The Company

ALLPRO operates as a member-owned purchasing cooperative, primarily focused on serving the paint industry. Their membership primarily consists of professional paint stores, and they have a strong emphasis on catering to contractors rather than homeowners. They boast 300 members, spanning across roughly 2000 retail locations throughout the U.S., Canada, Mexico and Europe.  

Michael Beaudoin holds the position of Executive Vice President, responsible for overseeing the organization, and reports directly to a board of directors.

Rebates Impact Member Profits

When dealing with suppliers, ALLPRO functions as a unified entity, ensuring they are treated as a single customer rather than 300 individual potential customers. This approach streamlines the payment process for suppliers, who receive a single check representing all purchases made by their members.

Beaudoin says, “We encourage our members to view our suppliers as crucial partners to support and rally around. One way we foster this collaboration is by explaining that when all our members choose to buy from a particular supplier, it leads to improved rebates. In other words, it becomes more profitable for individual members. This strategy is effective when members actively engage in rebate programs and embrace the sense of community, realizing their connection to 300 other retailers with similar interests. Rebates, in essence, serve as the binding force that unites our entire buying group.”

A Variety of Rebate Types

ALLPRO offers clear and transparent rebate structures where they establish specific targets. For instance, if a member achieves a million dollars in purchases, they receive a set rebate amount. If they exceed this threshold even by as little as $5, their rebate increases accordingly.

Beaudoin says, “This approach allows members to easily gauge the group's performance. They can assess whether the collective is getting closer to meeting these targets and understand that their individual purchases play a significant role in this process. It reinforces the notion that every member's contribution matters and contributes to the group's overall success.”

ALLPRO also offers admin rebates, which typically involve suppliers of wall coverings, wallpaper and window treatments. ALLPRO divides these rebates into two parts: one half is earmarked for investment and marketing efforts to promote these suppliers within the group, while the remaining half is distributed to their members.

Complexity can arise when additional rebates are provided for exceeding this target, requiring a more thorough calculation. To ensure clarity and enthusiasm among members, ALLPRO makes a concerted effort to present these complex rebates in a clear and easily digestible format. Beaudoin comments, “The aim is to empower members to understand and appreciate the benefits of participation. Additionally, some suppliers prefer innovative approaches that reward growth, offering incentives beyond the conventional rebate models. This creative approach encourages members to see the value in expanding their business.”

In addition, ALLPRO offers rebates that aren't visible to members but play a crucial role in supporting their business development team. As Beaudoin explains, "We have a robust ALLPRO brand that we use for our market presence. Consequently, our suppliers provide rebates for this aspect, which translates into additional income. These rebates are managed behind the scenes and are closely tied to the sales of the ALLPRO brand."

Connecting The Group Through the Power of Rebates

Beaudoin tells us, "Through the utilization of rebates, we aim to convey two essential messages to our members: firstly, that they are valued member-owners, and secondly, that every purchase they make holds significance and contributes to our collective impact. To illustrate this point, consider a member in Seattle, Washington, whose brand choices influence a member in London, England, or in Miami, Florida. It's a web of interconnectedness. What I strive to demonstrate is the remarkable strength of the group ownership, facilitated by these rebates and their active participation. Our goal is to ignite their enthusiasm for supporting our suppliers. We put in dedicated effort to establish these rebate programs with our suppliers, but their success hinges on the support of our members. Rebates represent the most straightforward means through which they can assist one another."

The Challenge

Lack of Innovation in Spreadsheets

Before moving to Enable, ALLPRO relied on Excel for their rebate management. Beaudoin says, “Excel spreadsheets are a relic of the 1990s. They serve a purpose in rebate management and offer some transparency in tracking your progress. However, spreadsheets fall short of reflecting a forward-thinking and innovative purchasing collective. When you're transferring one of your membership's prized components into a converted Excel spreadsheet saved as a PDF, it fails to demonstrate your commitment to progress and innovation.”

