How ABC Supply Raised the Roof on Sales Leadership
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When you're distributing one out of every four squares of roofing materials in Colorado's $2.5B market, the natural question becomes: how do you maintain that edge? For ABC Supply, North America's largest roofing distributor, the answer lay in strengthening an already successful sales culture.
Despite their commanding market presence and $20B in annual sales, ABC Supply's leadership team recognized that elevating their sales management approach is crucial for continued growth in an increasingly competitive landscape.
Here's how they up-leveled their branch managers into strategic sales leaders, setting new standards for excellence across their Rocky Mountain district:
About ABC Supply
ABC Supply Co. stands as a titan in the building products distribution industry, with over 970 locations across the United States and Canada. With annual sales exceeding $20.4 billion and a workforce of more than 20,000 associates, ABC Supply has established itself as the nation's largest wholesale distributor of roofing and one of the largest distributors of siding, windows, and other exterior building products.
In the Rocky Mountain District alone, ABC Supply maintains a commanding market presence, having supplied one out of every four squares of roofing materials in the Colorado market over an eight-year period. Their extensive network of eight branches along Colorado's Front Range maintains over $50 million in on-hand inventory, enabling seamless service delivery across multiple states.
Their Challenge: When Growth Outpaces Process
ABC Supply Co.'s Colorado branches were experiencing remarkable growth, but beneath the surface of their success lay a critical challenge: their sales management approach hadn't yet evolved to match their booming operation. Branch Managers, who oversee sales teams across multiple locations, found themselves relying on individual instincts when it came to sales leadership - rather than proven systems or standards.
Without standardized sales management tools, Branch Managers struggled to effectively guide their teams and track performance. While some of the more strategic branch managers developed their own market plans and tracking methods, there was no consistent way to share these best practices across branches. This created significant variability in sales team performance and made it especially challenging for regional leadership to implement accountability measures or provide meaningful coaching to Branch Managers.
ABC Supply needed to up-level their current approach into a more scalable sales management approach that would support their continued growth while maintaining the entrepreneurial culture that drove their success to date.
The Solution: Raise the Roof on Sales Management Practices
TJ Neil, ABC Supply's Rocky Mountain District Manager, recognized that elevating his team of 20+ branch managers across Colorado, New Mexico, South Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming required more than just traditional sales training. He needed an approach that would engage his action-oriented leaders while delivering practical, immediately applicable management tools.
Pitch Lab designed and delivered multiple intensive half-day training sessions that combined interactive learning with concrete sales management frameworks. The programs focused on three critical areas:
Advanced Hiring Practices for High-Performing OSRs
Identifying key characteristics of top sales performers
Techniques for effective resume screening
Strategies for cutting through interview BS
Methods for effectively selling positions to top candidates
Implementation of standardized hiring processes
Building a Sales Culture of Accountability
Optimizing sales organizational structure
Conducting productive one-on-one meetings
Identifying and tracking key sales metrics
Removing distractions that prevent OSRs from selling
Value-Based Selling Strategies
Defining ABC Supply's unique value proposition
Asking strategic questions to uncover client needs
Creating compelling differentiation messages
Shifting client conversations from cost to value outcomes
Maintaining premium pricing and reducing discounting needs
The Pitch Lab Difference: Engaging Training that Drives Results
ABC Supply recognized that effective sales management training needed to do more than just deliver content - it needed to create lasting behavioral change. Drawing on founder Jay Mays' unique background in both professional sales leadership and stand up comedy, Pitch Lab delivered a live training experience that kept branch managers engaged while driving meaningful results.
The training approach combined proven sales methodology with interactive elements designed for maximum retention and implementation:
Collaborative group sessions where managers worked through current branch challenges, ensuring solutions were immediately applicable to their day-to-day operations
Breakout sessions and team activities that leveraged the natural competitive spirit of sales leaders while reinforcing key learning objectives
Facilitated peer discussions that enabled branch managers to share successful practices across territories, creating a multiplier effect from existing expertise
Leave-behind documentation and reference materials designed for immediate implementation, helping managers translate insights into action
The Results: Energized Leaders, Enhanced Sales Management Strategies
What began as a one-time training engagement has evolved into an annual cornerstone of ABC Supply's leadership development program. The training sessions have become a crucial part of their strategy to maintain sales excellence across their extensive multi-state territory.
As TJ Neil, Rocky Mountain District Manager at ABC Supply, explains: "I've worked with Jay over the years in various capacities, and he brings a unique combination of entertainment value and deep sales expertise. What I appreciate most is that I can trust him to deliver training that's engaging and interactive while providing excellent, actionable leave behind documents. This allows my branch managers to return to their teams with concrete tools to improve our operations. The peace of mind in knowing we're getting top-notch sales manager training makes it a valuable investment for my team."
The impact was immediately felt across the organization, with TJ adding, "My team loved the sessions and want to know when the next training is."
Sales Building Materials for Manufacturing CEOs
ABC Supply's experience offers valuable insights for manufacturing companies looking to enhance their sales operations:
✅ Standardize Without Stifling: Create consistent sales management processes while preserving the entrepreneurial spirit and autonomy that drives growth.
✅ Invest in Sales Management Development: Equip sales leaders with the strategies and frameworks they need to build and grow high-performing teams.
✅ Focus on Implementation: Ensure training includes practical, immediately applicable tools that managers can use to drive results.
Want to learn more about how Pitch Lab can raise the roof on your sales leadership team? Click here to dive deeper into our sales manager training curriculum.
