20 replies to this topic

[DQforme]

I'd like feedback on how other distributors are handling PPAI vs. ASI membership. ASI just raised my "basic" membership up $100 and they say it is for having 10 Info Research Requests plus the increased cost of all the mailings they do (to tell me up-teen times about their shows across the country). The only "benefit" to ASI that I know of was supposed to be ASI Credit reporting. But I've been in business 11 years and the new suppliers that I work with still require me to prepay adn fill out credit information. In the past year, only one vendor mentioned referring to the report and that was only when they had messed up my order and the owner looked at my rating and said "YOU are one of those distributors we DON'T want to lose!"
I know it is a controversy, but I'd like a little feedback because I'm considering cancelling my affiliation with them. I've never liked their "take-over" tactics for shows and competition with PPAI anyway.

[Chris Miller]

Pam,

You really have to ask yourself if you're getting your moneys worth. It sounds like you have already made up your mind from your post.

Follow your gut.... chances are it will not do you wrong. :) DT is the new infoline.... all requests are free ;)

[DQforme]

We have talked about canceling year after year. We did attend ASI Orlando this year, only because the timing worked better than a PPAI Show but if I wasn't a member I could still go because vendors email invitations for a day. It is just time to start cutting some unnecessary costs. I guess maybe I have made up my mind, but I'm open if someone could convince me otherwise.

[Chris Miller]

Pam,

Check out the posts below in "Similar Threads". There are dozens of posts on ASI around here but the search is a little screwy right now so they aren't easy to find. Let's just say, I don't think you will find many people convincing you to stay with ASI. ;) It's really an unnecessary expense unless you're dead set on one of their products like ESP.

[gil levitch]

DQforme said:

We have talked about canceling year after year. We did attend ASI Orlando this year, only because the timing worked better than a PPAI Show but if I wasn't a member I could still go because vendors email invitations for a day. It is just time to start cutting some unnecessary costs. I guess maybe I have made up my mind, but I'm open if someone could convince me otherwise.

Pam, you are not a member of ASI. You may subscribe their company and what they offer. If you join PPAI you ARE a member. I refused to pay ASI after 40 years. No one called to ask me why.....Need I say more.

[epicemb]

ASI did the same to me. They offered to break it into 4 payments - I declined and canceled.

DQforme said:

I'd like feedback on how other distributors are handling PPAI vs. ASI membership. ASI just raised my "basic" membership up $100 and they say it is for having 10 Info Research Requests plus the increased cost of all the mailings they do (to tell me up-teen times about their shows across the country). The only "benefit" to ASI that I know of was supposed to be ASI Credit reporting. But I've been in business 11 years and the new suppliers that I work with still require me to prepay adn fill out credit information. In the past year, only one vendor mentioned referring to the report and that was only when they had messed up my order and the owner looked at my rating and said "YOU are one of those distributors we DON'T want to lose!"
I know it is a controversy, but I'd like a little feedback because I'm considering cancelling my affiliation with them. I've never liked their "take-over" tactics for shows and competition with PPAI anyway.

[DQforme]

Well, thank you to those that responded already. I really don't need any more convincing. I'll be saving myself some money this year and canceling with ASI.

[Chris Miller]

For what it's worth, I did try ASI for a year. Used it mainly to compare some of their services to others and the others worked better for me. (ie SAGE)

I also thought ASI credit was going to give me instant credibility to avoid having to fill out a thousand forms. That wasn't the case either - suppliers mainly wanted an ASI number as an easy way to setup an account. For terms they still wanted me to fill out credit apps, even after I had established credit within the ASI credit system.

In the end, I just didn't pay when the bill came. No phone call, nothing just like Gil said. They are a bit too pompous for me.... If I had a customer of 40 years, and they up and left me.... well I think I would do SOMETHING to try and keep them. This story has been told many times on DT though. ASI doesn't really care if you stay or not.... I guess they figure you are easy to replace with the revolving door that is the promotional product industry.

Oh well. :rolleyes:

[Murmur]

Pam,

I am in the same boat as you are. I called ASI regarding the increase in my dues (a 25% increase) and was told it was due to various increase in costs and that the increase was made to all member tiers. In addition to the benefits you had mentioned, they also were going to send out their register 2x a year (rather than once) - this seems like a waste of good trees to me. The main reasons we had stayed with them these extra few years is because of the free hotel for the Chicago show, the OfficeMax commercial account and the UPS deals. However, we can live with switching over to FedEx (via PPAI) and not having the OM account (though it is nice) and spending our own money for the hotel in Chicago (we get plenty of offers from suppliers offering free entry to this show). Like others have mentioned, it is a bit sad when someone has been a member for so long and no questions are asked when they decide to cancel....especially from an organization that is based in helping people sell. My local Scott's Lawn Service was more interested in why I was canceling my service and what they could do to keep me and to keep them in mind when I moved.......

