Wholesaler question for contractors

DanHolohan

What do you think are the qualities that make for a very good counterperson?

How about for a lousy one?

Have at it.

JohnNY

Let me help you with this.

I deal with one large, busy wholesaler in NYC that has 5 or 6 guys behind the counter at all times. The banter between them is endless and finishing their jokes and telling stories always takes precedence over taking an order or filling one accurately. I realize it's great to provide a friendly work environment and it's wonderful that co-workers get along so well, but you gotta get me and my guys out of the supply house. It's incredibly expensive for us to be there for any amount of time.
Also, at that very same supply house, there is one young counterman who clearly hates my guts. When he sees me his face changes immediately, he stops smiling, and he begins typing aggressively into his computer terminal. I don't why specifically but I haven't given it much thought either. I don't care.

I applaud his professionalism in tending to my order and not letting his emotions or feelings about me get in the way. In fact, it's probably better this way because he can't get me out of there fast enough.

DanHolohan

John, you put me right in that scene. Fascinating human nature! Thanks.

STEVEusaPA

First of all Dan, probably should use counter 'person'...lol
Yeah, get me in and out. You can tell who owns their company and who's a hourly employee. I'm friendly and banter while I'll grabbing what I need and they're ringing me up, but I'm not there for coffee, donuts, and war stories.
Good counter person. Know your stuff, and where it is. Know your inventory. "The computer said we had 3" and I drive there and there are none-doesn't make me happy. If I call and there is only a few left, pull it and set it aside for me.
More toward the company, but stock what's popular (if you have it these days with covid). I need things now, not "it's at the main warehouse and I can have it here in 3 days". I can get it online and sitting on my doorstep in less than 24 hours. That last call was for a Carlin Hydrolevel 3250...in oil country...in the winter. 12 at 20 branches, 200 at the warehouse...grrr.

As far as lousy, that's pretty much universal for any job...not really caring, just there for a paycheck. And stopping their work to talk...talk and work...lol

WMno57

An industry overdue for disruptive change. Why in the year 2022 should a contractor have to go in person to a brick and morter location? The contractor could communicate with a counter person via e-mail and phone, then the parts could be delivered by Uber. Auto parts stores do this for repair shops.
I get that you don't want a tech waiting around on Uber. Why not have a senior tech make an initial visit, diagnose, order parts, then leave. Supply house, Uber, or contractor company driver, deliver parts to a tech dispatch location. Junior tech then makes 2nd visit to jobsite and installs parts.
Need economies of scale to make this work. Maybe a ratio of 1 senior tech to 4 junior techs to keep everyone productive. Keep the high dollar talent doing high dollar work. I would guess the hourly wage and benefit cost of a senior tech is 8 times that of a parts delivery driver.

DanHolohan

Thanks, @STEVEusaPA. Me with four daughters, I should smack myself. Counterperson it is! And with apologies.

DanHolohan

Good stuff, guys. Thanks for playing. The wholesalers are reading this.

jad3675

WMno57 said:

An industry overdue for disruptive change. Why in the year 2022 should a contractor have to go in person to a brick and morter location? The contractor could communicate with a counter person via e-mail and phone, then the parts could be delivered by Uber. Auto parts stores do this for repair shops.
I get that you don't want a tech waiting around on Uber. Why not have a senior tech make an initial visit, diagnose, order parts, then leave. Supply house, Uber, or contractor company driver, deliver parts to a tech dispatch location. Junior tech then makes 2nd visit to jobsite and installs parts.
Need economies of scale to make this work. Maybe a ratio of 1 senior tech to 4 junior techs to keep everyone productive. Keep the high dollar talent doing high dollar work. I would guess the hourly wage and benefit cost of a senior tech is 8 times that of a parts delivery driver.

Wasn't there a story here recently about using a taxi-cab to shuttle the parts from the supplyhouse to the job site? Diagnose, order parts for delivery then go to next house - return when parts have been delivered?

Ah, found it:



John

DanHolohan

Thanks, John!

EBEBRATT-Ed

The counter person is probably not paid much more than you can make at Dunkin Doughnuts or Burger King.

You get what you pay for. Back in the day you could count on each supply house having 1 or 2 that knew their stuff. Now, not so much.

If you go in and don't know exactly what you need you have problems

hot_rod

WMno57 said:

An industry overdue for disruptive change. Why in the year 2022 should a contractor have to go in person to a brick and morter location? The contractor could communicate with a counter person via e-mail and phone, then the parts could be delivered by Uber. Auto parts stores do this for repair shops.
I get that you don't want a tech waiting around on Uber. Why not have a senior tech make an initial visit, diagnose, order parts, then leave. Supply house, Uber, or contractor company driver, deliver parts to a tech dispatch location. Junior tech then makes 2nd visit to jobsite and installs parts.
Need economies of scale to make this work. Maybe a ratio of 1 senior tech to 4 junior techs to keep everyone productive. Keep the high dollar talent doing high dollar work. I would guess the hourly wage and benefit cost of a senior tech is 8 times that of a parts delivery driver.

