Okay. Let's get ready to GRRRRRRRRRRRRUMBLE!

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Marc Lzier

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Maybe I sholda titled the topic title as:
"Things that can just **** you off?"

I made (one of many) orders with vendors on Monday. All local. Meaning: by UPS or Pac Mes, or WPX or whatever, it is next day.

Each of the vendors said it will go out that day, and be there tomorrow.

Needless to say, One did not. It arrived today.

After it arrived I gave the vendor a call. Maybe the delivery service was slow. No. The vendor did indeed ship it on Tues, and not Mon, as they had promised.

Now: A) What you have liked to hear?
and B) WWYD?
and C) What do you think the vendor actually said?
 
Okay. So here's another pisser.

On Monday I made an order from a Vendor that delivers. I am on the route for Wed and Fri del.

I ordered 4 boxes of one profile (about 480 feet total), and about 12 other assorted profiles totaling to about 200 feet or so.

I am pretty hot to trot on the box mldg. Because the order is due Friday. I got confirmation it was in stock, and got transferred to the warehouse that would do the delivery, and asked if I could be on the Tues run instead of Wed. They said, no deal. Fine. I will get the material on Wed, and be ready to rock and roll. Truck comes today (we are at the end of the run. and they deliver at about 4:30), and there are only 2 boxes of the 4.

Huh?

Did they call with an O/S? Did the message not get to me?

I call the vendor, and they say, I did not get a call?

It is in stock, and they will be able to deliver it on the Friday run.

DAAAAAAAAAAAANK !

No. Sorry. You messed up. The truck comes too late in the day to make the frames. I insist on special Thurs Del. Or a Fri early AM del. I talk to the warehouse to press the issue.

DAAAAAAAAAAAAAANK!!

As it turns out, it was phantom footage in the warehouse. I did not get a call, because the person who does the calling had those days off.

DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANK!!!

If I had been told on Monday or Tues, I could have made arrangements to get the material from another location, or another vendor. But I only find out at 4:30 on Wed. Of course they will be glad to ship it Thurs from another location, to arrive Fri.

DOH!

If they ship it thaze got'st to cutz' it.

Double DOH (or DOH DOH!!)

Well that sends my yield all to **** .

I press for chop at length price, and red label overnight, AM del. (remember this is 2 boxes of about 250 ft, needing to be cut into 25 frames)

Fine.

But none of this would be needed if I just got a phone call.

That takes care of this order. But this company will really need to work to get my biz or keep my biz.

With the first grumble, I only called to inform them of the service, as the order was not time sensitive. With the hopes future improved customer service, or at least an awareness of the problem. The order did not put a tint or a taint.

With this issue, it was stated as time sensitive from the moment the order was made. With the first company, at least the whole order came, and I had been informed about O/S issues.

Of course I will now need to be on the phone in the morning to see if it is, or is not phantom footage in the other warehouse and see if I need to make a plan 'C.'




[This message has been edited by Marc Lzier (edited December 13, 2001).]
 
I find it odd that **** (p i s s), will get auto-edit by The Grumble Polite Police, and show up as **** , but yet, pisser does not get auto-edit to ****er.

But I digress. . .
 
Would not true Grumbling include naming the company?

Isn't being able to Grumble publicly one of the strongest levers we have to promote change within these computerized bureaucratic organizations?

Just some thoughts, I realize you are not in a good position to take a public shot at a company, due to your affiliation with PFM but I wish you could.

I can't imagine going a whole month without some sort of a supplier screw up. I guess it's all part of our industry and we just have to live with it.

John
 
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by JRB:
Would not true Grumbling include naming the company?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

In this case, I have, and am, in contact with the companies about the problems. I don't think an exact name is needed.

If I were not able to reach anyone at all, in any way, aside from the option of just washing my hands of the company, I would post the names, just to be a meanie.

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>from JRB:
Isn't being able to Grumble publicly one of the strongest levers we have to promote change within these computerized bureaucratic organizations?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I can still get bad service from a company with little bureaucracy, and no computers.

The problem still comes down to the three legged stool that everyone on the grumble, as a framer, takes turns sitting on.
Quality, Service, Price.

