55 replies to this topic

[cantork]

Last week a sent a PO to Bullet Line for two samples of an item, for presentations to two customers "Today" (9-15-05). I requested an in-hand date of 9-14-05. Stupid me for not following up sooner. When the items did not arrive yesterday, I called to check on the status. I was told the order was on hold. When I asked why no one called me, they did not know. Well, I still needed the items for two scheduled appointments today and asked them to overnight them to me, but only charge me for regular shipping, as the mix up was not my fault. No, was the reply, they would not pay the overnight charge. After elevating the issue 2 levels and receiving the same answer at each level, I asked them to 2nd day air the items (at my expense) and I would reschedule my appointments. They said ok, and assured me they would go out last night.

I just called and was informed that they did not go out last night. But now all of a sudden they will overnight them to me (different person altogether) and only bill me for 2nd day air. AAARRRGGGHHH!!!

Is this normal operating procedures for this supplier? Should I now rethink actually placing an order with them? I would appreciate any input that could help with my decision. My dilema is the item my customers are interested in are the ones Bullet Line carries, while I have seen similar items from other suppliers, they are more expensive.

[sdmillar]

For those that think that suppliers should drop any distributor that shops price.... Look at Cantork's last line above "My dilema is the item my customers are interested in are the ones Bullet Line carries, while I have seen similar items from other suppliers, they are more expensive" No offense here, but as long as suppliers that have low prices, but horrible customer service still get support from distributors, these suppliers have no reason to change their ways. I am not saying this is normal for Bullet, but it is for many suppliers and the frustration from this supplier is that they still get such support from distributors.

cantork said:

Last week a sent a PO to Bullet Line for two samples of an item, for presentations to two customers "Today" (9-15-05). I requested an in-hand date of 9-14-05. Stupid me for not following up sooner. When the items did not arrive yesterday, I called to check on the status. I was told the order was on hold. When I asked why no one called me, they did not know. Well, I still needed the items for two scheduled appointments today and asked them to overnight them to me, but only charge me for regular shipping, as the mix up was not my fault. No, was the reply, they would not pay the overnight charge. After elevating the issue 2 levels and receiving the same answer at each level, I asked them to 2nd day air the items (at my expense) and I would reschedule my appointments. They said ok, and assured me they would go out last night.

I just called and was informed that they did not go out last night. But now all of a sudden they will overnight them to me (different person altogether) and only bill me for 2nd day air. AAARRRGGGHHH!!!

Is this normal operating procedures for this supplier? Should I now rethink actually placing an order with them? I would appreciate any input that could help with my decision. My dilema is the item my customers are interested in are the ones Bullet Line carries, while I have seen similar items from other suppliers, they are more expensive.

[cantork]

Please let me clarify my dilema: We have found similar, but not exact products to match the one our customer wants. I went with Bullet Line beacuse they had the exact item and ASI shows them as having a favorable rating. My time constraints did not allow me to try and sell the customer on another item. Again, beacuse of their rating I felt safe. If I had known then what I know now, I would have dropped back 5 yards and punted!

sdmillar said:

For those that think that suppliers should drop any distributor that shops price.... Look at Cantork's last line above "My dilema is the item my customers are interested in are the ones Bullet Line carries, while I have seen similar items from other suppliers, they are more expensive" No offense here, but as long as suppliers that have low prices, but horrible customer service still get support from distributors, these suppliers have no reason to change their ways. I am not saying this is normal for Bullet, but it is for many suppliers and the frustration from this supplier is that they still get such support from distributors.

[sdmillar]

thanks for clarifying... I was just trying to point out that quality suppliers get frustrated hearing the lower bidder winning despite their crappy service. I have heard Bullet is a Quality company, so it was definitelt not aimed a them. thanks

cantork said:

Please let me clarify my dilema: We have found similar, but not exact products to match the one our customer wants. I went with Bullet Line beacuse they had the exact item and ASI shows them as having a favorable rating. My time constraints did not allow me to try and sell the customer on another item. Again, beacuse of their rating I felt safe. If I had known then what I know now, I would have dropped back 5 yards and punted!

