In distributor and retail settings, sales are made one of two ways: passively or actively. In a passive sale, a customer comes in knowing exactly what item they want and purchases the product with no questions asked. Active selling requires counter sales, inside and outside salespeople, and even branch managers to actively assist their customers in finding the solution they need. The goal in active selling is to explain the benefits and importance of a product while appearing knowledgeable, so the customer is confident that they are making a good purchase decision. But before active selling can happen, the people doing the selling must first understand why a product is important or necessary so they can properly convey these benefits to their customer.
Case in point, surge protection has long been treated as an add-on or a “nice to have” for electrical systems and is therefore often overlooked. If the importance of surge protection was properly understood by low voltage, HVAC, and electrical supply professionals, active selling could take place. Surge protective devices (SPDs) should be seen as a must have for electronic system installs, leading to more sales and happier customers.
Why Surge Protection is Important
Residential homeowners, commercial builders, and even you may not be aware of how often power surges occur. According to an extensive research survey of 49 cities in the United States conducted by IBM, an average of 128.3 power-related disturbances occur in a monitored facility every month. That is an average of more than four power surges per day. While some surges go unnoticed, power surges and spikes can slowly degrade the useful life of electronic equipment, causing permanent damage and potentially leading to costly outages.
It is important to understand just how costly the absence of surge protection in an industrial environment can be. A 2015 IDC survey estimates the average hourly cost of infrastructure failure at $100,000, with critical system outages potentially costing $500,000 per hour. For large manufacturing enterprises, a single hour of downtime can top the $5 million mark. By using surge protection for essential electronic equipment, home and business owners can take a proactive approach to ensure the security of their data, electronic investments, and facility assets during an unpredictable electrical event. Once you understand this, your clients can too.
Understanding the Market’s Needs
The importance of electrical surge protection is further underscored by regulatory guidelines that dictate adoption. In 2020, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) updated their recommendations for the National Electrical Code (NEC), the benchmark for safe electrical design and installation to protect against electrical hazards. One of the updates includes the addition of a new Section 230.67, which requires the installation of an SPD for all dwelling unit service entrances. This new requirement will both reduce the risk of damage to sensitive electronic systems in residential installations, and increase the market for SPDs.
For electronic systems installers, not offering or providing surge protection to their customers is a risk to their reputation, and they need to hear that from you, their distributor. Customers today can post public feedback faster and more visibly than ever before, rewarding professionals that go beyond the basics to deliver both high-quality installations and high customer satisfaction, but also punishing those who fail to offer comprehensive solutions. When a power surge happens to the point of damaging electronic equipment, customers usually don’t know what caused the problem, leading them to blame the installer. By providing protection from surge events, and the associated damage, installers can better protect themselves and their business from potentially negative feedback.
Selecting the Right Provider
As a low voltage, electrical supply, or HVAC distributor, you must first understand the importance of electrical surge protection in order to actively sell surge protection for essential electronic equipment. When it comes to surge protection, however, understanding its importance is just half the battle. You need to select the right surge protection provider who will offer you the reliable products and support that will increase your sales and revenue.
DITEK surge protection solutions deliver a cost-effective and highly efficient way to protect users’ core electrical and HVAC systems. DITEK’s products are made in the USA, available immediately from stock, and are offered only through professional distributors, not big-box retailers. This means no wrestling with supply chain issues, low quality products, and razor-thin margins. Just reliable surge protection solutions that your customers can rely on to protect their electronic systems and you can rely on to help grow your business.
