Keeping track of merchants

[southcoastboile]

Just wondered if anyone has a good system for making sure all the fittings/parts you use actually get invoiced to a customer e.g if your employees pick them up.

also does anyone have a good system for price checking fittings and material costs every month?

 

[tamz]

Employ a lassie in the office. Use order numbers specific to each job and get the merchant to ring you to confirm the price is in accordance with your terms.

 

[southcoastboile]

What do you get the merchant to ring you on every job?

 

[tamz]

They ring the office to get the order number and the prices are checked against the terms on the computer.

 

[southcoastboile]

So I take it you have a list of terms for every part on the computer then?
That's a good idea doing it that way. Im gunna do that from now on. Thanks tamz

 

[Ray Stafford]

Or you could just use a merchant that only has one price, and therefore never overcharges anyone. (Or at least, overcharges everyone equally!)

We are a an equal opportunity highwayman.

 

[northcarr]

Yes that's my number one moan about merchants the fact everyone gets a different price I think plumbfix has the right idea with a catalogue with the price in they may not be the best in the word but at least you know where you stand.I priced a shower at a certain large merchant last yr £40 cheaper on eBay the funny thing was when it was deliverd it was the same merchant that supplied it .

 

[Ray Stafford]

I priced a shower at a certain large merchant last yr £40 cheaper on eBay the funny thing was when it was deliverd it was the same merchant that supplied it .

Happens all the time.

Funny when you save the £40, not so funny when you take your merchant price in good faith to quote and your customer shoves the ebay price up your nose.

 

[southcoastboile]

I'm getting sick of merchants trying to add stupid mark ups on stuf. I have gone through about 4 with a monthly spend of 3 to 8k. If one of them made a small mark up and was honest they would keep my business. I even tell them that and they still don't do it! Grrrr winds me up

 

[SimonG]

Happens all the time.

Funny when you save the £40, not so funny when you take your merchant price in good faith to quote and your customer shoves the ebay price up your nose.

Ah but thats when I ask them if the computer is smart enough to fit it.

 

[Ermintrude]

We have terms set at merchants if u buy something and merchant has increased price or invoices you too much. . Refuse to pay account in full and stop using them for a few weeks till rep comes to see u an drops terms . Soon miss your money . Have spread sheets and have common parts in first column , merchants have price against each fitting boiler and screw. Although cheapest is not always best. We only use Yorkshire none of this Chinese end feed rubbish or altec Yorkshire pretend stuff. Best way to control spend at merchants is don't led lads buy from them. Keep stock at offices/ yard

Buying five elbows and a length of tube at a time is stupid... Costs you more to buy more to process accounts and time for lads to doss about going to merchants. If they haven't got basics on van and can't do job because too lazy to stock up day before well it's bye bye bonus , flat rate for u this week.

 

[Nostrum]

Good point really, the amount of wasted time picking gear up. Maybe a set van stock with list of parts. Tick off as you go along, restock every week from store also means you see who's booking out the most gear on a weekly basis. Anything not on van stock gets an order number from office before being booked out.

You can then shop around for best prices for your store.

You'll never have every last fitting you need on vans, but managing what's on the vans means they are carrying around a set value stock, not carrying excessive stock either which someone else could be using without you buying.

Last company I worked for wound up and the value of the stock that came out the vans at the end was unreal, most of it unaccounted for and no easy way to trace or return. Surprisingly mine had very little in the back when it went back?

 

[lame plumber]

some people like to use the run to the merchants to make more off the customer, I prefer to carry as much as I can on the van, get the job done, use a better mark up and move onto the next job. You make more money that way in the long term, however I do work just for me
My merchant issues a collection note including vat on all sales and also emails the invoice to you the night of the day the sale occurred, couldnt be simpler in my mind.

 

[PlumbersMate]

Good point really, the amount of wasted time picking gear up. Maybe a set van stock with list of parts. Tick off as you go along, restock every week from store also means you see who's booking out the most gear on a weekly basis. Anything not on van stock gets an order number from office before being booked out.

You can then shop around for best prices for your store.

You'll never have every last fitting you need on vans, but managing what's on the vans means they are carrying around a set value stock, not carrying excessive stock either which someone else could be using without you buying.

Last company I worked for wound up and the value of the stock that came out the vans at the end was unreal, most of it unaccounted for and no easy way to trace or return. Surprisingly mine had very little in the back when it went back?

We have a set stock on our van, and have to re visit office a set day every week to restock, the amount of gear I carry on my van is crazy but its a very good system

 

[chris watkins]

some people like to use the run to the merchants to make more off the customer, I prefer to carry as much as I can on the van, get the job done, use a better mark up and move onto the next job. You make more money that way in the long term, however I do work just for me
My merchant issues a collection note including vat on all sales and also emails the invoice to you the night of the day the sale occurred, couldnt be simpler in my mind.

Arr, a man after my own hart !! I just don't understand those that don't carry van stock.

 

[Destroyer2813]

We have a set stock on our van, and have to re visit office a set day every week to restock, the amount of gear I carry on my van is crazy but its a very good system

Wanna drop some round

 

[tamz]

So I take it you have a list of terms for every part on the computer then?
That's a good idea doing it that way. Im gunna do that from now on. Thanks tamz

Thats the wifes job. She's doing nothing all else except thinking what to cook for dinner and she can type like as fast as i can speak.
Get your merchant (every merchant, never use only one, use them all and play them against each other) to print off your terms (on everything, they can easily do it) then set up a thing in excel.
Once the initial set up is done, like anything on a computer, updating it is easy.
When you have comparable figures on all your merchants it then becomes easier to negotiate even better terms as a glance across the columns tells you who is selling x brand cheaper. Push them all for better prices and always dangle carrots.
You know you are on the right track when out of frustration they spin the screen round and tell you (allegedly according to head office) they can't buy it for that.
Different merchants get different deals from the manu's. You just need to learn how to shop.

Buy your tube in the 100's of meters and always shop around. Don't go overboard as the price of copper is quite volatile but always have a stock. It's swings and roundabouts but you will go through it quickly anyway.
Buy your fittings in bulk (by the 1000) from the internet, BES and others are much usually cheaper if you can be bothered to spend a but time looking but if you can hit a deal from a rep desperate for sales you win a watch.
I bought literally 10's of 1000's of fittings years ago from a place that was closing down for something like 1k cash (straight into the reps pocket no doubt). I had so many fittings i honestly had nowhere to put the boxes. At one point i thought i'll ask around if anyone wants to buy some then though naw i'll use them and if i die my kids can scrap them. 10 years or so later i was shocked when i ran out of elbows and had to buy them.
Now the only things left in boxes are 15mm unions and 22mm tees but i'll use then before i die or i throw my tools away.

As others have said make sure the vans always have a stock that will cover 90% of jobs but there are many out there doing work carrying no stock just to make up the bill for travelling time for the extra cash. Not my thing but everyone is different.

Btw on an 8k monthly spend you should be on an invite (at least the shortlist) to every freebie that is on offer.
Golf outings , bowling nights, curry nights, sporting days, sha g aways, a wee trip on the orient express for you and the misses (with another 20 plumbers on the brandy and port) 5 day **** up to magaluff etc. The cost is spread well across the manu's more these days. You need to get in the "zone" :smile:
They are a bit tighter than they used to be but still on offer if you get in there and if you can keep a party going you'll get invited even if you spend a tenner (well maybe a bit more :smile.
I need to get to bed :lol: