CVSN Sponsor Profile
15 CVSN INSIDER May 2009 Founded in 1901, Grote Industries has a rich history of original thinking and continues to be one of the most innovative thought leaders in the vehicle lighting industry. Just like many of the distributors, fleets and OEM's they serve, Grote Industries is a family-owned business. Unlike many institutionally-owned companies, Grote is able to draw on time-honored values, built upon their tradition of service to the in-dustry and their fierce entrepreneurial spirit. Dominic Grote, vice president of sales and mar-keting and great grandson of founder William D. Grote, recently laid out his winning strate-gies for success at the distributor and supplier levels. First and foremost, Grote's strategy is focused on the introduction of new lighting technologies into its extensive product mix. Grote is helping distributors leverage their in-novative new offerings to create new markets, solve problems, add value for end-users and demonstrate leadership within their own mar-kets. If your supplier can't show you the future, then perhaps you have no future with that supplier, Grote said. One example of Grote's product innovation is the introduction of LightFormTM technology. LightFormTM is a highly advanced, flexible, thin-film solid-state lighting device that will dramatically alter the way the industry uses lighting, while challenging imaginations in the process. A second example of Grote's in-genuity is their LED WhiteLightTM technology. This new technology is available for interior and exterior applications and approaches the color temperature of natural sunlight - optimal for human vision. Grote's LED WhiteLightTM products are creating many new opportunities for their distribution partners. Another winning strategy Grote espouses is investing in a high-quality training program, such as the world class Grote Know-How Pro-gram. The Know-How Program was created by Grote while working alongside distributor partners in the field. Becoming THE go-to source for technician and installer training offers one more reason your customers can't afford not to do business with you, Grote added. Customers want service and Grote believes in investing in a high-performance sales team. Computers, websites and e-mails cannot re-place the knowledge of a technical specialist or distributor sales person. Investing in well trained sales professionals is a differentiator in this marketplace and something all indepen-dent distributors should consider. In a time when many companies are cutting back or eliminating staff, we see our customer-facing employees as a key to our success, mak-ing a difference every day, Grote noted. It's a major people investment and when supported by a world class manufacturing and logistical capability, proves to be an effective weapon in the marketplace. Creating a customer-friendly environment through merchandising and packaging is another key strategy. A well merchandised store is clean, brightly lit and easy to navigate. Suppliers that understand the importance of point-of-sale marketing should also provide intelligent merchandising strategies, tools and Grote Industries Dominic Grote Vice President CVSN SPONSOR PROFIlE [ CONTINUE ARTICLE ]