Speaker Snapshot: Don Sarno

With all the information in the marketplace, electrical contractors can be unsure about how to address their company’s technology and tool needs. Don Sarno, senior vice president, Digital Enterprise, Sonepar Americas, says step one should be a simple, and personal, question. If you could replace one frustrating task in your day, what would it be? 

“It’s got to be very personal to you,” Don says. “Don’t let the noise overwhelm you, and don’t be led into a digital solution that is more than you need. Start small, start simply, and find a partner that will help you find a solution to better run your business.” 

Don has been providing software solutions for electrical distributors for more than 30 years, with the last 10 years at Sonepar, an IEC Power Sponsor. He aims to provide the best solutions for contractors to enable and empower them to build the best businesses they can for their customers. Don began his career as an electrical engineer working on satellite technology. Finding the field a bit boring and slow moving, he moved to software. 

“What I found was in software, we can actually make a difference really rapidly for folks,” Don says. “We can engage with them, we can understand their problems, we can build solutions with them. And we’re not talking years and decades; we’re talking weeks and months. It was all about finding something that can provide value with on a regular basis, consistently and rapidly.” 

In his SPARK session, Don focuses on how electrical contractors can get started, how they should think about technology solutions for their businesses, and what they should expect – and demand – from their providers.  

“A lot of software vendors out there encourage customers to go to the website or use their digital tools,” Don says. “They say it’s better, it’s faster, it’s easier. But if I’m an electrical contractor spending my day on the road in my truck going from job to job serving my customers, it may seem easier to pick up the phone and call Jason the inside sales guy to get my order into the system and deliver it to me. That’s actually the easiest possible solution, so why would you put technology in the way of that?” 

But what if it’s 9:00 at night and that same electrical contractor forgot to put the order in for the materials his project manager needs at 6:00 in the morning? You have to be able to deal with it right then and Jason is not there.  

“There are good technology solutions out there, but don’t get overwhelmed and talked into technology and digital solutions you don’t need. There is a middle ground — focus on what you need and build that out. Start with a solution relevant to your business. I’m passionate about this topic and believe we are on this journey with our electrical contractors. We believe Sonepar is building solutions that are for them, with them. Users should constantly challenge, constantly question both the solutions they have, the value they’re bringing to the table, and the things they do on a daily basis that software can help them with.” 

Don looks forward to your questions at SPARK.