Giving Members More Visibility

When it came to providing members with insight into their rebate payouts, ALLPRO adopted a highly manual process, involving handwritten letters, in-person engagements during their events and the cumbersome step of transferring all the information onto a spreadsheet, which was then converted into a PDF and posted on their website. This approach underscored a notable weakness in their operations. Beaudoin acknowledges, "We excelled in negotiating these rebates, effectively collecting and disbursing them. However, we fell short in simplifying the process for our members to access detailed rebate information and ignite their enthusiasm about their rewards."

The Software

A Professional Software Interface

Beaudoin says, "Enable has brought a level of professionalism to the rebate management process. When you log in, you're greeted with a professional interface complete with advanced features. It breaks down participation in the rebate program to individual members, allowing them to see their share of the overall amount. They also get a clear view of the potential payout, which can be quite motivating. This transformation reflects a higher standard of operation for our buying group."

Accurate and Up-to-date Rebate Numbers

Ensuring the effectiveness of Enable hinges on the quality of data that ALLPRO inputs. Consequently, they’ve embarked on a journey of increased professionalism and systemization of their processes. Beaudoin says, “This change means we no longer just look at the numbers once a year; now we do it every month. Figuring out ALLPRO rebates isn't simple; it takes some careful math and investigation to get the right numbers. By doing this monthly, we keep everything current. So, when our members log in, they see accurate and up-to-date data presented in a professional way. We're constantly updating new members and new programs. It's become a discipline internally and its forced us to be better at what we do.”

He continues, “As we approach November and December, that's when we focus on the heavy number-crunching and arranging these rebates. During this period, we expect to see increased activity from our members. It's during these months that we prioritize fine-tuning the numbers to be as precise as possible.”

Better Rebate Awareness for ALLPRO Members

Enable will help ALLPRO members stay more informed of their rebates. These members are busy entrepreneurs who manage their businesses daily and face numerous challenges regularly. Therefore, expecting them to proactively check with ALLPRO for status of their rebates was unlikely.

Beaudoin explains, "By simplifying and improving accessibility, our aim is to encourage our members to regularly check their rebates, gain a clear understanding of their status, and truly value their benefits. We want them to actively advocate for their rebates. Therefore, we're committed to placing all the relevant information front and center, presenting it in a way that instills pride in our members. This way, they can easily perceive our dedication to demonstrating their contributions and the potential payout they can expect."

He continues, “It's encouraging to see the growing number of members who have already engaged with Enable. My hope is that this increased visibility of our rebate programs will lead to higher member participation and engagement."

The Enable Team Take a Professional and Action-Oriented Approach

When Beaudoin was approached by Enable, he was really impressed with the people and their professionalism. He says, “When I discovered the Enable team, along with the impressive technology and its inherent potential, I realized that with this combination, we could truly harness its capabilities. Ultimately, it was your exceptional team that convinced me to choose Enable."

He continues, "The Enable team demonstrates a high level of thoroughness and accountability, which is not always an easy task when dealing with customers. It's evident that they view our success as their own responsibility, and they approach it with utmost seriousness. They collaborate continuously with us, making necessary adjustments to the technology as needed, and actively listen to our suggestions for further enhancements. They take feedback from customers and execute on that feedback, which is really refreshing. Their primary focus is to ensure that we are aligned and taking the necessary steps to achieve a successful outcome."

"Overall, I'm thrilled about our current capabilities, but what truly excites me is the potential of your rebate management technology and how it can shape our future. As we deepen our understanding of your platform and witness your continued expansion of offerings, I believe we can leverage it to create something truly transformative for our members."

Creating a Stronger Buying Group

ALLPRO invested in Enable to elevate the buying group, help members realize the substantial value in the millions of dollars of rebates they receive, and to encourage greater participation. Beaudoin adds,

"Our primary objective in bringing on Enable was to streamline and professionalize our entire rebate process while enhancing rebate accuracy. Our aim is to raise member awareness about the available programs, optimize their purchases from our approved suppliers, and reinforce their commitment to ALLPRO. This approach serves to highlight the multitude of benefits we offer to our members, fostering a sense of unity among the 300 strong members. By acting in unison, we strengthen our collective position.”