Managing Two Business Models
Many glazing companies operate both retail (direct to homeowner) and trade (supplying to builders, installers, and smaller window companies). These are fundamentally different sales processes that need different CRM workflows.
Retail vs Trade: Key Differences
Lead Generation
- Retail: Promoters, web enquiries, showroom visits — individual homeowners
- Trade: Relationship-based — builders, architects, developers, trade installers
Sales Cycle
- Retail: Days to weeks, emotional purchase, one-off
- Trade: Relationship-built over months, repeat orders, ongoing account management
Pricing
- Retail: Listed prices with potential negotiation
- Trade: Account-specific pricing tiers, volume discounts, credit terms
Communication
- Retail: Phone calls, home visits, formal quotations
- Trade: Quick turnaround quotes via email, WhatsApp, phone
CRM Requirements for Trade Sales
Account Management
Trade customers aren't one-off leads — they're ongoing accounts:
- Track the relationship over time
- Log every order and its value
- Monitor ordering patterns and frequency
- Flag accounts that have gone quiet
Trade Pricing
Different customers may have different discount levels based on volume or relationship:
- Tier 1: 30% trade discount (high volume)
- Tier 2: 25% trade discount (regular orders)
- Tier 3: 20% trade discount (occasional orders)
Credit Management
Trade customers typically buy on credit terms (30/60/90 days). Track:
- Credit limits per account
- Outstanding balances
- Payment history
- Overdue invoices
Running Both in One System
The ideal setup lets you manage retail and trade from a single CRM:
- Separate pipelines for retail and trade
- Combined reporting for total business performance
- Shared product catalogue with different pricing views
- Unified customer database with account type flags