Performance & Electronics Distributors was established in the 1960s when founder J.D. Eartherly saw the need for a ‘real’ speed shop in Nashville, Tennessee.
- 3 locations
- 110 employees
- 5 internal salespeople
The Overview.
The vision of becoming the largest automotive whole distribution center in the south soon became a reality as P&E continued to grow in size, and by the 1990s, the entire operation was handed down to two sons, Steve and Donnie, who not only expanded but also embraced new technology.
The Challenge.
Donnie Eatherly, Owner and President of P&E Distributors, admits that “before sales-i, we had a very poor sales management process in place. We were so focused on being as responsive as possible for our customers, to provide the best brands and meet ever-changing needs, that we started to lose sight of other important areas of the business.”
P&E thrives in what is a highly competitive industry by recognizing changes in product trends and customer behavior. But with an over-reliance on manual call sheets, the company wouldn’t know if a customer had been visited or not. Donnie explains that “a lot got lost in translation, or we would find out too late. If we had been able to spot issues as they arose and monitor recurring problems, we would have been able to take action.”
“Although both inside and outside sales staff were required to complete daily call sheets, we really couldn’t do anything proactive with the information. This meant I couldn’t direct activity, which could mean an unhappy customer if our priorities weren’t aligned.
The Solution.
Now, because we introduced a simple and effective tool that can be used across the business, we started to see significant improvements within the first month. Our challenge at P&E was the sales management process, but with sales-i, we can instantly access specific pieces of information whenever and wherever we need it. We can determine when a customer was contacted and what was discussed on the call.”
"Because we introduced a simple and effective tool that can be used across the business, we started to see significant improvements within the first month."
Donnie Eartherly, Owner and President of P&E
The Results.
From using sales-i, Donnie and his team have worked on their sales management processes and are now delivering that same brilliant service but with a complete overview of their customer base.
They no longer feel in the dark about their data and can tailor each sales conversation to be insightful and profit-led, with powerful sales enablement software that they can rely on.
From a management perspective, Donnie can’t speak highly enough of sales-i. “sales-i has taken the pressure off the management departments, as the sales teams now have an efficient way of accessing relevant customer information themselves. The sales team get access to new sales leakage reports that can help them to focus on the needs of their customers, which has resulted in a more engaged, efficient and proactive sales team.”
Donnie is particularly pleased with how quickly and enthusiastically the sales team has embraced sales-i, given that they belong to an older generation that doesn’t naturally adapt to technology. “With the simplicity of the software and how easy it is to navigate through all the different areas, it was really straightforward for all generations within P&E to introduce sales-i into their day-to-day role.”
The Future.
“The usability of sales-i has been a strong factor in its success here, ensuring willing adoption from the sales force. Within 30 days, our sales team was more effective. We are very pleased with sales-i,” Donnie concludes. “It is a very good working tool and one of the best technology investments you can make.”
