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Post by Site Admin on Nov 8, 2008 12:27:50 GMT 1
At the request of a member...
Should our suppliers open local depots?
I think the idea is for them to have local depots which can be used to pick up stock, and look at products prior to buying them.
How often do we get to visit our suppliers, and see them, and their products in the flesh?
Would it cost much?
Would you visit?
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Post by eradicator on Nov 8, 2008 12:40:01 GMT 1
i dont think it is fair to ask suppliers to open other depots etc after all where would it stop. but they should send reps to see us more, would it open to abuse from the public and would you pay the extra costs involved in running other depots, i reckon good fair prices and a free delivery would be good enough.
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Post by nick on Nov 8, 2008 12:49:49 GMT 1
Thanks Matt, I believe that we do not get a great service from our suppliers. I would like to see smaller depots or tie up with (say) ag shops. What about a returns sale on the 5th monday or friday. Tea/coffee get together. At the moment the suppliers might be well distrubuted, but not accessable to all and not all for those in Scotland. Biggest number of pest controllers and firms in South East, no depots in London, Kent, Surrey, Middlesex Ok Essex is in Essex but not easily accessable. Or what about service depots, repairing ULV or sprayers etc
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Post by djtim on Nov 8, 2008 20:55:28 GMT 1
How much would you have to put your prices up if you had a branch in every region Nick? I don't think it is realistic to expect suppliers to do that and it would certainly have a detrimental effect on prices. I think we need to break the ag shop/pest control connection not encourage it. Not against the tea/coffee get together though but Costa have a national network.
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Post by RatSnatcher on Nov 8, 2008 21:26:12 GMT 1
I cant see that working at all. Do you really believe that a supplier is going to open a showroom come shop to have the odd pest controller stroll in and have a look at a few bits of equipment.
What may work is a smaller pest tech kind of approach maybe a travelling mobile unit going from one county to the next.
But is any of this idea truly workable? I think not.....
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Post by eradicator on Nov 8, 2008 21:57:18 GMT 1
we could start one, pest pro products buy from us. you sell i can drive as long as it is a big big lorry Lol but this could work as it becomes a mobile salesroom, just like the crisp stroke toy salesman that we used to have in the shop when we had one. if we wanted something out of the ordinary we just ordered it before the next delivery. pet products do it why cant pest control products? 8-)as long as i can wear my shades
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Post by nick on Nov 11, 2008 9:37:26 GMT 1
The ag market buys rodenticide cheaper than our distrubuters can buy it, so why not tie up.
This could be a future discussion,
What is classed as pest control? Only those who work in domestic properties in Town? No place for Rural Pesters? The ag stores seem to thrive, so why shouldn't a tie up succeed?Price is a consideration but should only be a tiny fraction of your treatment costs, my biggest expenses last year, advertising, then fuel/motor expenses, Pesticides well down my expense list.
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Post by djtim on Nov 11, 2008 18:38:20 GMT 1
When I say break the ag shop/pest control connection I'm talking about the public buying and doing it themselves. I'd like to see ag shops not selling pesticides at all.
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Post by pikestaff on Nov 12, 2008 7:19:24 GMT 1
If there was to be a mobile sales unit travelling the regions would pest controllers be prepared to pay a small percentage extra to have stock etc delivered to their door, after all there would be no travelling cost or lost time incurred by the buyer.
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Post by Phil on Nov 12, 2008 20:55:53 GMT 1
Hi Guys
Re suppliers, I had to get a couple of packs insecticide for a urgent job that come in for bed bugs, duly phoned my normal supplier , sorry we are out of stock, onto number 2 supplier no problem , in stock, paid for next day delivery, did not arrive, phoned number 2 supplier, oops sorry we forgot to put it on next day delivery!, (good job the client had been booked in for the next day) contacted number 3 supplier (the one you have to go through the tunnel in kent to get to it) insecticide arrived @ 08.00 hrs next morning on the dot, the other lot turned up at 14.30 hrs from number two supplier - As you can see everybody has problems sometime. and the agricultural store I now use for my Phostoxin supply, it's cheaper as it is near to me, has never been out of stock, ( no carriage charge ) and carries Herbicide as well, which I use.
I have a loyalty to my number 1 supplier. but at the end of the day my business is pest control, and I have to keep costs down, quality and service up.
I won't buy cheaper products, and to maintain the quality and service I want ,it is, I find better to have a number of suppliers and continually monitor the service they provide and the cost involved to receive the product on time and at a price and time when I need it, I try not to carry any large amounts of stock, which is comparable - once you have given a price to a customer any other delays and or increased chemical prices come out of your profit and service standard.
If my number 1 supplier had a supply chain near me and the service and price structure that worked for me I would be the first one at the door to buy everything - until then I have a good communication link with all my suppliers - but I buy my goods for price, quality and reliability.
Agricultural stores are a part of pest control suppliers and if they continue to provide a good all round service - long may they reign. I look at Competition not as an enemy - it is a service sharpener - Professional pest control is about standard and service,
It works for me
Phil
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Post by djtim on Nov 12, 2008 22:06:29 GMT 1
"Agricultural stores are a part of pest control suppliers and if they continue to provide a good all round service - long may they reign. I look at Competition not as an enemy - it is a service sharpener - Professional pest control is about standard and service, "
My problem with them is that they will sell your Phostoxin and Brodifacoum to anyone who is willing to pay for it regardless of training and when the s**t hits the fan it's the pros that get nailed.
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Post by Phil on Nov 13, 2008 17:35:40 GMT 1
The agricultural store I use have a no account , no current certificates policy and you get no chemicals and are very strict. when I went in to open an account they wanted to know the in and outs of a gnats armpit, checked all the certificates and were on the ball with regs - I was pleasantly surprised.
If you find a good one, it is a another good link in the supplier chain.
ATB Phil
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Post by andyb on Nov 13, 2008 21:44:31 GMT 1
It is worth phoning your local sales manager of your favored company they often have a small stock of product that they can get to you if needed. We are now in that lucky position that we keep good stocks of most of the items we use, however it does happen on occasions we get stuck if we need something a little different. I needed some sort of moth control product, do you remember the days when you could get Rento moth killer in the vapona like containers. I managed to get 50 Rento moth killer strips (Amateur use) from Barrettine the next day. The wardrobe owner was in a slight panic as the textile moth traps had caught 19 Common Clothes moths in a wardrode that housed £90000 worth of Cashmere sweaters. (£1200 each I wont spend that much on sweaters in my lifetime!) Local depots? could they take enough money to make them pay? Agric merchants are stuck in their time warp and only carry the very basic products, no leave things as they are, buy in bulk to get your prices down. Next day delivery only goes wrong when you order last thing at night or need something urgent!, I have had stuff delivered from KG by lunch time that I ordered a at 5.45pm. Did you know KG are still open up until 6.00 PM?
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