Returning to our conversation, “Mastering the Hidden Margin", a special series on Build Better Work, our panel dives into the heartbeat of SPA success: negotiation. Moving beyond history and systems, this episode focuses on how distributors should ask for SPAs—credibly, proactively, and with data that builds trust instead of friction. Joining us again is Tony Pericle, Scott Sinning and Kara DeGraff, in a conversation that outlines why SPAs are not about discounts, but about positioning distributors as true partners to manufacturers.

The group breaks down what separates a strong SPA request from a weak one: clarity on customer and product, realistic volume commitments, competitive context, and a plan that can be tracked and validated over time. They explore who should own SPA negotiations at different levels of the organization, how sales teams should be coached, and why accountability and follow-through matter as much as the initial cost ask.

Time Stamps:

0:00 - Intro
2:36 - Good vs Bad SPA Request
4:19 - Relationships and Information
6:06 - Information Distribution for SPA Success
12:58 - What to Ask for & What to Ask for
14:53 - How to Position Yourself to Ask for a SPA
16:54 - What Does a “Legit” SPA Deal Look Like?
20:22 - Get the Most in SPA Negotiation
23:48 - Closing

Guests:

Tony | tony@profitoptics.com: Tony Pericle is the founder of ProfitOptics and one of the most innovative minds in the distribution industry. With over 30 years of experience—from frontline sales to leading AI-powered transformations—he’s helped major distributors unlock hidden margin, optimize operations, and scale pricing strategies.
Cara | linkedin.com/in/caradegraff: Cara DeGraff is a VP of Production Management at Vistex and leads a global team that manages all aspects of product management and product education. Since joining Vistex in 2007, Cara welcomes the challenge of solving companies' problems and optimizing their processes through Vistex solutions. Prior to Vistex, Cara worked for both manufacturers and distributors with SAP as their ERP, and across a variety of industries managing and implementing a myriad of business processes.
Scott | scott@pricingfordistributors.com: Scott Sinning founded Pricing For Distributors in 2022 after a 30-year career in wholesale distribution with Graybar Electric. As former VP of Pricing Strategy, he knows about the margin challenges and opportunities faced by distributors. He is a "business guy" that came up through the ranks, but his career also included lead roles on ERP and pricing software projects where he learned how to drive successful change at scale.

ABOUT BUILD BETTER WORK PODCAST

Build Better Work by ProfitOptics is a podcast about the power of technology to transform work and lives with our host Greg Stivers.

The show is produced by ProfitOptics, a technology consulting firm that builds software and engineers data solutions to drive business performance for mid-size and enterprise companies.

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Why Most SPA Requests Fail—and How to Fix Them