Maintaining growth and profitability across dozens of distribution centers is complex, particularly when integrating major acquisitions like Reinhart and Cheney Brothers into the company. To manage this effectively, OpCo Presidents and their operating teams utilize W Ratings to build detailed customer profiles for each location, allowing them to pinpoint exactly what local customers value most. Foodservice distribution is highly competitive at the local level, and customers expect a distributor that can consistently meet their specific needs. By focusing on these tailored expectations, Performance Foodservice (PFS) has established itself as an industry leader. Over the past decade, the company has successfully grown its independent restaurant case volume 20% faster than its salesforce headcount. Ultimately, knowing exactly what actions drive customer value—and which do not—is the key to achieving profitable sales growth.

In the early 2000s, the waste disposal industry was locked in a "race to the bottom" as large companies engaged in fierce price wars with cheaper, independent operators. To escape this trap prior to its merger with Republic Services, Allied Waste utilized W Ratings to shift its strategy. Instead of competing solely on price, the company refocused on what its customers truly valued: the peace of mind that comes with highly reliable service. Within just two years, this strategy transformed Allied Waste into the "FedEx of waste disposal." By prioritizing reliability, the company successfully regained its price premium, nearly doubled its stock price, and substantially improved its Return on Invested Capital (ROIC).

As a portfolio company of Gemspring Capital, Shrieve operates through multiple divisions that market, sell, and distribute a highly diverse range of products. Because customer expectations vary so widely across these distinct groups, creating a unified brand message historically proved challenging. By leveraging the value-mapping concepts of a W Ratings program, the company successfully developed a cohesive identity known as "The Shrieve Way." This unified strategy helped customers recognize that Shrieve delivers much more than just chemical molecules—it creates "extraordinary chemistry" through an exceptional global network of team members, suppliers, and customers.

Operating a chemical distribution network across North America, South America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific presents massive cultural, regulatory, and economic complexities. These regional variances make it incredibly difficult to accurately track and standardize customer and supplier value on a global scale. To solve this, Univar utilized W Ratings to measure their customer value gaps, which provided the company with a universal set of metrics and a common language for both internal alignment and external messaging. Ultimately, CEO Erik Fyrwald credited this W Ratings performance data as a critical tool for effectively communicating the company's value to the investment community prior to Univar’s IPO.

Operating a network of 75 distribution centers, US Foods serves three distinct markets: independent restaurants, healthcare, and hospitality. While each of these sectors presents unique customer needs and significant growth opportunities, identifying common value themes across all three is essential for scale and efficiency. By pinpointing exactly what customers truly value, US Foods can successfully eliminate unnecessary expenses and strictly focus its capital on high-impact efforts. This disciplined, value-driven strategy ultimately culminated in 2025 being the most financially successful year in the company's history.

As the dominant player in pest management, Veseris operates a vast network of over 75 ProCenters across the United States, with ongoing expansions into Canada and Mexico. Following its acquisition by AEA Investors in 2019, the company has had to balance this broad scale with the need for localized expertise and tailored products to meet highly specific customer expectations. In these local markets, Veseris frequently goes up against smaller, agile competitors who compete aggressively on price. This creates a challenging dynamic for a market leader, as pest management is an industry where reliable, high-quality performance is ultimately the most critical factor for the customer.

Prior to becoming Vixxo, FM Facilities Maintenance was challenging the status quo in the facilities services industry. Customers in this industry are primarily company offices as well as retail, restaurant, grocery, and convenience stores that outsource their needs for cleaning, electrical, HVAC and janitorial/trash removal. The W Ratings program across both suppliers (technicians) and customers determined that both stakeholder groups wanted similar sets of value. While costs were a critical driver of success, consistency and optimization were higher emotional drivers. Based on financial analyst data, Vixxo increased sales 4X within five years by using the W Ratings value data.

Operating hundreds of locations across the United States—each varying in size and capabilities—makes understanding local customer expectations critical to the success of Builders FirstSource. No two lumber yards, millwork, decking, or truss facilities are exactly alike, and managing this operational diversity is compounded by the constant rise and fall of local competitors. To navigate this complex landscape, Builders FirstSource utilizes W Ratings. This approach empowers every individual location with precise, localized data, allowing management to pinpoint exactly what their specific customers value most—and, crucially, what they are most willing to pay for.