Stay Interviews: A Q4 Tool for Distributors and Their Contractors

As the year winds down, most distributors are focused on inventory planning, year-end numbers, and prepping for 2026. But there’s one area that often gets overlooked during Q4 planning—your people.

What happens if your best counter rep decides not to return after the holidays? Or if a contractor you serve loses two top techs right before cooling season? In both cases, the impact is the same: slower service, more strain on your team, and missed opportunities.

That’s why Q4 is the perfect time to roll out a simple but powerful retention strategy: stay interviews.

What Is a Stay Interview?

A stay interview is a structured, one-on-one conversation designed to uncover why employees stay and what might make them leave. Unlike exit interviews, stay interviews are proactive, you get ahead of turnover before it happens. When conducted by a 3^rd party, stay interviews give direct feedback into what areas of the job your employee likes, dislikes, and any potential issues they may be having in the role.

Why Q4 Is the Right Time for Conducting Stay Interviews

After the slam of a busy summer season, it’s important for you as a distributor to check in on your people and encourage your dealers to do the same. September – March is the slow season where reduced workload and fewer hours can put you at risk for higher turnover. Conducting stay interviews in Q4 allows you to:

• Strengthen relationships and trust with your team

• Address issues before they become turnover triggers

• Reinforce training opportunities for employees and budget for them appropriately in the new year

• Position your company as a long-term, supportive employer

Benefits of Stay Interviews for Distributors

Running stay interviews in Q4 helps you stabilize your own staff:

• Counter staff: Identify what will keep them engaged through another busy season.

• Warehouse and drivers: Catch frustrations before they turn into turnover during peak demand.

• Sales teams: Understand what support they need to hit growth targets in the new year.

Benefits of Stay Interviews for Contractors

Sharing this tool with contractors helps them protect their businesses too. When they use stay interviews, they:

• Reduce the risk of losing technicians mid-season

• Build stronger morale before the workload spikes

• Enter next year with a team that’s ready to take on more jobs

For you as a distributor, that means fewer service delays, stronger contractor relationships, and more stable growth across your dealer network.

Stay Interview Questions That Work

Stay interviews are only effective when the right questions are asked. For the best results, we recommend using a third party to conduct them—employees are often more open when speaking to someone outside the company. If you handle them in-house, avoid having a direct supervisor conduct the interview, as that can lead to guarded or less-than-honest feedback.

Here are a few Q4-ready questions you and your contractors can use:

• As we head into next year, what would make your job easier or more enjoyable?

• What are your favorite parts of the job? Least favorite?

• Are there tools, training, or support you need to perform at your best in 2026?

• Have you felt stressed or overworked in the past season? What could we adjust to fix that?

• What keeps you motivated to stay here long-term?

Key Takeaway

Q4 isn’t just about forecasting inventory and sales. It’s also about protecting the people who keep your business—and your contractors’ businesses—running.

By using stay interviews now, you set yourself and your dealers up for a stronger, more stable 2026. Because when the phones start ringing and trucks start rolling next year, the only thing worse than being short on equipment is being short on people.