Rep Search Technology Revolutionized with RepFinder® by MANA

Rep search technology has been stalled at the Blockbuster Video stage for the last 19 years. Today we launch smartphone-based rep search that is going to hit old-style rep search like Netflix hit Blockbuster Video. And it’s available exclusively to MANA members.

Back in August 2000, MANA launched the online rep search to supplement the printed directory that dated back to 1949. And for the next 19 years, the technology manufacturers used to search for reps remained pretty much the same. Search the online database for reps from your desktop or laptop computer. Download a list of potential candidates. Start contacting those reps by phone or e-mail.

Other than rep search, a lot has changed in 19 years. More and more we use smartphone apps instead of our laptops for banking, shopping, and booking travel. Pretty much all the business we use to transact on our laptops can now be done on smartphone apps. Except rep search. Until we launched the RepFinder® by MANA smartphone app.

Is the RepFinder® app just a way to download the old style list to a smartphone? That would not be good enough! On-the-go Millennials are not content with apps that just let them browse a list. They expect to complete their transactions from smartphone apps. And with some Millennials turning 38 this year, more and more are starting to have rep search responsibility at their manufacturing companies.

Now MANA is making sure that MANA rep members can be found by these smartphone-wielding sales managers. RepFinder® lets manufacturers use our smartphone app to search for reps, view each candidate’s MANA member-profile, and contact the best candidates right from the app. That’s right — manufacturers “Swipe Right” if they want to contact that rep and “Swipe Left” if they don’t.

RepFinder® by MANA is now available for download on the Apple App Store and Google Play. It’s the very first rep search app available, and it is exclusively for MANA members.

To read more about the app, turn to page 10 of this issue. Questions or comments? Contact me at ccohon@manaonline.org.

Inside Sales and the Manufacturers’ Representative

The relationship between a manufacturer’s inside sales staff and the representing agency is one of the most crucial elements in creating mutual success. Inside sales serves a dual role; first, they must provide support and service to the customer and secondly, they have to champion the rep and their efforts.

Several key factors play a role in this model: communication, recognition, support, and the rep model being accepted as an extension of the manufacturer. Communication must flow both ways and consist of timely written and verbal dialogue.