The Hytrol Story

would always be that nagging suspicion that the distributor could, at any time, be competing with and against Hytrol. And if that happened, they would most certainly be on the losing side. Sure, other competitors sold both through dealers and directly to the customer, and, with that, there was always friction and mistrust. Tom wanted nothing to do with that kind of business relationship. He wanted a loyal and trusting distributor organization, and he had it. They were not only his distributors, they were also his friends. They knew Tom and Hytrol wouldn’t let them down. Of course, with any kind of business relationship, there are guidelines. After he came to work for Hytrol, Sam Leone began setting policies and standardizing the distributor organization. And with all this came territory assignments which Hytrol still uses. Sam wanted distributors to be familiar with the industries in their own areas. He knew that, in the long run, this would develop long- lasting and trusting relationships between the customer and the Hytrol distributor. It’s a system that has been proven time and time again to be the best for the customer, the distributor and Hytrol. In the early days, as Hytrol endeavored to grow and expand throughout the United States and Canada, distributors were still appointed with a handshake and a promise. Tom was happy to get a call from someone who wanted to sell Hytrol. “Just send us an order,” was his standard response. But as the company moved into the mid-sixties, Hytrol’s reputation for selling a superior product began to take hold in the material handling world. There was now Hytrol’s reputation to uphold, and Tom and Sam began to be more cautious when someone called wanting to be a Hytrol distributor. They started looking into the firm’s qualifications; their finiancial status, area reputation, the size of the sales force, and whether or not they possessed liability insurance. These days, there are even stricter guidelines. There have to be. Competition is quite fierce in the material handling industry. Potential Hytrol distributors must meet a list of qualifications and be carefully analyzed by the marketing and sales teams. There are on-site visits by several of Hytrol’s top executives. This determines if the firm is a “Hytrol” type of business. But what it all boils down to is this: any future Hytrol distributor must be willing to make a long- term commitment to sales and customer service. As old fashioned as this may sound, it is still the basis for a successful business partnership with Hytrol. If the distributor can sell the product, continue to grow, and provide superior service before, during, and after the sale, he is quite likely assured a long-term relationship with Hytrol. This is what Hytrol had in mind from the beginning. It’s the Hytrol way and the only way to remain a part of the Hytrol Family.