota. To find a highly qualified Lovejoy representative in your corner of the world, please use the Find a Sales Representative Tool. 

How to Get a Replacement Coupling Fast

When the line goes down and production stops, time is money. Whatever broke must be root caused quickly, and a replacement coupling must be secured as quickly as possible. Specific to couplings, Lovejoy's application engineering department is acutely aware of how important speed of service is in such situations, and has developed a Quick Ship program exclusively to help take care of breakdown customers as soon as possible.

This program is available for jaw coupling hubs and spiders (L, C, & H types), curved jaw coupling hubs and spiders, s-flex sleeve coupling hubs and flanges, LF torsional hubs and flanges, universal joints, NEMA pump / motor mounts, gear couplings, and grid couplings. (An exact PDF document outlining the program can be found here, and if you don't see what you are looking for... please still feel free to call and we will let you know the best we can do. We carry an enormous amount of stock, so the part could be either on the shelf or easily finished to your needed dimensions.)  

 

So what exactly does the Quick Ship program look like, and how will it ensure I receive my coupling quickly? 

Lovejoy actively embraces a manufacturing concept called Quick Response Manufacturing (QRM), and championed by the University of Wisconsin's Center for Quick Response Manufacturing, which focused exclusively on optimized processes, systems, and procedures for manufacturing companies with a high mix of products, but with relatively low quantities. (This concept applies very well for Lovejoy, and its tremendous breadth of coupling product and the near infinite combination of bore & keyway combinations that exist for each.) 

One core principle of QRM is the concept of elasticity of demand, which basically states that for a factory with high mix to run effectively... there must be an ability to absorb peak demands without wreaking havoc. (For a more complete overview of QRM, check out either the University of Wisconsin link posted above or this Wikipedia article.) A common analogy or example to demonstrate this principle is an interstate during rush hour. Orders do not always (or often) come in predictably, so a company must be able to flex as peak loads hit without creating gridlock. 

Lovejoy provides customers, and specifically Quick Ship customers, elasticity of demand by having three dedicated finishing work cells set aside for the unexpected Quick Ship. Customer service owns these work cells, and the shop floor and Lovejoy's scheduling department do not schedule these cells.

When a call from a distributor comes in, Lovejoy's customer service team will quickly qualify the Quick Ship (ensuring it meets the criteria of the program inclusive of limited quantity and raw parts on hand). Once qualified, the Quick Ship order is printed directly to the Quick Ship cell. Upon completion, Quick Ship orders are immediately taken down and put on a bright red cart in front of Lovejoy's shipping/distribution department to ensure the order is promptly boxed and queued for carrier pickup. 

 

Quick Ship sounds great, but what are my next steps?

This may sound obvious, but the first think you want to do is to understand what went wrong with the original application. Did the original coupling wear out due to normal wear, or was something more troublesome going on (misalignment, peak torques, chemical exposure, undersized coupling, etc.). If you have no idea, please feel free to give us a call or read some more articles on this blog to better educate yourself... as we really don't want to see you repeat or not correct a mistake or issue that may exist with your given application.

Once you've got an idea of what went wrong and know the type of coupling you need fast, you will want to reach out to a distributor you trust and ask them you've got a breakdown situation an need a Lovejoy Quick Ship. (To find a distributor near you, please visit this page... and, while an authorized Lovejoy distributor should immediately understand and appreciate what a Lovejoy Quick Ship... should there be any question, please feel free to forward them this link.)

Note: Quick Ship orders need to be placed over the phone by the distributor to Lovejoy. As soon as your trusted distributor does this, they will be able to give you the promised lead time and cost for the coupling or product in question. At this point, your order will already be in route or in the hands of a Lovejoy operator ready to fight the good fight to get you up and running in the shortest possible time period.

 

And what if it wasn't the coupling that failed?  

Lovejoy is, at its heart and soul, a coupling company... and, while we wish we could help you with your bearing, pump, motor, etc. failure... there is a much better resource to lean on: your trusted mechanical power transmission distributor. These guys (and ladies) know the industry inside and out, and they know which manufacturers they can trust and lean on to get a product out fast. If you don't yet have a relationship with a linchpin distributor you trust, we recommend you start by searching for one here (which even allows you to search by zip code for those of you living in the United States or Canada). 

 

As a final word of caution...

To reference the Aesop's famous fable of The Boy Who Cried Wolf, if the replacement part need isn't an emergency, please be truthful about your time requirements when working with your trusted distributor partner. While not always the case, time can and does often mean more money (even if it is only in the expedited shipping fees) and does take a bit more work on the distributors part. Almost always rush orders require automated processes (placing and managing orders with manufacturers online) being turned into manual ones (phone orders and more manual tracking). Please be respectful of your distributor's time, your own wallet (or your company's wallet), and allow the emergency lane to remain open to those in most urgent need.