Porter Pipe in the Chicago area has been using Uber for years. Why tie a box truck upon Chicago traffic for hours to deliver a zone valve, for example. With the app you can see where they are and expected arrival, meet the Uber at the curbside.

A lot of repairs are done in the evening hours in big cities, big buildings, so they have a 24 hour counter.

They also have a big well equipped fab shop available for their customers. Pre fab your jobs, groove, weld, press, etc. They palletize and store until you are ready for delivery.

Like any job, friendly and efficient are good skills to have in counter personal. They are the face of your company.

Imagine knowing every part in the warehouse, how to size and apply it, a huge task that can take years to learn.
It’s good to have different divisions, plumbing, hydronics, HVAC trained staff , also.

Once you get that guy or gal, a competitor hires them away 😚

DanHolohan

That last comment, @hot_rod. Is that widespread, or are you joking a bit? If true, it makes me wonder if the companies appreciate their best people. Thanks.

Illinoisfarmer

While I'm not in your business, I do know a thing or two about 'counterpersons' and what makes some better to work with than others. There are times of the year when I need parts immediately. John's comment above about it being incredibly expensive to be there is spot on for me too. Interestingly, the major ag companies are becoming more and more tech savvy. If I know what I need, John Deere allows me to search inventory on my phone at my dealer first, and if they don't have what I need, at any other dealer, starting with the next closest one.

Last fall, I broke a belt on the combine on one of the few days that we had that was fit to combine beans. In an instant, I was paying 3 truck drivers and a grain cart operator to sit and stare at me while I tried to locate the belt. Rather than sit and squint at my phone, I called the parts counter. The guy that took my call has (like John also mentioned above) not been, shall we say, my biggest fan in the past. He said he'd check to see if they had the belt and call me back. He called back in 5 minutes. They didn't have the belt, but another dealer (one of their competitors) did. My dealer had a tech on his way back to the shop that was close to the other dealer's store. He had the tech stop and pick up the belt - and drop it off at the field where I was broken down. That was far above and beyond what I expected. It didn't cost my dealer more, the belt was just a few hundred dollar sale for them, but it made a huge difference for me.

Today I was working on the planter, getting ready for spring. I know I could have ordered parts from lots of places online, had them tomorrow, and saved a few dollars. I got the parts from the same counter guy. Not saying that I'll do that every time, but they did right by me when I needed them, I feel I need to return the favor.

He had a sheet on the counter today that his son was selling fresh pork ribs for his Boy Scout Troop. I bought 5 racks. That should get me through spring work!

DanHolohan

@Illinoisfarmer, you are a kindred spirit. Thanks for sharing this terrific story. We are family. 

hot_rod

DanHolohan said:

That last comment, @hot_rod. Is that widespread, or are you joking a bit? If true, it makes me wonder if the companies appreciate their best people. Thanks.

Just recently heard of people getting “retention bonuses” employers upping the ante to try and keep their employees from being hired away, by the promise of big sign on bonuses, or other benefits.

Aka poaching employees.

ScottSecor

We have many wholesale accounts, as none of them carry everything we need under one roof. Mnd you that ninety-nine percent of our work is hydronic heating. We have had accounts at many of these suppliers since my father went into business in 1976.

Lke others I prefer a knowledgeable counter person that knows the lingo, knows their inventoty, and gets me or my crew member out the door in a hurry. Donuts, tee-shirts and coffee really don't make us want to go to your counter area more than the competition. As a matter of fact, I'm not that excited at grabbing a donut from a box that was sitting on the counter for the last five hours and every other contractor licked the icing beforee I walked in the door,

Of the seven supply houses we visit the most often, I have three favorites. Two of the these guys have been in the business about as long as I have. One of them is about seventy-five and works part time during the heating season. All three really know the hydronic heating supply buisiness. They actually understand how a commercial gas power burner functions. They know what a firetube boiler is when compared to a watertube boiler. They are not at all cocky. I suspect they are paid well and they should be. I am certain two of them have been received offers from the competition over the years. They seem to rarely take off from work. Others count on them for information and they share it willingly. They go to just about every seminar their company offers (and ask questions). The oldest one actually used to teach boiler control wiring, Fireye and Honeywell combustion controls, and a pnuematic controls class. I have two of their personal phone numbers and have never needed to call them (yet).

Using "door dash" or "Uber-eats" type delivery might be a great idea for our business. The problem is you have to stop what your doing and call in your order, often this invloves making a decision based on whats actually abailable at the supplier. Then you place the order. Then you hope they pull the order, Then you hope they give the driver the correct parts. Then you hope the driver can actualy find you at the jobsite (we don't always park in front of the house, apartment building, church, scholol, etc). In other words, it's not always simple to order and have parts shipped to the boiler room.

