Discontinued corner samples...whose responsibility?

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DB

DB

SGF, Supreme Grumble Framer
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Just chatted with a moulding rep and an interesting point came up. They (Company A)had hired a new rep(Let's call her X), and one of her accounts was PO'd because X missed removing a sample from their wall that was discontinued. The moulding had actually been discontinued long before X began working for Company A, so she would not have recognized it as one of 'hers' anyway, by sight. There was some question as to whether moulding reps should pick up EVERY sample on the wall in a shop and check the back...I say that's INSANE!!! As a shop owner, especially now that there are so many POS systems available, I feel like it is entirely MY responsibility to keep up with discontinueds. If a customer is in a huge time crunch, I call and check availability anyway.

Thoughts?
 
Yep - the buck stops here .....


There is no way to confirm any mouldings availability unless you call in an order inquiry from any of our suppliers. Its just the way things are in just about any industry. Even then there could be supplier problems:

a miscount
unsalable goods in their inventory
misplaced inventory
delay from their supplier
shrinkage in their inventory
acts of God.


There is just no way to "Guarantee" it will arrive on a specific date... when the actual activity is done by a "third person"
 
Well, it should show up in the POS as being missing, and the POS vendors should all have that function in their software. I give a lot of credit to Larson-Juhl, because in addition to that, I get regular notices from them about mouldings that are being discontinued. In fact, every vendor should send out a list of discontinueds, so that we can pull them from the walls before showing them to a customer.
 
When did YOUR WALL and YOUR SAMPLES in YOUR SHOP become the rep's responsibility?

I haven't heard of a vendor that doesn't send out a list of discontinued items.....

If you think that sorting through your 5,871 corners to find those three samples..... then maybe you need to rethink how you "keep track" of those samples....

I have spoken about an easy way to track vendors at a glance about a half dozen times on this forum, and twice in classes..... every time I have heard nothing but bellyaching about it being "way to much work" or "oh, that would look very ugly".

POSs have been around for well over 20 years. If you don't have one.... then ordering a discontinued moulding/mat is your universe telling you something.

I'm the vendor's representative. I will tell/show you things that are new, you can pick my brain about many things.
If you need help about a concept or skill set, you have my cell number.... and you can ask my wife how many times I have been called during dinner and I have taken the time to walk a framer through a project 2,000 miles away.

The company sends all of the POS companies lists of things that are discontinued. They also mail out lists for weeks at a time. You can even go on some websites and down load the list for discontinued stock going back years.

Your mother let go of the back of your bicycle years ago.

This isn't about my being a hard nose, this isn't about tough love.... it's about YOU being in business. In days gone by, the owner even washed their own toilet........ OK, well, some of the owners.
 
I have run into this recently. An LJ moulding hat we sold on a Saturday and ordered monday didn't show as disc, but there were 0 feet in stock and no reorder scheduled. It was still online and in my database as being a good number. I called my rep to byatch. He didn't even know it was a goner. He told me it would be included in the next disc list. Lota good that did me.
 
It’s our responsibility, not the reps. I don’t mind if she culls samples since she knows what she’s looking for – it saves a bit of time.

I do want to see the discontinued items on a list, though, and I’ll always check to see if she got them all so I can adjust my price lists.
 
Eh, I can't imagine that being a big deal. What I can't stand happened over the last two weeks. Ordered a moulding two weeks ago and got it. Needed more so I ordered it this week and it's gone - forever. I really can't stand retro-active out of stock notices. It's the industry standard but I dislike it.

On the subject, I've been in business almost 7 years and to date I've never had a single rep go through my wall and check the samples. They've casually looked around for any hanging that are gone but never such a specific search that I had any confidence we had them all.
 
One thing that would be appreciated would be a picture on the disc list. Do you know off the top of your head what a LJ 400617 is? I don't either. This would help a lot to cull out the disc mouldings. BTW Baer, I don't see disc lists from any of my moulding suppliers unless I beg for them and that IS the reps fault.
 
Baer Charlton said:
... I haven't heard of a vendor that doesn't send out a list of discontinued items ...
Click to expand...

You don't do business with AMPF then, I guess. Even if you ask for a DQ'd list it won't be correct and my AMPF rep has no clue what's DQ'd. He basically knows what's new and what they're pushing right now.

There are a couple of others than I have an account with, buy occasionally from, ... have never recieved a DQ list.

I own my walls. I expect an email or written list as soon as they know, so I can take care of it. If a rep comes in and sees something that's gone (or going) I am very grateful if they pull it from my wall.

I DON'T WANT DQ'd on my walls. Even finding out when the POS barfs on it, is too late! I'm typing it in the POS because the customer likes it!
 
FrameMakers said:
One thing that would be appreciated would be a picture on the disc list. Do you know off the top of your head what a LJ 400617 is? I don't either. This would help a lot to cull out the disc mouldings. BTW Baer, I don't see disc lists from any of my moulding suppliers unless I beg for them and that IS the reps fault.
Click to expand...

That's why I grab the DQ'd list and the catalog when it comes in and check them off while looking at the catalog.

And, I agree, the rep should make sure all their accounts have the DQ list as soon as it's available.

