On April 30, 2013 the 42nd Annual Security Hardware Distributors Association (SHDA) Summit will begin. It serves the security hardware industry by featuring the Ben Silver Education Programs and invaluable one-on-one business appointments with manufacturers and distributors.
SHDA’s mission is to continually improve, through education and services, the proficiency of Security Distributors in order that they are the most effective and efficient conduit to the marketplace
This article was originally printed in 2010, but it still holds true today, 3 years later.
An excerpt from The Locksmith Ledger
In the four-day conference, the most important new products are introduced, technical problems are discussed, industry trends analyzed, and ideas are generated to help the distributor service the locksmith.
The SHDA conference throughout the last 40 years was often the perfect lead-in for the ALOA show. Almost all of the leading manufacturers in the world would demonstrate their latest and best products to managers and buyers from locksmith distributors. Then, after getting feedback and suggestions, they would bring them, often tweaked and improved, to the ALOA show a few months later.
I have been attending the SHDA conference for 30 years and I believe that the show still is vitally important for the locksmith. Why? In the four-day conference, the most important new products are introduced, technical problems and other issues between manufacturers and distributors are discussed, industry trends analyzed, and ideas are generated to help the distributor service the locksmith.
Yes, the last two years have been very tough for the general U.S. economy and especially difficult for the locksmith. But this is one of the reasons that Brian Beaulieu is the educator at this year’s Ben Silver Industry Leadership Session and his topic is “The Recovery: How Long and How Fast?” Brian has been an economist with Institute for Trends Research (ITR) since 1982 and its CEO since 1987. Brian, with his extensive understanding of business cycles and trends, will teach locksmith distributors how to prepare for the ups and downs of the economy and set up strategies to improve one’s business during declining or improving economic conditions.
The goal of most lock and security distributors has not changed that much in 40 years. It still is selling and servicing effectively while trying to make a profit by helping one’s customers sell and service and make a profit. The objective for most distributors is to increase sales, improve operations, and strive to improve their customers’ businesses. The locksmith distributor and locksmith are still locked together because the success of one is critical for the success of the other.
Have there been and will there continue to be issues between lock distributors and locksmiths? Certainly. In a constantly changing economic environment in which most dealers and distributors compete against large home centers, superstores, and high-speed, low-cost Internet resellers, each company’s primary purpose is survival. But most distributors can’t survive without a base of qualified, good-quality dealers.
Distributors may get upset when locksmiths buy direct or only buy based on the lowest prices. And locksmiths often become frustrated when their distributors sell to some end users, wondering whether locksmiths can truly compete. But think: how can a locksmith survive without its distributors? If the locksmith dealer had to depend on a few manufacturers or the Internet to find products, it would be extremely time-consuming, certainly not smart or efficient. Likewise, without locksmith customers, most lock distributors would find it very difficult to survive.
Security Hardware Distributors have been working in an association for the last 40 years to find and share the best education as well as the latest information so that each of the members can become better distributors. Being a better distributor means having the most critical information ready for its customer, having thousands of needed products in stock and available to ship immediately. Being a good SHDA distributor means giving the locksmith strong value and reasonable prices so that dealers can compete in a very competitive economic landscape. It also means offering the best possible service over the phone, counter, and over the Internet, helping the locksmith quickly supply its customers.
Who knows what the future will bring for the locksmith industry, for both its dealers and distributors? Locksmiths and security hardware distributors must work together to solve the multitude of challenges in the security hardware industry. But if the past 40 is a barometer, the next 40 years will be demanding and yet hopefully, ultimately rewarding.
Arnie Goldman is president of IDN-Hardware Sales, Inc. and a member of the SHDA Advocacy Committee.
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