Daily News
From Home Furnishing Business
BrandSource Segments with Category Experts
June 16,
2015 by in Business Strategy, Industry 
In a move designed to boost member recruitment and retention and to offer dedicated support to members, BrandSource has restructured to provide category expert regional managers in each of its 14 regions.
The managers will offer hyper-local, laser-focused sales and marketing support for retailers offering appliances, home furnishings and mattresses.
Led by Jim Ristow, BrandSource CEO, and Tom Bennett, BrandSource president, members will also be encouraged to attend a variety of networking events in their respective regions to foster better communication between sales representatives, vendors and members.
According to Bennett, consumers have needs that are very sophisticated, and shoppers are looking for expert assistance with tailored solutions. By restructuring the organization to offer two primary business units, BrandSource and ProSource, each division will operate as a separate entity while continuing to share resources and leverage each other for the greater good.
“Today’s shoppers gather information long before they enter a store or make a purchase, and it’s our job to help BrandSource members amplify that knowledge with expert guidance,” Bennett said. “Our regional managers will be on hand to offer highly personalized support and guidance to help members increase sales.”
Bennett added that familiarity with each geographical region, including customer preferences and lifestyles, is an added bonus.
“What works in one area of the country may not work in another, and having a regional representative who knows and lives in your area is a tremendous advantage,” he said.
ProSource, led by CEO David Workman, will continue to service dealers offering consumer electronics and audio products