Training

To make sure you know all the ways that SafeFrame™ can help build your success, your Total Door Systems sales representative will be in touch soon to schedule a brief product training session.

This 25-minute session will give you a high-level view of the product and its benefits, as well as how to quote and order, and where to spec it. We will reserve time at the end to hear from you. Please bring your questions, observations, and notes on how we can support your efforts. We are listening.

Our goal is to have every distributor trained and ready when our big SafeFrame marketing blitz kicks off in March.

If you want to see how easy SafeFrame is to install before our Zoom session, check out our installation training video.

In order to continue making the DoorBuilder tool the fastest, easiest way to configure Total Door Systems and deliver a quote, we will share tips from time to time to make it easier, more effective and more efficient.

In previous newsletters we’ve shared how to add or subtract the columns you want to review on your quotes page, how to use the search function to find a keyword or distributor and how to find a quote. In this month’s newsletter, we share a tip on how to use quote forecasting and probability of sale within DoorBuilder.

First you need to add the Probability of Sale and Forecast Date columns to your quotes page. To do this, log into DoorBuilder and click on the Quotes tab.

You will see a box with three dots along the top, next to the Search button. Click on that box to open the available columns.

Once that is open, search the list for the Probability of Sale and Forecast Date options. Click on the box next to them to select and then hit Apply.

You will now see these columns on the far right. These can be updated by clicking on either one (they both open up the same window). When changing the Anticipated Close Date, you need to click at the very top of the box. This is not standard procedure, but it is a workaround due to a bug in the system at the moment.

Once you have made your updates, simply click on Submit. That is all there is to it.

Thank you to Brian Butler for finding and sharing this tip. If you have a DoorBuilder tip you’d like to share, please send it to Candace Kitchen (candace@totaldoor.com).

Just as there are things you can expect from Total Door Systems, there are things we expect from you, our sales reps. Perhaps the most important expectation is that each sales rep is expected to onboard a number of new distributors within your area and maintain those relationships.

The onboarding process varies from territory to territory, because each territory is unique in markets and distribution. On top of that, territory structure is ever evolving by the nature of changes to the market and changes to distribution. This is why you are so important to us. You are the ones who know your territory best. We are counting on you to understand the different nuances that make your territory unique and to help us evolve the structure of distribution.

Already we’ve evolved from an exclusive distribution model to one where you are encouraged to get multiple quotes for each project. Since everyone will get the same price from TDS, this creates healthy competition among the distributors on the final price to the end customer.

Let’s look at the onboarding process. You start with your core distribution and methodically build it from there. Look to add distributors who give you good market and geographical coverage. But, try to avoid market conflict.

When choosing which distributors to add to your base, look at what types of construction projects in your territory are in progress or slated to begin. Is it trending towards more commercial high rise, multi-family units, hospitality buildings, healthcare or some combination? Then, look at what is needed to penetrate these markets and which distributors serve these markets.

Once you’ve put that list together, which distributors fit the Total Door Systems profile the best? Areas to look at include sales and installation, their aftermarket focus, do they offer a broad “one stop” service approach, do they have access to the right markets and do they have the ability to influence product selection within their markets.

This is a brief look at how we view the distributor onboarding process. If you have other tips to add or any questions, don’t hesitate to let us know.