HES Formalizes In-Field Member Visits

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Home Entertainment Source (HES), the A/V specialty division of the Brand Source/AVB buying organization, is upping the frequency of visits by its regional managers to member dealers in the field. While regional managers have paid periodic calls to dealers in the past, HES is now making store visits "a strong ongoing initiative," the group said.

"HES has always been an innovative organization and our travel initiative reflects that," said director Jim Ristow. "Traditional buying groups offer supplier programs to their membership, but not much more beyond 'the buy.' We believe the one-on-one contact our regional managers provide to the membership is critical to their success"— especially given the surfeit of benefits and programs now available to members, including group health insurance, marketing materials, wholesale financing, Internet services, extended warranties, human resources, and member-owner warehousing.

Ristow said that HES' four regional managers are viewed by members as consultants to their businesses, helping them implement member benefits and explain the myriad services offered by HES, while also augmenting the field support of the group's suppliers.

Regional managers have visited over 100 of HES's 450 members since April 2006, Ristow said, which exceeds buying group standards for in-field member support.

For more information on the $1.2 billion division, contact HES' corporate office at (714) 502-9620.