Baer, sorry, they all don't.
 
Oh, and a new price list does not count as a discontinued list. A discontinued list shows only the mouldings that are no longer available.
 
I always thought Amy, my Roma rep was good. Now I know she is. Last time we visited, she even asked for my Roma Catalog, and she even went through and crossed off every item that was discontinued, just to make sure. That is being thorough.

However, accurate samples are my responsibility, not my rep's. My reps are not on my payroll... but they certainly do help.

For one supplier, I always call to verify before I take an order, because I know they are making many changes, but their website list has been accurate, so I have not had a problem.

For another supplier, who was out of stock 80% of the time [that is what they say instead of discontinued], I have taken care of the problem by ordering somewhere else.
 
Cliff Wilson said:
And, I agree, the rep should make sure all their accounts have the DQ list as soon as it's available.

Baer, sorry, they all don't.
Click to expand...

Cliff,
Please supply me with the list of reps that are not up to snuff..... we'll beat them up in the Tempo Lounge as entertainment at WCAF.

But seriously, this is why I'm so happy repping with WilliamsonCo.com. As they decide not to reorder a poor performer, they throw it over into the "discontinued" folder on their website, and whack the price to move it.... as well as notifications via email which can give you the picture.

Garrett, I just don't need to worry about DQs.... because they don't.

Frank . . . well, he pulls his hair when the mfgs DQ and sends out an email and notices as he can. I just carry a wad of everything DQed from the last 2 years, and try to glean what I can.

Speaking only for the three that I rep.... they are more than happy to send out notices and follow-ups via e-mail blasts... if you make sure they have your email address.
 
I disagree. The best reps do a quick walk through when they come and they pull off discontinued samples. And yes, I think it is part of thier job.

Getting lists of discontinued items is not all that helpful to us because no one has time to pour through catalogues to identify the mouldings. The POS takes care of this at the design table, but we need to get them off the wall before the customer falls in love with one. An illustrated list would really help or a web page with photos as Baer mentions.

The Roma rep goes through the catalogue for us as well.
 
My Decor rep tries her best to snatch discontinued corners from my walls but it never fails - the ones she misses are the ones the customers fall in love with!
 
FrameMakers said:
One thing that would be appreciated would be a picture on the disc list. Do you know off the top of your head what a LJ 400617 is? I don't either. This would help a lot to cull out the disc mouldings. BTW Baer, I don't see disc lists from any of my moulding suppliers unless I beg for them and that IS the reps fault.
Click to expand...
I agree, there should be a photo with the discontinued list from any vendor. We print out the listing from LS but going thru 2k mouldings is quite an ordeal. The only rep we have seen lately is LJ and Bill always takes off the wall what's discontinued.
On that thought,
Happy Holidays.
Uta
Island Art Gallery
 

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Photos would be nice!

As for reps doing this, you guys obviously get a lot more visits than I do too, so perhaps it's easier for you to rely on them. I don't. Here's how often I see mine in my shop:


AMPF - about 3 times a year
Arquati - was about 6 times a year, then 2, now with merger...?
Cash - twice a year
Colonial/International - twice a year
Crossroads - once a year
Decor - never
Delta - never
Framing Suppliers - once a year
Larson - never
Marchesoni - once every 2 years
Michaelangelo - never
Omega - never
Peacock - never
Rustic - never
Singleton - never
Studio - once a year
UFP - never


With the way mouldings come and go, there's no way I could rely on vendors to maintain my wall even if I wanted to.
 
It would be easy enough for vendors to email a list and photos or to at least post it on their website, if they have one, if not, come on get with it.

But I think whatever is up on your walls is your responsibility.
 
Google or Bing them.

JWB9999999 said:
Photos would be nice!

As for reps doing this, you guys obviously get a lot more visits than I do too, so perhaps it's easier for you to rely on them. I don't. Here's how often I see mine in my shop:


AMPF - about 3 times a year
Arquati - was about 6 times a year, then 2, now with merger...?
Cash - twice a year
Colonial/International - twice a year
Crossroads - once a year
Decor - never
Delta - never
Framing Suppliers - once a year
Larson - never
Marchesoni - once every 2 years
Michaelangelo - never
Omega - never
Peacock - never
Rustic - never
Singleton - never
Studio - once a year
UFP - never


With the way mouldings come and go, there's no way I could rely on vendors to maintain my wall even if I wanted to.
Click to expand...

JBW-niner, I get even fewer calls than that...I have had a time even getting a rep on the phone. My LJ rep is on the phone only (no looking at my wall or my cute face). I am growing my framing business and opening new accounts quite often since my hauntings here on the G, and I have to maintain where and how to put up all the wall (one rep did offer to help sort and set up after the construct was finished, cool cat!...does't know I am soooo calling him on that). If I need to match a discontinue to a pic that is what google is for, for the bigger companies it does work!

And Baer, I still clean my own toilet here at the shop! I just can't get the scottie dog to do it!
 
There's your problem Cathy.... it's a Scottie; "Emperors of the Universe".

A Lab would have it's shining every day.

JWB-9er..... you can become one of my accounts anytime.... then add three more company's where a vendor's rep never disturbs you're work flow. :D
 
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