One thing we don't like about counter people (and the order takers/inside salespeople) is when they promise they have an item in stock, and when you arrive they don't have it. Another pet peeve is when a homeowner is getting help at the counter and has unlimited questions, when I called an order in and have to wait for a half hour to get my turn. Another thing I find frustrating is some of the counterperson's egos, these people that think they know it all, however they rarely do.

Grey_Hair

There will be a new person entering our trade(s) every day, This new person (helper/apprentice) is taken to many wholesalers by you.  Unfortunately they are to busy thinking about the opposite sex, or on their phones txt’g, or the poor kid is to shy to say boo because you are at your fourth wholesaler trying to get what you need and you ain’t happy cause some guy in front of you is trying to return 20 bucks worth supplies .  .  . (need a return system that is better and faster)
One day you will send that kid to the wholesaler on their own, wouldn’t it be nice if: 
1. The counter people wore name tags and the new helpers could start building relationships with the suppliers that are so important to our success. 
Name Tags - tell me a person you have a great business relationship with, but don’t know their name? Exactly!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Name Tags
2. Why don’t counter people have a financial incentive to get all orders filled ASAP 
3. Why does my salesman get the commission for all my purchases, yet I never talk to him, but I ALWAYS talk to the counter people???
4. Does the counter person like their current management? (Why is it you see the same counter ,people working at different wholesalers?) 
5. I guess we all pay for managements salaries, amazing how they can walk by you without saying hi, so how do they treat counter people that DON’T pay their salaries??? 
6. Dan, it is sad that the wholesaler experience had to be brought up on “heating help”.  Just by starting this thread and reading the recent comments shows why Amazon is growing.
“Most wholesalers luckily don’t have reviews”
Back when I got into the trade, mid 70’s, the counter people knew their products, they explained why you would use this control over that one, and anything new that came out was introduced by the counter person, now those explanations must be obtained  from a company web site, a tech support phone line with a one hour wait time , YouTube videos.
It is because of “product information” that has been lost in the wholesalers supply industry that brought me to heatinghelp.com and for that I will be forever grateful to the wholesalers I deal with. 

EricPeterson

@ScottSecor - I'm a homeowner but have the same desire to get in and out quickly as you pros. I don't tie up the counterperson with questions. There was one plumbing supplier here in Chicago that would not help you unless all the pros had gotten serviced first. It was annoying but I understood.
They have since gone out of business.

Eric Peterson

Robert_25

I think knowledge is #1, but attitude is a close 2nd. About 10 years ago I wrote off one of our local plumbing supply houses because the counter guy was such a jerk. Actually it was tough to get his attention at all, and when you finally did - he was a jerk. Last winter I heard he was gone and they had a new employee that was great. I stopped in to get a few copper fittings and sure enough, as soon as I walked in I heard "good morning, what can we do for you today?" I told him what I needed and it was on the counter in about 15 seconds. What a breath of fresh air - I'll be back.

On a busy day a little understanding from everyone waiting line goes a long way also. Short story -

I recall a day when it was -25F and we had an electrical problem at our farm. 1800 cows with no water, what a way to start the day. Dad and I went to the electrical supply house to get what we needed and were patiently waiting in line. Cocky contractor stepped in front of dad and made the comment "I've got a busy day ahead of me". I suppose the guy just saw a man in farmer's clothes, not a man that spent 5 years building powerlines though the Catskill Mountains, 30 years running a big farm, and had an account at the supply house. Dad was feeling generous and told the man to go ahead. When it was our turn the counter guy apologized on behalf of the jerk in front of us and got us everything we needed. When we walked out to the truck, there was the cocky Contractor with his hood up and a set of jumper cables in his hand. He asked "Can you guys give me a jump?"

Before I could get a word out Dad held up his hand and said "Sorry, we have a busy day ahead of us". We left that guy standing right there contemplating what had just happened.

20 years later my dad is retired and still goes to that same electrical supply house for small stuff. The faces behind the counter have changed, but they still treat him good - and that keeps him out of the box store.

DanHolohan

I love a good karma story! Thanks for sharing this one.

DanHolohan

@Grey_Hairl, soooooo well said. Thanks!

GW

Years ago I bought all my smalls from one vendor (perhaps $2000/mo or so, just guessing). Somehow i managed to get a price on some of the wares from a different co. Hmmm I said. I went back to the loyal co. and asked about it. Crickets, nada. I then went exploring. The pricing gaps for different materials at different vendors is very large. I just learn to know what to buy from this and that vendor. IF the pricing is similar, then I guy from the vendor that offers online commerce or the co. that has better phone etiquette. I could never fathom buying all my stuff from one vendor.

DanHolohan

Thanks, @GW, are you also buying online?

GW

yes Dan