I don't mind a pay'n for service and quality. But you can bet your bippy that if the service and/or quality begin to slip I will, at first, assume it is an anomally. But, of course, if it is a trend, I will either request the price be lowered to be comensurate with the new level of service and quality, or just bolt. There are pleny other vendor fish in the sea. Just to see what is out there we on tried on 5 new vendors (in the past 6 mos to year), just to see the fit. We are very pleased with out new fabric vendor. As are we with our new board and supplies vendor, and have totally dropped the old sources. With the 3 mldg vendors: One we removed (see grumble on 50% of crap is still crap). One we are still in trial/looksee. And the other, after seeing customer interest, design, quality, price and service, all at the right levels, we have opted for the full line. (of course sumthun had to go to make space for this new stuff).

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>and JRB sez:
Just some thoughts, I realize you are not in a good position to take a public shot at a company, due to your affiliation with PFM but I wish you could.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Believe it or not, but PFM has gotten it's share of vendors who have called and "had issues."

In one case the vendor did not want me to speak of thier product anymore.

In the other: The vendor called PFM to ask if they had seen what I had posted on The Grumble.

I got my butt chewed out both times. But I am always up for a good butt chew'n. And if something is important. . . . And even the not so importnat . . .

As it goes I am not paid by vendors, I am paid by my customers. I don't get a kickback for any plugs. And I return any equipment (of value).

But I digress . . .

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>and more from JRB:
I can't imagine going a whole month without some sort of a supplier screw up.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

There are minor screw ups, major screw ups, and habitual/continual screw ups (both minor or major).

I can live with the minor and majors. It's the continual that make for a vendor change.

Either the vendor changes, or I need to change.

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>and JRB wraps up with:
I guess it's all part of our industry and we just have to live with it.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Or any industry for that matter

marc
 
Marc, I did not mean to imply you, personally, were getting any consideration from vendors, due to your position with PFM.

I'm sorry if it sounded that way.

I had noticed in the letters section of PFM, several months ago, a person was clearly complaining about Larson Juhl's policy of not selling home based any longer. PFM edited out LJs name. Heck, if I owned PFM, I would do the same thing. ( I think )

I know your a stand up guy, from you column and talking to you on the phone, you say it like it is.

John
 
Sympathy a-plenty, I faxed orders out on Sunday. Out of the five that I sent the four big orders arrived on Wednesday while the smaller order (from those who claim to be the biggest and the "bestest") is not likely to be dispatched until Friday.
 
Hi Marc! Let me be the first to say"Welcome to the "CLUB"! I have a vendor here on the East coast (that is also on the Left coast)(OMEGA Moulding)that constantly does things like this and offers no explanation. Why do I deal with them you ask?. Because stupid, their mouldings sell!!! Although less and less lately, we have had an account with them for 27 years!!My most recent experience was with a new line of moulding......it took a meeting with my sales person and two weeks before delivery of corner samples.......and then a few days to check pricing before the corner samples got on the wall.......I then sold it to a customer for an original piece of artwork that was 65" x 99". Of course I needed to hang it and it needed to be in her dining room by Thanksgiving!!I oredered the footage and was told that it was not stocked YET!!This after all the 2 weeks of waiting for the samples and the week it took me to put the samples on the wall!!! Face it , our suppliers have us over a barrel and they know it and they don't give a rats ass!! They have , you need , and if you want it you'll put up with the pisses!
 
I've got one, I placed an order with Bay Moulding on Wed., I ordered one item.

They said it was a special group of mouldings and I had to order a minimum of 40' or order a chop.

In other words, in order for me to get the project out, I have to spend a premium.

The moulding was no bargain, $1.57 per foot for a 3/4 inch gray distressed, I needed enough for a 9" X 12" frame.

I know how I'm going to solve the problem, I'm tossing samples.

If they had a sales rep., I would have that person pull the "special" samples only.

As I need wall space for new samples from other company's, Bay will be the ones making space for them.

If it wasn't for that "special" program, I would be happy with Bay Mouldings.

John
 
I love the Roma catalogue and love to sell Roma profiles.

Why can't Roma update their catalogue on a reasonably periodic timetable?

And why do they discontinue moulding so often?

Like the "naked cherubs" Remember them? Little naked cherubs dancing hand in hand around the profile.

Customers loved that one and suddenly, ain't there no mo"

Meanwhile, they introduce new lines but they don't appear in the catalogue and they don't send supplements.

Whazzupwidat?

And this is no inexpensive line to carry.

Seems they could do better.

------------------
Michael LeCompte CPF
The Great Frame Up
 
Michael:

I love the Roma websight. The last time that I looked at it, it still had 'New for Spring 2000' line of moulding.
On the bright side... I just recieved a Roma year 2002 supplement complete with new Canadian prices without even asking. It's a miniature version of their catalogue. There's some REALLY nice new stuff in there that I'm dying to get my hands on.

