The fact you’re reading this article suggests that:
- You’re a commercial catering supplier or distributor.
- You’re ready to increase your profitability.
- You’re tempted by the idea of joining a buying group but have some questions and reservations.
If all or even a couple of these points apply to you, that’s a good start. We want to talk to people who are ambitious and inquisitive.
We also understand joining a group like ours is an investment, and you want to know what you’re investing in before you make the commitment. And, to be candid, we want to know we’re investing our time in the right people as well.
That’s why we’ve put together this article containing the most common questions we get asked and our responses to each.
By the time you’ve finished reading this article, you’ll know whether or not you should join a commercial catering equipment buying consortium.
What’s the catch?
Before we answer this question, here are some comments we get from people who are almost certain they want to join a buying consortium but still have reservations:
- “There must be a ‘gotcha’?”
- “It can’t be this simple.”
- “You’re hiding something.”
- “I’m going to end up paying more than you’ve stipulated.”
You could’ve predicted we’d say this, but we have to be clear — there is no ‘gotcha’.
When we meet you for the first time, we’re transparent about the investment required from you and what you’ll get from the consortium in return.
If you’re a supplier, we’ll help you grow your market share by getting you in front of more distributors.
If you’re a distributor, we’ll help you grow your profitability, and you’ll receive an annual retrospective payment for the business you do with suppliers.
All we ask is that you demonstrate the three C’s — collaboration, commitment, and community.
It’s that simple.
You can find out more about the above by reading our article on the benefits of joining a catering equipment buying consortium.
How many members does ENSE have?
We can only address our specific numbers, but at the time of writing, our consortium contains 74 suppliers and 90 distributors.
Our most recent Summit & Awards attracted between 250 and 300 industry-leading attendees, which shows you the pulling power we have.
How many of my competitors are already in ENSE?
The level of competition varies between specialisms.
If, for instance, your specialist area is refrigeration, you may be up against a different number of competitors to a baking and cooking equipment manufacturer.
We don’t look for a specific number of members per specialism and take a pragmatic approach according to the outcome we think best suits both the needs of our individual members and our community as a whole.
Every supplier that joins ENSE does so with our complete confidence that we’ll grow their market share.
If you have any queries regarding the above, we recommend you contact us (our details are at the bottom of the article) to discuss your requirements and see if we can accommodate your business.
What marketing opportunities are there for my business?
We get our members in front of their ideal clients and create more business opportunities for them through our annual Summit, which we referenced above.
We also maximise visibility through our webinars, spotlight days, social media marketing, and various other activities.
In a nutshell, we’ll do any marketing we can do to facilitate communication between suppliers and distributors.
What does an ideal ENSE member look like?
The answer to this question is twofold.
On one hand, we don’t take a ‘one size fits all’ view of the ideal ENSE member. We believe everybody possesses a unique set of skills and personal qualities and, in turn, brings something different to the table.
On the other hand, we expect our members to embody and adhere to certain values.
As we’ve already alluded to, the ideal ENSE member, whether you’re a supplier or distributor, embraces our ethos of community. ENSE only works if everybody is collaborative and eats from the same plate (pardon the unintentional pun).
Another key characteristic we look for is a proactive mindset. We expect you to give us the same level of commitment as we give you and constantly seek opportunities to grow your business and that of other members.
You can’t join ENSE and expect us to do the groundwork for you. We’re a vehicle for your success, but you still have to be the driver.
Open-mindedness is key when you join our consortium. Contractually, you’re obliged to attend events, but we don’t force this point. A good member will want to attend these events of their own accord.
This next tip should be self-explanatory, but you also need to actively engage with as many members as possible and have an innate understanding of what they do. This comes from asking them the right questions and showing a genuine interest in their product or service.
On that note, humility is a huge trait we look for. Again, we hope this goes without saying, but being polite and respectful to other members will go a long way.
Below are some more specific pointers for suppliers and distributors.
An ideal ENSE supplier:
- Sells to the majority of our distributors.
- Is a market-leading name in their field.
- Participates in our Webinar Wednesday series.
- Participates in our Spotlight days.
- Actively communicates with us and provides feedback on what we are missing and where more opportunities exist.
An ideal ENSE distributor:
- Services their customers day and night.
- Buys from the majority of the suppliers.
- Works to achieve a significant proportion of their spend through ENSE suppliers.
- Actively participates in our Webinar Wednesday event.
- Engages with us regarding their challenges and how we can improve.
What else do I need to know?
There are no favourites in ENSE. We are always impartial and treat everyone equally.
The way we work with you will be exactly the same no matter the size or nature of your business.
If you’re ready to grow and help other members do the same, we’re ready to help you.
Propel your organisation to new heights
You can contact us at 07775 643557 or 07500 778457 or by email at [email protected].