[Joe Denhoff]

Bullet Line is great. Down in Miami the brain gets too much sun! That is the problem! Ask anyone at Bullet and they will agree.

[coop]

I would place Bullet in the mediocre category in terms of customer service. Sometimes they get it right and other times.....

[pssflip]

You are right, Bullet Line is a good company. Were you went wrong is you never followed up. You always have to follow up in this industry.

[PLewis]

I have found Bullet Line to be one of the more reliable vendors to work with. I have never had a problem with samples or orders. The quality of their work is very good.

[Chris Miller]

pssflip said:

You are right, Bullet Line is a good company. Were you went wrong is you never followed up. You always have to follow up in this industry.

This is one thing I do not agree with. Follow up should come from the supplier when THEY are the ones who put the order on hold. If I write 30 orders this week, why should I have to babysit each supplier and follow up to make sure the order isnt on hold for some reason?

Some suppliers just don't care much about in hands dates that we have promised our customers. I have had this happen a number of times and it is frustrating to say the least.

[grubb9]

We have been a loyal Bulletline distributor for over 10 years and have no real complaints about them. I'm still amazed when these 1-5 day service companies turn around rush orders on time and correct. So many things need to go right and nothing can go wrong.

I'm curious as to why they would not release your order. Is it possible you and Bullet line have had issues in the past? I know sometimes there are suppliers that we just do not "click" with.

I agree that distrbutors should not have to babysit their orders and you should have been contacted sooner.

[FMA650]

Try to get names if possible and contact them directly (large quotes, Credit, custom jobs, etc.etc.). I've not had bad luck with BulletLine when I stay in contact with them and 'get names and extensions - email contacts. If they don't follow-thru I go to other suppliers where possible.
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cantork said:

Last week a sent a PO to Bullet Line for two samples of an item, for presentations to two customers "Today" (9-15-05). I requested an in-hand date of 9-14-05. Stupid me for not following up sooner. When the items did not arrive yesterday, I called to check on the status. I was told the order was on hold. When I asked why no one called me, they did not know. Well, I still needed the items for two scheduled appointments today and asked them to overnight them to me, but only charge me for regular shipping, as the mix up was not my fault. No, was the reply, they would not pay the overnight charge. After elevating the issue 2 levels and receiving the same answer at each level, I asked them to 2nd day air the items (at my expense) and I would reschedule my appointments. They said ok, and assured me they would go out last night.

I just called and was informed that they did not go out last night. But now all of a sudden they will overnight them to me (different person altogether) and only bill me for 2nd day air. AAARRRGGGHHH!!!

Is this normal operating procedures for this supplier? Should I now rethink actually placing an order with them? I would appreciate any input that could help with my decision. My dilema is the item my customers are interested in are the ones Bullet Line carries, while I have seen similar items from other suppliers, they are more expensive.

[joestrapason]

As a supplier I agree with Chris. When we receive an order it is our responsibility to call with a problem or even (is this unheard of?) send a shipping confirmation of samples sent or sales order confirmation. This avoids problems such as the one listed above. I can't speak for Bullet line but I do know if you're customer (end user) made a sample request from you as a distributor and you chose not to communicate with them about a delay in shipment or product not availabe, don't you think they'd go somewhere else for the item and better service?

Just a thought. We all have to be accountable to our clients.

[EMILY]

pssflip said:

You are right, Bullet Line is a good company. Were you went wrong is you never followed up. You always have to follow up in this industry.

That's why I stick with certain suppliers as they are reliable!

[hollyrz]

I have always had good results from Bullet Line. But my many years of experience (over 20) tells me that if the first time things don't go right--call for help in a big way! I don't continue talking with the peons in cust serv since they usually aren't totally informed and don't have any authority. I would first try your local rep, if you know them and have had contact in the past. If that doesn't get you anywhere, call the factory and talk to the head of customer service--or even ask for the VP or president of the company for help. If you ask as if you expect to be connected, you usually will! If you need to--leave a message for them. They may not call you back, but you can be sure someone will when the pres is being bugged!

On follow up of orders--whether it is a sample or order, do what needs to be done to get the job done correctly and delivered on time! Always ask for written confirmation and tracking numbers once the order ships. Sure, it would be nice to get faxes/emails with acknowledgements and confirmations and there are many vendors who do that. But, it doesn't mean that keeping tabs on the orders is totally the domain of the vendor either--talk with customer service when you are going to place an order and let them know you are excited to work with them and ask that cust serv person if you can call them back if there are any problems. That way you have a person contact at the factory that knows you are holding them accountable for your incoming order. If they know you are going to stay in touch, they often make sure that they know what is going on at all times with your order.

I hope that these tips are helpful--good luck!
Holly
On Time Promotions, Inc.

[Sandi]

I completely agree on the "follow up" issue. Frankly, I don't have time to babysit my orders. I am busy trying sell more products and service my customers to their satisfaction. I do not expect my customers to have to "follow up" with me to make sure their orders are going to be delivered when they requested and I expect my suppliers to treat me the same if they want my business. It is so frustrating when a supplier puts an order on hold and does no contact you to get it resolved in time to meet the in hands date without incurring additional freight or rush charges. When that does happen to me I will look elsewhere the next time!

[ajaks]

Chris, I have to disagree with you. You said it yourself when you said(why should I have to babysit each supplier and follow up to make sure the order isnt on hold for some reason?). Then you say ( Some suppliers just don't care much about in hands dates that we have promised our customers. I have had this happen a number of times and it is frustrating to say the least). There is your reason right there. You said it has happened a number of times. It is up to each and every one of us as distributors to know that we are responsible for our orders, no matter how many we produce. Everyone knows that this industry is a "babysitting" industry and I bet if you do your babysitting, that number of times that it "happened to you" would be cut down by 99.9%. If we need something to happen, we put a level of importance on it. If the importance is high, we MUST make sure we cover our own backs. Suppliers have thousands and thousands of orders to handle and I hate to say it but not all of our orders are that important to all the employees at certain suppliers companies. It's not always the company... there are alot if employees that work for these companies that don't really give a rip. That is why I cover my back all the time and do not blame the supplier. When I write an order, I put in my planner for 2-days later to call the supplier to make sure the order is in their system and to get the scheduled ship date. When they tell me the ship date, I put in my planner to call them 2 or 3 days before the ship date to make sure it is still on schedule. I then put it in my planner to call the supplier on the day the order is supposed to ship and confirm it will go out. Believe it or not, when they tell me it is going out that day, I call them the next day to get the tracking number. Once I get the tracking number, I send an e-mail to my customer telling them that thier order has shipped and that I have attached the tracking number. From there, they can follow it. I know that sounds like alot of babysitting but it works and it is not THAT time consuming. Consider it an investment of time to keep a client happy. We owe it to them that keep letting us take a paycheck. No disrespect Chris but that is from someone who has been in this industry for 14 years and the number of screw ups I have had in the last 5 years has been "ZERO". You gotta love babysitting, even though it sucks!

Chris Miller said:

This is one thing I do not agree with. Follow up should come from the supplier when THEY are the ones who put the order on hold. If I write 30 orders this week, why should I have to babysit each supplier and follow up to make sure the order isnt on hold for some reason?

Some suppliers just don't care much about in hands dates that we have promised our customers. I have had this happen a number of times and it is frustrating to say the least.