Nikki
 
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by tnframer408:
I love the Roma catalogue and love to sell Roma profiles.

Like the "naked cherubs" Remember them? Little naked cherubs dancing hand in hand around the profile.

Meanwhile, they introduce new lines but they don't appear in the catalogue and they don't send supplements.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>


I hated to chop that moulding. Something a little creepy about severing a cherub head.

(I was told that that moulding was copied from a moulding that originally was designed to adorn infants' coffins. Eeeeeggg.)

I would love to have supplements as well, but my guess is that the production/printing cost at the level of the catalog is prohibitive.
 
Paul & Nikki:

Well DUH!!! Why didn't I think of that? Going on their website is a great idea. Thanx for the tip. BUT--I got a sneaky idea that Roma may service the Canadian market perhaps more effectively than the US market??? Just an idea.

ANOTHER GRUMBLE TO RUMBLE

How about Bainbridge and Crescent, who give you new mat samples, have the suppliers sell them, then don't supply anyone with sample catalogues of all those new colors?

And yeah, they may have a website, but who has time to look that up when a customer is here?

------------------
Michael LeCompte CPF
The Great Frame Up
 
I have had some measure of redemption from my vendor(the second one, not the first one).

The goods did indeed arrive UPS today, and were shipped yesterday.

They even dealt with an unforeseen problem without dropping the ball.

The warehouse that had enough material (on the books), and was to fulfill the order, did not (in reality) have enough material to cut the 25 frames.

The other warehouse, realizing they were short, found material at another location, and made arrangements for it to get to me from there.

So this morning, I got one UPS shipment from Warehouse "B" with 20 frames, and another UPS shipment from Warehouse "C" with 5 frames.

I am glad they went the extra mile to make sure the order went as planned. (But then again, the mile would not have had to been gone, had someone gone a yard to a phone on Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday.)

There was, however, . . . one wrinkle.

I the shipments arrived COD and not on terms, as they were supposed to. OOOPPS. Guess I couldn't expect all to go as planned. I will live with it. I got the frames I needed, and would still need to pay for them eventually.

As it turns out, my Rep dropped in today too.
 
TennFramer, fc, and P&N,
I do realize the downside of a company that takes more risks, and introduces to cool stuff, will also have more stuff that become dogs.

The discons are a bummer.

This is the price of fashion.

As for the cherubs. I loved them too, but they were one of those frames I kept on the wall, where the customer always said "Oh, that cute . . . I don't know what I'd use it on . . . Wow, you really do have a neat selection, with some different stuff . . . I'll use this (boring) one."

Inotherwords: The cherubs was a "draw" frame. Much like the 'squiggles', 'dinosaur skin', and the 'Galileo planetary' ones are.

Just my odd take on things.
 
Marc:
I think they discontinued the squiggles too.

At least I seem to recall the squiggles that surround you in your photo. that's the one I think they discontinued.

And how about those beautiful LaMarche fruitana? Huge 4" jobbies, priced out at about $60 per foot.

Gone without a trace.

------------------
Michael LeCompte CPF
The Great Frame Up
 
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Marc Lzier:

This is the price of fashion.

As for the cherubs. I loved them too, but they were one of those frames I kept on the wall, where the customer always said "Oh, that cute . . . I don't know what I'd use it on . . . Wow, you really do have a neat selection, with some different stuff . . . I'll use this (boring) one."

Inotherwords: The cherubs was a "draw" frame. Much like the 'squiggles', 'dinosaur skin', and the 'Galileo planetary' ones are.

Just my odd take on things. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Mark, not an odd take at all. Probably 3 - 5% of my line of 2000+ mouldings are for show. If I sell one of them it's a bonus. Clients look at our wall and say they've never seen such a diverse group of moulding styles. They OOH and AAH over the selections (Their subconcious is telling them that if WE don't have the right frame for their art, NO ONE DOES!) Finally they verbalize this thought, practically gushing about our samples. Who am I to argue with my clients? Afterall, "The Customer is always right". (As a matter of fact, the sales people that come to my showroom from moulding companies also commend us on our displays.) In the meantime, I'll continue to devote 3 - 5% of my display area for customer satisfaction and eventual loyalty. Someone once said 80% of your sales come from 20% of your product. I think this an accurate estimate. The other 20% has to be from something, a portion of it it might as well be from >$60.00 a foot mouldings!
wink.gif




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curlyframer, CPF
 
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