Finding New Business in Today's Market: A Simple Solution for HVAC and Plumbing Distributors

Sales teams often fall into a comfortable pattern - visiting the same customers, taking orders, and missing opportunities for growth. In today's challenging market, with labor shortages and supply chain pressures, finding new business is essential.

Nick Palazzo, Sales Manager at Thos. Somerville, understands this challenge. "Sometimes our guys take their relationships for granted and don't go out of their way to promote new products," he notes.

Most sales teams face three main roadblocks when pursuing new business. First, reps spend too much time on admin work instead of finding new customers. Second, they stick to familiar routes and accounts, creating territory blindness. Third, new leads slip through the cracks without proper tracking.

A simple path

Thos. Somerville found success using Voze to help their sales team find and win new business. Here's how it works:

1. Sales managers identify target industries and buyers.
2. Then Voze pulls in qualified leads based on those parameters.
3. Reps get notifications about new prospects in their area.
4. The app helps optimize daily routes to include new customer visits.
5. Finally, managers track progress through clear activity reports.

Making the most of every day

When appointments cancel or schedules open up, sales reps can quickly find new prospects nearby. The mapping tool shows potential customers filtered by industry - like commercial contractors or building management companies.

"It's been a big help for us to make the most of our time and find new business that we didn't know existed before," says Palazzo.

Turning market challenges into advantages

Today's distributors face labor shortages limiting growth, supply chain disruptions, increasing direct-to-customer competition, and changing customer demands. Smart distributors use these challenges to stand out. By staying organized and proactive in finding new business, they turn market pressures into opportunities.

A team approach to growth

The system works because it's straightforward. Managers set clear targets for new business, track team activity and results, coach reps based on real data, and identify winning patterns. Sales reps find new leads while on the road, plan efficient routes, track follow-ups automatically, and share updates quickly.

Real results in today's challenging market

Thos. Somerville's team uses this approach to find new deals in their territories, make productive use of canceled appointments, gain business in a challenging market, stay on top of customer needs, and track product promotions.

The right tool makes a difference

"Our guys have been using it religiously to find new deals," Palazzo says. By keeping things simple and focused on results, Thos. Somerville helps their team spend less time on paperwork and more time building valuable relationships.

In today's market, HVAC and plumbing distributors need every advantage to grow. The right approach - backed by simple, useful tools - helps sales teams find and win new business while strengthening existing relationships.

Want to learn how other distributors are growing in this market? Let's talk about your goals for new business growth: