Fittings

[Puddle]

In my experience, Travis getting involved with anything is not good news

Travis bought a plumbing chain in south London called B&G,few years back,made part of City plumbing brand, was really busy good merchants, within a few months of them taking over, lost most of its trade customers, who went else were,along with a lot of the staff, outlets were and are now dead, I closed my account after many years as got treat like they were doing you a favour giving you a account and letting you use them, I used to get a 2% discount, if bill paid within 7 days, scraped that, saying prices good anyway and then put everything up,when I stoped using them ,they sent me a 5% discount vouchor,to try to get me back but checking prices ,they were still more expensive,I just moved on to another independent and the internet

The same thing will probably happen to existing pts trade customers, prices will increase and service drop, they forget pts customer base is price driven and try to increase price, thinking trade will still use, but they will not

What I will say is if they take over, double check your monthly statements and any agreed prices you have in Branch as they are known for trying it on and charging out at premium rates hoping to get away with it,you end up having to go into your local supplier and sort out and you will need more than the 5 mins mentioned for chill out !

Also can not understand why they can not even pick thier own shop fitting scheme,they use the same as plumb center ??

In my honest opinion only

ps.. my favourite fitting is a enfeed street elbow for some reason ,maybe coz when I started out ,we were not allowed to use them because they were to expensive,it still seems like a treat to use

 

[Dannypipe]

Sound advise Tamz. We have to do everything we can these days.

My wife is pregnant with our second, and prob won't go back to work after baby....she's got the skills and patience for that sort of thing. I just get lost in the figures.

As you say, I never even question the price of what I buy unless it's a boiler, cylinder etc. I guess I should sharpen me act up!!

In my experience, Travis getting involved with anything is not good news

Travis bought a plumbing chain in south London called B&G,few years back,made part of City plumbing brand, was really busy good merchants, within a few months of them taking over, lost most of its trade customers, who went else were,along with a lot of the staff, outlets were and are now dead, I closed my account after many years as got treat like they were doing you a favour giving you a account and letting you use them, I used to get a 2% discount, if bill paid within 7 days, scraped that, saying prices good anyway and then put everything up,when I stoped using them ,they sent me a 5% discount vouchor,to try to get me back but checking prices ,they were still more expensive,I just moved on to another independent and the internet

The same thing will probably happen to existing pts trade customers, prices will increase and service drop, they forget pts customer base is price driven and try to increase price, thinking trade will still use, but they will not

What I will say is if they take over, double check your monthly statements and any agreed prices you have in Branch as they are known for trying it on and charging out at premium rates hoping to get away with it,you end up having to go into your local supplier and sort out and you will need more than the 5 mins mentioned for chill out !

Also can not understand why they can not even pick thier own shop fitting scheme,they use the same as plumb center ??

In my honest opinion only

ps.. my favouate fitting is a enfeed street elbow for some reason ,maybe coz when I started out ,we were not allowed to use them because they were to expensive,it still seems like a treat to use

Oh dear...well that doesn't sound to positive!!

My favourite fitting is a 22mm Yorkshire coupling - use it in a verticle joint. Pure indulgance!!!!! HA HA!!!

 

[oldplumber]

ill be happy to see the back of pts locally, all to much hassle to get an account fm the local counter, city and travis look after me well so no complaints there, norally down to poor managers locally when things go sour

 

[Dannypipe]

I guess it's all horses for courses. My lot are pretty helpful. So I hope they keep their jobs, but if they don't I'll just move down the road. That's life I guess!

 

[tamz]

In my experience, Travis getting involved with anything is not good news

ps.. my favourite fitting is a enfeed street elbow for some reason ,maybe coz when I started out ,we were not allowed to use them because they were to expensive,it still seems like a treat to use

You must have served your time in the same type of shop as me. Had heard of them but never saw one until i was 45 I used to love bumping into a meter fitter and getting a load of the meter tails off him. just the right spacing for the motorised valves.
Keep thinking i should buy some of those crossovers as they would be handy but i then think why should i when i can bend it in 10 seconds

I agree with you on the Travis takeover. I'm not sure it will be for the best and PTS (if the brand survives) will probably suffer.
I am a personal friend with our regional manager of PTS, known him since he worked on the counter, and he is very wary of how it may go. Time will tell.

Danny

Put her on your books if she is not claiming anything and pay her £95/week (paper exercise, no tax or NI payable). That is £4940 a year off your profits so you save on the tax. Talk to you accountant.

For all you other guys

Get to know the managers of your merchants and get on all the freebies.
I have a holiday abroad every year (sometimes more) around half a dozen games of golf at the top courses and a few top football matches and i don't spend anywhere near what i used to.