The Chicago-based Quality Certification Alliance (QCA) has formed a distributor advocacy group that formalizes the relationship the organization has with distributors who understand the value compliance programs have in building stronger relationships with suppliers, creating competitive advantage in the marketplace and building loyalty with their end-buyer clients.
The QCA is partnering with these distributors to get direct feedback on the kinds of tools, education and deliverables they need to more effectively communicate the compliance message to their clients. This select group of distributors receives first-hand education on compliance so they can communicate accurately and effectively with their clients about the issues. Additionally, they receive materials that can be left behind with buyers that explain the benefits of working with distributors who are affiliated with QCA and use QCA-accredited suppliers as their preferred promotional products source.
Ten companies, which represent more than $600 million in annual promotional products sales, have joined the QCA Distributor Advocacy Group. They are:
- AIA Corporation, based in Neenah, Wisconsin
- Axis Promotions, based in New York, New York
- Bensussen Deutsch & Associates Inc. (BDA), based in Woodinville, Washington
- Bluegrass Promotional Marketing, based in Charlotte, N.C.
- Bob Lilly Professional Promotions, based in Dallas
- Cintas Corporation, based in Mason, Ohio
- eCompanyStore, based in Alpharetta, Ga.
- MadeToOrder, based in Pleasanton, Calif.
- PromoShop Inc., based in Los Angeles
- Summit Marketing Group, based in Itasca, Ill.
“Distributors have brought QCA-accredited Suppliers into their Fortune 1000 client presentations and are winning significant opportunities through their joint compliance message,” said Brent Stone, QCA executive director–operations. “We expect these collaboratively developed materials and our joint marketing efforts focused on Fortune 1000 clients to accelerate these results and contribute to even greater client wins for distributors.”
For more information about QCA, its comprehensive accreditation program and the Distributor Advocacy Group, e-mail [email protected].
Chicago, Illinois-based Quality Certification Alliance is an independent accreditation organization whose mission is to elevate the standards by which industry firms that import and/or manufacture promotional products provide consistently safe, high-quality, socially compliant and environmentally conscientious merchandise. QCA accreditation is granted to companies who complete an independent third-party audit and comply with stringent standards, which are based upon a combination of state and national laws, international standards and industry-accepted best practices that are recognized for their strength and effectiveness by QCA-accredited companies, the promotional products industry and end-user clients.
QCA was formed in July 2008 with 13 of the founding companies meeting the rigorous qualifications to achieve QCA accreditation—Avaline, Barton Nelson Inc.; BDA Inc.; Broder Bros.; Dard Products, Inc.; Fanda Enterprises Inc. dba PromoFactory; Gemline; Gordon Sinclair; Leed’s; Logomark Inc.; MMI; Prime Resources Corp.; and Sweda Company LLC—with several others soon to complete the process. D E (Denise) Fenton serves as executive director–compliance, and Brent Stone serves as executive director–operations.
For more information, visit www.qcalliance.org.
