It was a sales rep's worst nightmare. The residential housing market tanked. Many commercial jobs were delayed, scaled back, or completely cut. In the wake of a poor economy, it's a wonder anyone could do well last year. But Flynn & Reynolds Agency, awarded in past years for top sales, was able to land the number one pot again for 2009. The Cherry on top of the sundae was the fact that the New England firm sold more Delta-Therm product in 2009 than any other sales agency in Delta-Therm's history. 

"They've built good relationships over the years with their sales channel partners, and they worked really hard," said Ada Cryer, Marketing/Customer Support Manager. "We heard from them almost every day in 2009."

President and owner Greg Reynolds (pictures above) has been in the business for 21 years. He merged with Peter Flynn 17 years ago because he had a similar manufacturer's rep business. Flynn has since retired, and Bryan Lally (picture below), who handles sales and marketing, co-owns the business with Reynolds.

"Ed Slagis came into out company 15 years ago and talked to us a little about how we might be able to bring a profitable marketing strategy here in New England," said Reynolds. "We've worked it ever since and that's how we've been able to be successful."

Covering Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut, Flynn & Reynolds has a staff of 14 dedicated employees who work together as a team where, according to Reynolds, "nobody is trying to gain the spotlight."

Five reps cover the six states while nine employees work at central headquarters in Massachusetts, aggressively driving architects, builders and contractors toward Delta-Therm products.

Cryer stated that the Flynn & Reynolds team responded quickly after the U.S. housing market plummeted by refocusing efforts on commercial sales. "It paid off for them and for us," she said.

Tom Slagis, Delta-Therm's president and owner added that the Flynn & Reynolds team has well seasoned salesmen in strategic areas who truly understand their market. 

"The history that we have with them has helped them grow confident." he said. "They're actively pushing out products every dat and they did a fantastic job in 2009."

Lally said the company focuses on the end-user, and within the New England market, they are known as experts in the field. Even though the economy dealt a mean hand, Flynn & Reynolds was able to capitalize on the market for two reasons.

"Despite the market conditions, there was/is a tremendous inventory of recently built structures that required some sort of remediation and we have been able to tap into that," he said.

The severe winter storms of 2008 generated a lot of interest for the company in 2009, Reynolds noted. 

"A lot of people remembered the damages that they had from the cold weather so we were able to capitalize on that."

Contractors, engineering firms and architects know just who to call to handle their snow melting, pipe tracing and roof deicing needs, generally working through electrical distributors.

"Every time somebody comes in and says 'we have a heating issue,' they call Flynn & Reynolds and they get a check at the end of the process," said Reynolds of the distributor relationship. "That's the way the word has spread over the years."

These special relationships, formed over time, continue to snowball with repeat business. 

"Their sales people, working through their distribution channels are more effective than any other agency just because of their relationship," said Slagis.

One of the biggest project of 2009, said Reynolds, was a large driveway in one of Boston's wealthiest suburbs.

"It was for a gentleman who didn't want to see a single flake of snow on his driveway," he recalled. "It took over 100,000 amps to power the driveway."

The customer was very happy with it, he added, and that's Flynn & Reynolds' main goal - to exceed their customers' expectations.

Flynn & Reynolds represents 15 high quality electrical manufacturers. All of the products they represent are promoted by a dedicated marketing and merchandising specialist who provides display, design, set-up and maintenance; new product introductions with features and benefits; and field reporting to Flynn & Reynolds and the manufacturers as to the effectiveness of products, programs and promotions. Always making sure the customer is happy, and knowing the product inside and out are two of the reasons why the company is successful.

"The one thing that I think out agency does best is help the customer with their situation," said inside sales rep Tanya Shenk. "If we don't have the answer right away, we research our sources to find one for them."

Delta-Therm awarded Flynn & Reynolds with a plaque at the national sales meeting in July. It joined 10 or so others on Delta-Therm wall in a conference room.

The Flynn & Reynolds team continues to enjoy its relationship with Delta-Therm, stating that things haven't changed with the company, except for technological advances over the years.

"The same core values are there," said Reynolds. "That is, to provide a very high quality product and to support the end user with that product."