Distributor to serve Christian retailers’ music and DVD needs via Internet and phone following staff restructure

Provident Distribution has downsized its last three field sales representatives as part of a restructuring plan placing more emphasis on Internet and phone sales. The move is reflective of the industry-wide squeeze on the sale of recorded Christian music.

Technology is prompting other changes as well. Along with the staff reduction, Vice President of Sales Randy Davis said Provident is developing ways of participating in more live streaming of musical artists’ events and theatrical releases.

“Additionally, we continue to expand the functionality of our ‘Business to Business’ solution at TheP.com to manage their accounts and order product at their convenience,” Davis said.

A former Provident sales rep who left the company at the end of 2013 had anticipated the move, saying he and other employees had observed a downward trend in music sales the past five years.

“It’s the nature of the industry and the economy,” he said, citing the fact that more music is available through online streaming and fans purchasing recordings on iTunes and other portals. “We all sensed they were going to phase us out. We didn’t have a timeline, but the signs were there.”

Provident opted to retain three telesales reps for independent Christian retailers, who also can use TheP.com for online orders. In the past, if travel or other considerations made it more economical, the former rep said he would encourage retailers to use the ordering site after finalizing their selections. 

Although music sales had declined, Provident’s video business had increased in recent years. DVDs performed well in the home market, even with certain films that didn’t fare that well at the box office, the former rep said.

Still, the former rep sees trouble ahead for that segment of the market as well.

“I think you’ll see changes because of Netflix and all these streaming sites you can get online now,” he said. “That’s going to change people’s buying habits too.”

Although he thinks the impact of e-books affected traditional print sales much quicker, he traces the decline in recorded music sales to the advent of Napster in the late 1990s. 

Although legal challenges eventually forced the file-sharing service to stop offering free downloads, he said the early site still boosted the digital buying trend.

Provident isn’t the only Nashville distribution giant affected by these changes. 

“Capitol has cut down, and I don’t think Word has had a sales rep for the past three years,” he said. “It just got to the point where that’s what ended up happening.”

Provident Distribution is the Christian retail sales and marketing arm of Provident Music Group and Provident Films, a division of Sony Music Entertainment. It represents such artists as Casting Crowns, Third Day, MercyMe and Israel Houghton. Among the movie producers it represents are Provident Films, Affirm Films/Sony Pictures Entertainment and FoxFaith/20th Century Fox Home Entertainment.

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