Copeland Stands Out When Backed by Emerson Climate Technologies

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Formed in 2002, Distribution Services was an opportunity for Emerson Climate Technologies to help its wholesalers build their business and serve customers with Emerson products.

What started as the aftermarket arm for Copeland brand products evolved into an organization that is responsible for the sales, marketing and distribution of the full line of Copeland and Browning brand products and Emerson's lines of motors, valves, controls and system protectors. Distribution Services consists of a dedicated sales force working with wholesalers and contractors; it also works closely with White Rodgers to coordinate sales and distribution activities.

The best evidence of this consolidated approach is a visit to its distribution center outside of Indianapolis. This state-of-the-art facility, located in Mt. Comfort, IN, consolidates the Emerson Comfort Technologies products, and it serves as a single point of shipment. There are more than 25,000 different SKUs and more than 2,200 customers serviced by this distribution center. “We're pretty proud of it,” Labbett notes. “It's a world-class facility.” He says on-time delivery of products is close to 90 percent, and they have reduced lead times from 10 days to two during the last five years.

Emerson Climate Technologies' relationship with wholesaler distributors dates back 75 years when it began selling its Copeland brand products through this channel. “We've always recognized the importance of the distribution model,” Labbett says. “In everything that we do, we seek their input and we communicate with them.”

Labbett says the relationship is key. Distributors are the local link to the customers who will buy and install the Emerson Climate Technologies products, helping to provide feedback. “They understand their local markets and they're a resource for validating our new products when we launch them in the aftermarket,” Labbett says, all while providing inventory that is ready and available for customers.

Emerson Climate Technologies provides support for its 3,200 wholesaler branch locations to help them market and sell to customers. There are more than 50 salespeople in the field who call on wholesalers and contractors throughout the year. Its “sales blitzes” provide wholesalers with training and support for Emerson products and services that they may find particularly useful for their local markets. The wholesaler will typically bring in contractors to these events so they can learn firsthand about new and innovative products.

Emerson's customer portal has become a major communications channel to connect the business with its wholesalers. Begun in 2001 as a transactional site for its wholesalers, the portal has become the first place for them to turn for updated information, marketing and sales literature and training.

The portal is increasingly becoming the place for customers to place orders for Emerson products. More than 4,500 wholesaler employees have already registered on the site. Labbett points to its recent launch of training videos that have become popular with distributors. “Over 70 percent of our wholesaler branches now have high-speed internet connections, and the employees who work at these branches are also younger. Online videos are becoming a more convenient and effective way to communicate, and they can address different learning styles, so we thought this approach made a lot of sense. We can convey a message in two-and-a-half minutes and deliver it in an engaging format that's been proven to increase recall and retention,” he says.

Over the years, Emerson saw opportunities to help wholesalers by working with their contractor customers. Not only was it an opportunity to demonstrate to them the value of Emerson Climate Technologies products, but it provided a forum for contractors who install the products to offer their insights and feedback.