Jason Morgan, Edward Don & Company

Jason Morgan, Edward Don & CompanyLife is all about connections. Perhaps no one knows this better than Jason Morgan. Some years ago, a friend of Morgan’s twin brother, Jeff, mentioned that Edward Don & Company was looking to add salespeople to its roster. Morgan thought this would be an interesting opportunity and became a sales rep with a very small territory in the Dallas-Fort Worth market. In the nine years since, he has progressed from a business development specialist to a key account manager to his current role as a key account specialist based in The Colony, Texas. He oversees large, multiunit national accounts.

Q: How does your background as an operator shape your approach?

A: I think being able to talk the language allowed me to have a head start on knowing the ins and outs of the restaurant business and some of the challenges. I always try to look at everything from a customer’s perspective and how it was when I was a customer and what that felt like that. As an operator you tend to be your busiest during the last part of your day, not the first part. It’s a unique set of challenges, and having an understanding of that helps me add value.

Q: Are your customers asking for more data and/or product details?

A: Our customers’ needs have changed, and we had to let them know how using certain solutions benefits them. Working with our manufacturing partners and leadership team, I’m trying to stay ahead of the trend so that everything that we’re doing is more proactive than reactive.

Q: How do you go about cultivating and maintaining positive relationships with supply chain partners and others?

A: The strength of a really good sales rep is not knowing everything but knowing who to talk to so you can get the answers right. You have to know how to properly forecast, plan and follow up. That takes an understanding of what it takes for the factories to get product and information to us and what it takes to ultimately get that to customers. 

Q: With so many different equipment and supply items available today, how do you identify the right solution for customers’ needs?

A: We try to stay abreast of what we’re hearing out there. Whether it’s on the culinary side, the operations side or the purchasing side, we’re making sure that we’re listening to what everybody’s goals are and what they’re really focused on. And we try to partner with people that we know we can lean on when it comes down to making those types of decisions. 

Q: What’s the most important lesson that you’ve learned?

A: The most important lesson that I’ve learned is that you’re only as good as your word and that you stand behind it. You also can’t be afraid to be [the bearer of] bad news. You can’t hide and you have to be honest and direct. When you’ve been a good partner with the people you do business with, you’ve built up a lot of equity. So when you have hard conversations, they know where you’re coming from and it allows you to really have that type of relationship where they know you’re always looking out for their behalf. 

DSR 3-2-1

Jason Morgan, Edward Don & Company, sits down with Jason Wange, Foodservice Powerplant Network, to talk about being named an FE&S DSR of the Month.

Find more episodes of DSR 3-2-1 here.

Foodservice Equipment & Supplies Presents DSR 3-2-1 is sponsored by Salvajor.