| Rich-Tomkins Company Inc. is a full-service
manufacturer’s representative firm serving Eastern Pennsylvania,
Delaware, and Southern New Jersey as its primary geographic
territory, and also provides coverage to Virginia and Maryland
for select brands. Our goal is to add value to our plumbing
and heating product brands by offering the best relationship
that meets the needs of our manufacturing principals and brand
clients, through any combination of the following:
- - Field sales representation to
primary and all
- – A full range of support
through customer service, local fulfillment of administrative
needs and customer information needed to complete sales
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- The right blend of personnel, telecommunications, and networking
that delivers the message of our manufacturer’s brands
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– Management of both consigned and buy /sell inventories
to meet the immediate needs of customers and local distribution
needs of manufacturers
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– The ability to support manufacturers in need of a
local distribution point while working with established representation
if necessary
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- New product and service training is now available in our
contractor training/showroom, and mobile display truck.
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– The ability for multiple internal staff members to
connect with external manufacturer systems, or to offer manufacturers
the reliance on our own in-house systems to deliver seamless
enhanced service to our market
Here at Rich-Tomkins we realize that
we are the regional representatives for some of the product
lines that your business depends upon daily. Therefore we also
realize the importance of your long-term relationship, with
a dedicated and competent staff. Click on any of the services
offered to learn more about what we bring to our market.
Outside Sales
Rich-Tomkins Company employs a staff of eight
highly qualified outside sales professionals selling to all
segments of our business, including plumbing wholesalers, builders,
plumbing contractors, K & B dealers, architects, and engineers.
Each of our sales professionals within their
respective territories works closely with each of their customers
to create a “Pull-Through” selling system. In other
words they create the product demand for the manufacturers that
we represent and will insure that our products will be in stock
and supplied by our wholesale distribution customer base. The
relationships that the members of our sales team have developed
with their customers have created the “trust” that
is essential to our success, and the success of the manufacturers
that we represent. Each of our outside sales people has a specific
geographical territory that is their responsibility. Their activities
include product development, training, and relationship building.
Service
to the Secondary Market
Maintaining a relationship with those
that specify, and install the products we represent is an activity
of outside sales that has a high level of importance. We recognize
that sales calls to builders, architects, engineers, designers,
plumbers, and kitchen & bath dealers are processes rather
than events. We have designated individual personnel to focus
on these areas to meet the needs of the various segments and
maintain those relationships. Our objective is to develop new
business while working with individual staff members and associations
to get them familiar with the product benefits, and enhance
their comfort level with the brand. Dodge Reports and other
“new work” reporting, as well as the commercial
bidding process are efforts utilized to generate new business
and relationships in the commercial sector.
Inside Sales
Here at Rich-Tomkins Company, like most manufacturers
representative firms, we are faced with the daily challenge
of meeting the demands of our market, and the needs of our customers,
while fulfilling the goals and expectations required by our
manufacturer partners. Although our daily balancing act may
resemble many of the rep firms, and vendors that you currently
deal with, we want you to know that we regard your customer
service needs as those with the highest level of priority. Our
goal is to enable you to get the job done for your client. Effectively
providing the information needed to convert opportunities into
sales, and resolving any sale-related problems are mission critical
activities.
In order to provide you with both accessibility,
and the attention-to-detail that your needs require, and that
you deserve, an operations strategy has been applied to enhance
your customer service experience while enabling us to meet the
demands of our market and those of our manufacturers. We utilize
a teamwork approach to immediate customer service needs, as
well as provide efficient direct personal contact to individual
staff members for more detailed responses and personnel specific
communication.
When you have that customer standing in front
of you that “must know” where the order is, or if
it really is in stock, feel free to call us on our main number
– 610-859-3552. Your call will be routed directly to an
available inside sales team member, or briefly queued for the
next available representative. Pricing, availability, order
tracking, and basic product information of all product lines
are customer service standards shared by the entire team. If
we cannot provide a resolution to your call, we will work together
to get you the answer. We are all glad we can help!
Communications
For customers and manufacturing principals
we strive to offer the right blend of personnel, telecommunications,
and networking. We have utilized digital phone technology and
networking to control the workflow into the office, and access
to needed customer service information. Specifically, phone
system technologies such as automatic call distribution (ACD)
and direct inward dialing (DID) have been implemented. This
has enabled us to provide a teamwork approach to your immediate
customer service needs as well as provide efficient direct personal
contact to inside staff members for more detailed responses
and personnel specific communication.
Each outside representative serves as a direct
conduit of information to his territory, while carrying out
the marketing initiatives of our brands. Whether it is face-to-face,
via phone, or email, they remain in constant contact with their
primary and secondary market customers while living and working
in their respective territories every day of the work week.
Our inside staff has been organized functionally
in order to gain efficiencies through the division of manufacturer
responsibilities. When you need a specialist you can simply
call that person directly, or fax them directly. All fax numbers
are integrated with staff email so your order or request will
be delivered directly to the needed Rich-Tomkins inside contact,
and rest assured that your order and details will be handled
by a staff member with a high level of first-hand experience
in that area.
A customer email database is maintained in
conjunction with an email campaign application to deliver timely
promotional and informational messages to all customers on file
for both the primary and secondary market.
Warehousing
On October 1st 2003, our agency opened
a 23,000 square foot office and warehouse facility for the management
of both consigned and buy /sell inventories to meet the immediate
needs of customers and local distribution needs of manufacturers.
We have the ability to not only be a sales force but also a
local point of distribution with the ability to utilize existing
manufacturer systems or our own network infrastructure. We carry
the largest inventory for Bradford-White on the east coast and
have supported their will-call business since 1993. We have
also warehoused various imported plumbing lines that are brought
in via container load for redistribution to our market. We can
provide a primary point of distribution, or carry a local support
inventory for immediate product needs.
Distribution
The Rich-Tomkins warehouse is conveniently
located in Delaware County just outside of Philadelphia and
close to the Delaware border. Several major transportation routes
are within close proximity to our location, including Interstate-95
and Insterstate-476. Brands that have inventory with us enjoy
the synergy of multiple product lines in the same facility.
Plumbing Wholesale Distributors are able to pick-up products
for multiple needs from one location. If you are a manufacturer
seeking a point of distribution but have an established sales
force already in place, feel free to contact us to discuss your
fulfillment needs.
Training
Our training center is waiting
for you, and your organization!
(Contact your representative or email
our office for details).
In addition to meeting with trade professionals
in the field, we have a new state-of-the-art contractor training
room and showroom to host training events for current brands.
We facilitate the ability to work closely with individual tradesmen
and associations to get them familiar with product benefits,
and enhance their comfort level with our brands.
Technology
Our agency has always maintained a commitment
to investing in the best technology for our business operations,
customer service, and marketing. We have the ability for multiple
internal staff members to connect with external manufacturer
systems, or can offer manufacturers the reliance on our staff
and in-house systems to manage inventory, customer service processes,
and quotations.
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