Electrical distributors who are well versed in selling products and services have an advantage in a competitive marketplace.
IMARK University, powered by BlueVolt, provides its members with this advantage.
BlueVolt, an e-learning solutions company in Portland, Oregon, partnered with IMARK in 2004 to create IMARK University, an online portal where members and their employees learn practical and efficient means to help solve customers’ problems.
“IMARK University has been popular with members and manufacturers since its inception, and it has never slowed down,” said Steve Ruane, vice president, marketing for IMARK Electrical. “Our partnership with BlueVolt is very important to us.”
IMARK Electrical members have 24/7 access to high-quality, web-based product training and learning materials via IMARK University.
The University houses more than 800 product knowledge courses from more than 50 supplier partners that are available at no charge to members.
Distributor employees can access on-demand training on the newest products’ features and benefits, and the latest safety and compliance guidelines provided directly from suppliers.
“Now is the time to take the opportunity to double down on training,” said BlueVolt CEO and President Jay Platt. “The more you know, the more you will sell.”
“The BlueVolt Learning Management System gives suppliers the ability to share product training, where channel partners can consume the product training and where leaders on all sides can access data and analytics to drive business decisions,” said Tom Rangner, senior vice president of operations at BlueVolt. “In our 20 years of business, we’ve gained experience in servicing various trades channels and are a conduit to connect suppliers to their distributor and channel partners.”
Training is a critical component to having an advantage in today’s business of distribution, serving as a market differentiator and an investment in an employee’s professional development.
According to a recent study, 71% of employees say that employer-provided training improves job satisfaction. In a competitive labor market, every edge matters.
IMARK University helps distributors differentiate themselves from competitors by keeping employees knowledgeable about supplier products and training them to sell those specific products as they share solutions with customers.
In Q1 of 2023 alone, IMARK members enrolled in 36,100 supplier product courses, a 9.1% increase over Q1 of 2022.
Member Enrollments Q1 ’22 v. Q2 ‘23
Members can utilize IMARK University to teach the newer generation of workers, with little or no experience, how to effectively work in the industry. In addition, current member employees can continuously enhance their skills.
When distributors have well-educated employees, the level of service they provide a customer leaves a memorable impression that parlays into repeat business.
Top 10 Engaged Members
Based on Course Activity
Crescent Electric K/E Electric Lonestar Electric McGowan Electric Shepherd Electric United Electric USESI Warshauer Electric Wholesale Electric Winsupply 
IMARK University serves as an education portal and is a go-to source for product knowledge, trends and technology, providing IMARK Electrical members with content tailored to what they need to optimally perform their jobs.
IMARK University also offers incentivized learning to increase engagement: “After completing training, users can redeem their incentives for online gift cards, while management can evaluate completion records and determine how effective the training is and how effective an individual is at selling a product,” Rangner said.
IMARK University, powered by BlueVolt, serves as an efficient and effective way to train employees, and therefore maintain an advantage in today’s competitive marketplace.
In addition to its learning platform, BlueVolt offers a range of client-focused services, including course and curriculum development, strategic support, channel-training innovations and sales enablement.
“We are committed to strengthening all levels of service,” said Rangner. “We use every touchpoint to establish and build relationships with our partners, ensuring value and opportunity.”
For more information about BlueVolt and its services, visit bluevolt.com. For more information about IMARK University, visit imarkgroup.com.