Today's post is an article written by ProContractor Supply CEO Abhi Singh, and published on HBSDealer. We encourage you to check out the article on the HBSDealer website, in addition to reading it here.

Are You Running a Diner?

Most of you aren’t going to like what I’m about to say.

The majority of companies in our space don’t have a sales team … they have waiters/waitresses wearing polos with company logos (as my good friend George Stallings with Sales Solutions, Inc. likes to say.)

You know the type.  They walk into a contractor’s office, pad in hand, asking: “Anything you need?” They take the order, nod politely, and say, “Let me check with the kitchen.” Most don’t even ask “would you like fries with that?”

Understand … that’s not selling. That’s order-taking.

And if that stings a little, good. It should. Because in this business  -  construction supply, LBM, distribution - the line between the two determines whether you’re building a business or just refilling coffee.

The waiter/waitress mindset is safe. Easy. Predictable. It’s built on habits like:
• Waiting for the phone to ring.
• Following up after the customer’s already bought somewhere else.
• Quoting the same 3% margin because “that’s what they always pay.”
• Avoiding conflict by saying “I’ll see what I can do.”

That’s not sales - it’s survival.

I’ve seen it firsthand. Walk into a branch, and you can feel it immediately. Phones ringing. Emails flying. People “busy.” But nobody’s actually selling.  The culture is reactive rather than proactive.

It’s the same energy you’d find in Mel’s Diner from Alice - everyone moving fast, slinging plates, cracking jokes … but nobody actually building anything that lasts.

And just like in Cheers, everyone may know your name  -  but nobody’s growing your margin.

A true salesperson? They hunt.

They walk in asking, “What projects are you bidding next month?” not “Need anything today?” They know their customer’s jobs, challenges, and triggers. They don’t just react  -  they anticipate and participate. 

Salespeople create value before the quote. They own their number. They protect their margin. They see price as a tool, not a crutch.

They also understand that selling isn’t about chasing - it’s about leading. They guide customers toward smarter decisions, not just cheaper ones.

That takes skill, confidence, and a little nerve. But that’s what separates a real sales organization from a Denny’s.  

When you build a team of order takers, you’re not building customer loyalty - you’re renting it. You’re training your customers to shop you and use your relationship for last look, which usually means matching a lower price.

Here’s the math: a true salesperson can double a territory’s gross profit without adding a single new customer. A waiter/waitress can’t even defend a two - point margin.

One delivers value. The other delivers coffee.

If this resonates, here’s your reality check: the market doesn’t care how “nice” your people are. Contractors buy from people who make their jobs easier and improve their productivity - not from whoever shows up with donuts.

Want to know what kind of team you have? Watch what happens when you slightly raise prices or set margin targets.

If your team says, “Our customers won’t pay that,” you’ve got waiters/waitresses.

If they understand the opportunity and say, “Let’s explain the value and prove it,” you’ve got salespeople.

Same customers. Same market. Different mindset.

Another test: ask your sales team what their top five accounts are working on next quarter. If they can’t tell you, they’re not selling - they’re sinking.

If your team acts like waiters/waitresses, don’t just blame them. Look in the mirror.

Leaders create the environment people perform in. If you reward convenience instead of performance, you’ll get more convenience. If you don’t measure pipeline, margin, and activity … don’t expect accountability.

Building a sales culture means raising the bar - and yes, losing some people who’d rather take orders than create opportunities.

That’s fine. Let them go pour coffee somewhere else.

⸻

In our business, “good service” isn’t good enough anymore. Anybody can answer the phone.

The companies that win are the ones with salespeople who drive results, not waiters/waitresses who write tickets.

So ask yourself this: when your team walks into a customer’s office … are they serving or selling?

Because one fills orders. And the other fills the pipeline.

-Abhi Singh