Over 30 of Ridgeons’ key suppliers recently met with the group’s trading managers and sales representatives at a dedicated ‘Meet the Merchant’ event, with the aim of driving business development and improvement opportunities across the group’s 25 branches.
Held at the Greenlight Centre of Excellence & Training Academy in Pampisford, the annual day-long event entitled profitable sales through positive actions. It included presentations from five of Ridgeons’ key suppliers, followed by a series of speed meet sessions and culminating in the Ridgeons’ Supplier of the Year Awards 2012.
Ridgeons’ commercial director Nick Sims said: “This is our sixth annual Meet the Merchant event and each year they prove invaluable in helping us to build our supplier relationships and develop our joint approach for the benefit of our customers. We would like to thank all of the suppliers who were involved with this year’s event for their time and support and we look forward to proactively implementing key actions resulting from the day.”
On the day over 300 one-to-one meetings were undertaken to discuss ongoing business, while growing and maintaining solid working relationships. The day also provided the ideal backdrop for officially recognising those suppliers that have provided an exceptional level of service over the last year.
The winners of this years’ awards were Toolbank for Hardware and Decorating, Rixonway Kitchens for Lightside Supplier, Stonemarket for Building Materials Supplier and Meyer Timber for Timber and Sheet Material Supplier. Steve Spampanato from Newbuild Frames scooped the Supplier Representative of the Year award, and Toolbank were awarded overall Supplier of the Year award, the third time the tool merchant has received this coveted achievement.
