Univar Online Store Makes Buying Easy and Efficient

PMPs have come to rely on Univar’s PestWeb for information, tools and capabilities, including online buying. Recognizing the growing demand for these types of tools, Univar launched a new Online Store in March 2016, as part of an extensive series of updates to its online properties begun in fall 2015. 

“We wanted to provide a more robust system for customers who were already buying online from us and for those who might be encouraged to buy online if they knew how easy and efficient the buying experience could be,” explains Karl Kisner, vice president of marketing at Univar. “We knew we couldn’t just buy an off-the-shelf system and apply it to all customers; we created the Online Store to be flexible enough to serve the needs of customers of all sizes.”

Kevin Burns, chief development officer for Atlanta-based Arrow Exterminators, says the system works for his company for a variety of reasons: “The Online Store features excellent search tools that make it quick and easy to sort by product name. Additionally, we receive confirmation of orders. If a product is not in stock, we receive a phone call within minutes of placing the order.”

Jason Eicher, president of Southlake, Texas-based Versacor Enterprises, adds, “A website that is tailored to our business model provides greater advantages to us — enabling us to sort and compile data on purchase history, organize purchasing activities by branch operation, and identify items that are taxable versus tax-exempt, for example.”  

The Univar Online Store provides this and more, says Kisner. Pricing is now customized so that the price you see is actually your price; there’s no need to have a distributor sales representative quote. Another key function, designed for relatively large pest management companies, is user permission, which enables management to specify approval levels within the company. If an order hits the specified dollar threshold, it must be sent to a designated decision-maker for approval.

Burns says this function is integral to Arrow’s purchasing protocol. “The user permission function is very important to us, as each of our managers is responsible for all aspects of the service center, including the profit-and-loss statement. Our managers want to keep their finger on the pulse of the service center, managing everything from customer service to new sales to inventory management,” he says.

Offering nearly 6,000 products, the Univar Online Store offers these features:
• 24/7 order placement from any device
• Payments processed to a Univar company account
• Direct links to all PestWeb product detail pages from corresponding Online Store pages, for easy product research to product purchase conversion
• Capabilities for setting up, managing and sharing multiple “Quick Lists” with employees for easy reordering
• User permission function so company account owners can manage and approve employee spending
• Tie-in with PestWeb Plus membership: PestWeb members who are company owners/managers can access a membership dashboard that houses all pertinent information regarding your company’s relationship with Univar —purchase history reports, training history/progress reports, course transcripts, etc. — and enables you to manage employee permissions and classified ad posts

“Whether you know exactly what you’re looking for or you need help finding the right solution, the Online Store can help. It makes the shopping experience easy, efficient and dependable,” Kisner concludes.

You can visit the Univar Online Store here.

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ProTraining Update: Mobile-Friendly and Affordable
On January 5, Univar Environmental Sciences launched a major upgrade to its ProTraining online offerings for PMPs. The upgrade features a redesigned learning platform, brand-new business and safety classes, tablet and mobile capabilities and a new pricing structure (technical classes are only $12 each for most Univar customers, plus each student can redeem one free technical class per year).

Karl Kisner, vice president of marketing, explains, “Univar has a rich legacy of supporting the pest management industry with quality products as well as vital education. Our ProTraining update provides the tools and knowledge PMP company owners and managers need to take on new challenges in a changing industry.”

Go to PestWeb.com for more information.