Getting the most from your wholesaler

Wholesalers have changed enormously over the years due to the ever-changing demands of the hair industry, says Jonathan Littler, managing director of Alan Howard. Not just a stock room They are no longer just a convenient stock room for the professional hairdresser they now offer the complete package, capable of fulfilling all of the professional hairdressers educational and promotional support needs, backed up with a first class service. Many wholesalers across the UK now have a range of stores, training facilities, educators, consultants and development managers to support the ever-growing demand of the hairdressing industry today, nothing less than the best will suffice. One stop-shop for a salon's needs The positive impact of this change means that hairdressers now have a real choice of how they shop without missing out on valuable education, industry knowledge and service. It is no longer good business sense to just supply products at competitive prices, to be the “supplier of choice”, wholesalers must be offering a more personal service and experience whether that be education, training, consultancy etc. Educational support Education in particular seems to be at the heart of success for wholesalers. It should be an ongoing program from the ground up. All staff including sales people must be able to advise customers on all aspects of their business, similar to educators being able to deliver retail and business building courses as well as the technical training – everything works hand in hand and staff must have well-rounded knowledge of what hairdressers need for a successful business. While it may be a big investment and requires a lot of hard work and dedication, we have seen excellent results in our Customer Service Excellence Program and we ensure we are always looking at new ways to improve and retain our customers. Price still matters Price is another important factor for success, particularly as there is so much choice and competition in the market, and because hairdressers are being a lot savvier when it comes to pricing. We give salons the flexibility of buying what they want, when they want topped with great service. In the future, the wholesale world is going to see even further change. Many wholesalers now offer exclusive brands with added salon support and it doesn’t stop there. There will be large changes with internet shopping, social media etc. The readily availability of information online already has a huge influence on hairdressers and their decision making so wholesalers need to ensure they are changing and adapting to provide the number one service.