What is it really like to use Prokeep’s texting solution day to day? How can you convince your contractors to adopt the cloud-based messaging solution? These and other questions were answered by Travis Reno, a sales manager from SunCoast Contractors Supply (SCS) and a Prokeep user.
Travis joined Prokeep and members from the Lumbermens Merchandising Corporation (LMC) in a live question and answer session. Many of the questions asked by audience members are common questions other distributors have. So, we wrote a post answering the common questions that came up in the live session!
Read all of the unfiltered questions and hear Travis' unfiltered answers below. Plus, Prokeep's Customer Success Manager Scott Magno and LMC's Manager of Merchandising Programs Stephanie Fortunato joined the conversation to chime in with questions from their unique perspective.
Check out some highlights in our video below or keep reading to read the full Q&A
FULL Q&A from the Live LMC Panel
Question:
How did you get your contractors to participate in texting, or do you still have some who want to do it the old-fashioned way?
Answer from Travis (SCS):
"They do want to do a deal fast in a way. [One of their hesitations is], 'Hey, I'm not texting a person. I'm texting a machine.' That's the mentality there.
We promoted, promoted, promoted, and then when they're having issues you bring it up again, 'Hey, text this number real quick for me,' and I'll have a text from them right then and there. And they get that response back immediately.
If they're calling somebody or texting them and they don't get an answer back because somebody is busy or in a meeting or something like that, that's when they start to see the value. That's when they start to understand, 'Hey, texting is the way to do it!'
And again, if they're texting to a personal cell phone, we'll text them back from the Prokeep app, and it opens up that thread. So then they're texting Prokeep without even knowing they're texting Prokeep, and it brings them into the system."
Question:
Knowing that [Suncoast Contractors Supply] launched the program back in June of 2020, did it help manage the COVID-19 problems you soon faced?
Answer from Travis (SCS):
"Absolutely, it did. We've been very blessed with our business. It's just growing, growing, growing at a rate that who would have thought with the whole country shutting down that our business will continue to grow like it has.
And so with that, it's more phone calls, more text messages, and more emails. And so for us, Prokeep came just in time."
Question:
How many LMC dealers are on [Prokeep] right now?
Answer from Stephanie (LMC):
"I believe we have about 60 dealers since we launched the program last June, and we received a lot of positive feedback!"
Question:
What was the process like getting your team trained on Prokeep? Was it quick?
Answer from Travis (SCS):
"It was very quick because it's really plug and play. [Prokeep] is almost just like an email program, except all your text messages are coming into it and out of it. So it was very, very easy for our guys to adopt."
Question:
Can Prokeep integrate with sales software to send short message service (SMS) texts?
Answer from Scott (Prokeep):
Yes and no.
“Currently, Prokeep does not integrate with an order entry or ERP system. However, the API integration is underway and in development.*”
*(As Scott mentioned, our API integration is underway and is slated to launch later this year [2021].)
We're thrilled Travis and other LMC members are using Prokeep to help them throughout their busy workdays.
If you’d like to hear the full conversation, you can access the recording here.
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