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Decisions to make now
I have been supplying and servicing accounts with winter products for ten years. The mind killer for winter products and service needs is that it can wait until fall or even worse winter. I have yet to find a person that can predict the weather and waiting for winter weather to come is very often financial doom. Now is the time to lock in aggressive pricing and upcoming services before falling into the cycle of vendors charging whatever they want due to immediate needs on your part. There is also the delivery time frames that most often never matches your needs. I sell so many items made out of steel that the timing with the steel mills is key for me to buy and key for you to purchase. The decision to take control of the products you require at prices below the winter season is now. Now as the buyer you have more control over the purchasing process, waiting until later puts you and your organization into the vendor's agenda. Calvin Jay Garner SR
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Comment
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Comment by Calvin Jay Garner SR on July 21, 2010 at 7:11am -
If there ever is a time to shop and lock in winter services it is before the winter season. We as vendors cannot predict the weather either so our incentive is to secure some accounts now. As I always inform my accounts, feel free to negotiate with me.
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Comment by SnowMan on July 20, 2010 at 11:35pm -
Calvin - I think in this economy - or is it - in this new reality the eventual purchaser or user of the products and services you sell will wait until they absolutely need to make a purchase. Let's face it, cash flow is king and they do not want to put out any money unless there is an absolute need. If you do not offer any incentive to purchase before the season and you offer the same service then as now then you really don't give them a reason to buy. Maybe your users consider good "customer service" the same as a hefty discount to purchase now versus later?
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Comment by Calvin Jay Garner SR on July 20, 2010 at 10:23am
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Gary, I look at my position first as a provider of customer service before anything else. I know the pressures my buyers are constantly in due to the issues you have mentioned. They are expected to have product on the ground but are given no budget to make it happen. They know what products should be available but no one else sees the need, until it is needed. I work with my accounts to help them get their wish lists quoted and then I give them all the information I can so they can in turn try to educate their upline. Sad to say some people will not use good information and offen it relates to poor management which I am helpless to help my buyers with. For all that have the ability to lock in their prices they should do so. For the buyers that have to fight to get their job done I promise to fight with them. Calvin
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Comment by Gary Prawdzik on July 20, 2010 at 9:22am -
Great point Calvin,
But let me ask you this: In your opinion, do you feel there is a correlation between waiting for winter weather and issues like lack of time, lack of paying attention or would it be more along the lines of lack of personnel available due to cut backs, or does it simply come down to nothing more than a basic seasonal issue?
I'd like to hear more of your thoughts on this. For me, it seems it could be a combination of all of these things.
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