IMARK Supports NEMRA POS / POT Initiative

NEMRA’s POS reporting initiative received significant distribution support last month when IMARK Group’s board of directors endorsed support for the standards, hence taking a leadership position in the importance of manufacturer reps.

The Board motion encourages IMARK members to review the reporting standards, endorse and implement them as appropriate for their business.

The expression of support came from:

• Understanding that the standards do not request, or require, any customer information
• Learning that the process is “simple” and the reporting format is in a cost-effective technology (Excel)
• A desire to support manufacturer reps to ensure they are accurately compensated.
• Knowledge that supporting their local rep helps the IMARK member further strengthen that critical sales relationship and can further build trust.

The press release said:

Recognizing the importance of NEMRA sales agents to the success of each of its members, the IMARK Board of Directors, at its recent board meeting, learned more about the NEMRA Point of Sale / Point of Transfer Minimum Reporting Standards from Ken Hooper.

As a result of the meeting and learning that 39 manufacturers/brands, many being IMARK preferred suppliers, the IMARK Board passed the following motion:As a result of the meeting and learning that 39 manufacturers/brands, many being IMARK preferred suppliers, the IMARK Board passed the following motion:

 “The IMARK Board of Directors has endorsed the support of the National Electrical Manufacturers Representative Association’s (NEMRA’s) efforts to ensure all representatives are fairly compensated for their efforts through the utilization of standardized Point of Transfer (POT) reporting for all products sold within their respective trading areas. While nonbinding, the IMARK Board recognizes the importance of NEMRA to our members’ continued success and encourages the adoption of POT standardization in support of this objective.”

The Board appreciated the fact that the NEMRA standards recognized the proprietary nature of customer information and that manufacturers, for the purposes of manufacturer representative compensation and sales management reporting, only needed zip code level information which NEMRA defines as “place of sale.”

Ken Hooper, President of NEMRA, stated “It is gratifying that the IMARK board, and membership, see the value in ensuring that the reps who call on them are appropriately, and accurately, compensated. With the support of IMARK’s board and management, NEMRA will be reaching out to members to share the standards and encourage them to individually endorse and utilize the reporting template, which will help standardize reporting for members and across manufacturers.”

Bob Smith, President and CEO of IMARK commented: “As a former manufacturer I know that compensating reps for their hard work is the right thing to do, no exceptions. As an advocate for our members, I encourage all IMARK members to endorse, support and implement this initiative and then let your reps know you are helping them be compensated fairly and accurately. This will help motivate your local reps to further support your company knowing they will be properly compensated.”

Feedback received included:

• “It’s the right thing to do.
• No confidential information is being shared.
• Streamlines a process to a standard without much change.
• Surprised some reps are not being appropriately compensated by their manufacturers.
• Want to support rep as they help us in the market and with their manufacturers.”

Congrats to IMARK for being taking the initiative to support NEMRA and reps.  To date, distribution support for the initiative comes from IMARK, Graybar, Rexel, Sonepar, IAC, Scott Electric.  39 manufacturers / brands have also endorsed.

NEMRA is now reaching out to a number of IMARK members whom it feels the reporting standards could benefit and encourages its members to talk to their IMARK customers about the importance of the need for better, more accurate, POS / POT information to ensure that the rep gets compensated for the business they help develop for the IMARK member.

From recent meetings we had at the NAED National and subsequently with clients, this announcement generated more interest in the topic from a number of AD and IMARK distributors and some manufacturers are considering how the information can be used from an analytics viewpoint (with deliverables to distributors.)

To learn more about the NEMRA POS / POT Minimum Reporting Standards initiative, receive a copy of the research and standards, visit https://www.nemra.org/point-sale-initiative, contact Ken Hooper at or David Gordon, NEMRA POS / POT Task Force Coordinator.