[dpromo]

As much as I rely on the rating system, I have found ASI to be a bit 'slanted' in their ratings. That's why I also check Sage and average out the findings. There have been instances that the rating on ASI was satisfactory or higher when I new fully the supplier was well below in many areas. I might suggest you email both customer service departments for ASI and Sage to request their assistance in locating the item with the description as you need it. This works well when I can't find something I know has to be out there. It might even be found under a different catagory. More often than not, if one has an item, another will surely have it as well.
Good luck!:)

cantork said:

Please let me clarify my dilema: We have found similar, but not exact products to match the one our customer wants. I went with Bullet Line beacuse they had the exact item and ASI shows them as having a favorable rating. My time constraints did not allow me to try and sell the customer on another item. Again, beacuse of their rating I felt safe. If I had known then what I know now, I would have dropped back 5 yards and punted!

[Chris Miller]

I have to bow to you then - I would sure hate to see that planner. It sounds like there wouldn't even be room to write down appointments with customers. ;)

I have always done a lot of follow up for ship dates, etc but if I put in an order, the least the supplier can do is contact me if the order is ON HOLD. If your customer sent you an order, would you put it on hold and not contact them? I highly doubt it, and if you did you wouldnt have that customer anymore.

Bottom line for me is that if the supplier puts my order on hold and doesnt contact me and it affects my in hands date. Thats the last time I use that supplier. It's all part of good customer service.

ajaks said:

Chris, I have to disagree with you. You said it yourself when you said(why should I have to babysit each supplier and follow up to make sure the order isnt on hold for some reason?). Then you say ( Some suppliers just don't care much about in hands dates that we have promised our customers. I have had this happen a number of times and it is frustrating to say the least. There is your reason right there. You said it has happened a number of times and it is up to each and every one of us as distributors that we are responsible for our orders, no matter how many we produce. Everyone knows that this industry is a "babysitting" industry and I bet if you do your babysitting, that number of times that it happened to you would be cut down by 99%. If we need something to happen, we put a level of importance on it. If the importance is high, we MUST make sure we cover our own backs. Suppliers have thousands and thousands of orders to handle and I hate to say it but not all of our orders are that important to all the employees at certain suppliers companies. It's not always the company, there are alot if employees that work for these companies that don't really give a rip. That is why I cover my back all the time and do not blame the supplier. When I write an order, I put in my planner for 2-days later to call the supplier to make sure the order is in their system and to get the scheduled ship date. When they tell me the ship date, I put in my planner to call them 2 or 3 days before the ship date to make sure it is still on schedule. I then put it in my planner to call the supplier on the day the order is supposed to ship and confirm it will go out. Believe it or not, when they tell me it is going out that day, I call them the next day to get the tracking number. Once i get the tracking number, i send an e-mail to my customer telling them that thier order has shipped and that I have attached the tracking number. From there, they can follow it. I know that sounds like alot of babysitting but it works and it is not THAT time consuming. Consider it an investment of time to keep a client happy. We owe it to them that keep letting us take a paycheck. No disrespect Chris but that is from someone who has been in this industry for 14 years and the number of screw ups I have had in the last 5 years has been "ZERO". You gotta love babysitting, even though it sucks!

[ajaks]

I do agree that if a supplier puts the order "on hold" they should call you to tell you. The fact remains that we are dealing with "people" and people are people. We (people) are NOT perfect and we don't always give a darn. That is why I do what I do because what I just said is "FACT" and I do whatever it takes to keep the customers I have happy. What am I out in "time" that I could be out in "dollars" or "customers" if I let there orders slip through the cracks and all of a sudden not be delivered on time.

Chris Miller said:

I have to bow to you then - I would sure hate to see that planner. It sounds like there wouldn't even be room to write down appointments with customers. ;)

I have always done a lot of follow up for ship dates, etc but if I put in an order, the least the supplier can do is contact me if the order is ON HOLD. If your customer sent you an order, would you put it on hold and not contact them? I highly doubt it, and if you did you wouldnt have that customer anymore.

Bottom line for me is that if the supplier puts my order on hold and doesnt contact me and it affects my in hands date. Thats the last time I use that supplier. It's all part of good customer service.