The Hidden Margin Behind SPAs, Rebates, and Ship-and-Debit

In this first episode of Mastering the Hidden Margin, a special series on Build Better Work, host Tony Pericle pulls back the curtain on SPAs—special pricing authorizations and agreements, also known as deviations, chargebacks, ship-and-debit, and invoice verification. He’s joined by industry veterans Scott Sinning and Cara DeGraff, who bring decades of experience across electrical distribution, medical supply, high tech, and enterprise rebate/pricing solutions. Together, they trace how SPA programs emerged from messy manual workarounds into one of the most important—and misunderstood—margin levers in distribution. Tony, Scott, and Cara also share their experience to describe what “good” SPA management actually looks like. They explore how digitization, data synchronization, and better analytics can reduce leakage, shrink reconciliation backlogs, and free sales teams from spreadsheet purgatory. If you’re responsible for pricing, margin, or channel strategy in a distributor or manufacturer, this episode will give you the language, stories, and mental models you need to start mastering your hidden margin.