[admaven5050]

Some day the industry newbies will learn:
1. You are not a MEMBER of ASI......you are a subscriber
2. You are not paying dues.....you are paying a subscription fee.
3. Never give ASI your credit card for automatic charges and deductions. (This is like giving a chicken to a wolf)
4. If you do subscribe to ASI's services check every bill that comes in and don't be afraid to challenge some of their charges if you disagree with them.
5. Buy what you want from whatever company, organization or association you want. Don't feel that anything in our industry is a necessity...no matter what the person selling it says.
Some years ago I decided to drop my subscription to ASI. They delisted me and then one of their sales reps called me. He said what are you going to do without an ASI number. I replied, "I have a VISA number and most suppliers (that I don't have an ongoing relationship with) would rather have the VISA number."
The rep didn't have a come back for that one.

[Allan]

The most important number in the industry is preceded by a dollar sign! And how you pay that number!!

admaven5050 said:

Some day the industry newbies will learn:
1. You are not a MEMBER of ASI......you are a subscriber
2. You are not paying dues.....you are paying a subscription fee.
3. Never give ASI your credit card for automatic charges and deductions. (This is like giving a chicken to a wolf)
4. If you do subscribe to ASI's services check every bill that comes in and don't be afraid to challenge some of their charges if you disagree with them.
5. Buy what you want from whatever company, organization or association you want. Don't feel that anything in our industry is a necessity...no matter what the person selling it says.
Some years ago I decided to drop my subscription to ASI. They delisted me and then one of their sales reps called me. He said what are you going to do without an ASI number. I replied, "I have a VISA number and most suppliers (that I don't have an ongoing relationship with) would rather have the VISA number."
The rep didn't have a come back for that one.

[admaven5050]

I agree!! Money and profit are what its all about.

[Dan]

I take an annual vacation with the money I save by dropping ASI. Amazingly, not one supplier has refused to sell to us. And, thanks to DT, I've learned of at least a half dozen new suppliers and products lately that I am enjoying doing business with. This has been the best educator a distributor could ask for, other knowledgable and willing distributors and some super suppliers!
Do something good with the money you save!

[biggerfish]

admaven5050 said:

...what are you going to do without an ASI number. I replied, "I have a VISA number...

That's the best thing I've ever seen on DT. The real "number that matters!"

[Allan]

Now take a little that you have left over and join us on the Gold side and help support DT and get some cool bennies! Such as the neat logo by my name AND membership (dare I use that word?) in the EQP Club. It is only $100 a year and it goes to help keep this forum going.

Dan said:

I take an annual vacation with the money I save by dropping ASI. Amazingly, not one supplier has refused to sell to us. And, thanks to DT, I've learned of at least a half dozen new suppliers and products lately that I am enjoying doing business with. This has been the best educator a distributor could ask for, other knowledgable and willing distributors and some super suppliers!
Do something good with the money you save!

[KathyC]

We dumped our ASI number in November. I had been hanging onto it for the past 3 years because of the credit rating service. UPIC has an EXCELLENT credit service now..FREE! I got a sample of our report at PPAI, it shows the reports of 10 plus suppliers plus the activity in the past year. Now we need to educate suppliers to use it. After being in business for 11 years, I have established suppliers, but for the new ones I send them the link to our credit report.

I have been insulted twice by ASI. The first time was after I questioned the HIGH price of their service, the gal told me "Well only mom and pop companies ever complain". And, after I "fired" them, the rep told me in response to Sage "You get what you pay for". WHY would I do business with a company like that?

[admaven5050]

Allan said:

Now take a little that you have left over and join us on the Gold side and help support DT and get some cool bennies! Such as the neat logo by my name AND membership (dare I use that word?) in the EQP Club. It is only $100 a year and it goes to help keep this forum going.

I'd like to know more about the EQP Club. That sounds like a real benefit! Can you fill me in, please.

[abieross]

The only reason I keep paying ASI is for ESP. Otherwise I would agree they are -shall we say - persuasively arrogant.

You are in business to serve your customers -
My goal is to find the best product for the best price. I do have my regular vendors - but I NEVER convince a customer to buy "Item X" just because my regular vendor carries it.
That would not be in his interest. Would it?

:confused:. How to find the best product?

Answer: Use the best search tool
Which one? ESP!

I actually subscribe to both ESP and SAGE. I use SAGE as a backup when I cannot find it in ESP. If time is important to you - use ESP. It allows you to input more information easily in your initial search.
And if you are able to find "the right product" for a client it will surely pay for itself.
Stop thinking about your extra vacation money that you saved by canceling ESP. start thinking again about what is best for your customer!


The Challenge. :tongue:

If anyone can beat me in a "product search contest" using any of the other services such as SAGE I would like to have that contest with you at the next PPAI show in Vegas. (And that includes any SAGE salesperson)

Abie Ross
Spring Promotions

[RelKey]

ASI is a business we all love to hate but they do a valuable service for our industry. They have made mistakes and it takes a tremendous amount of cash for them to lead our industry and create new services that eventually everyone else will duplicate and tweek.

Last year I had to choose between PPAI & ASI and I chose ASI because... I love to hate them but they are still the best in our industry.

[admaven5050]

RelKey said:

ASI is a business we all love to hate but they do a valuable service for our industry. They have made mistakes and it takes a tremendous amount of cash for them to lead our industry and create new services that eventually everyone else will duplicate and tweek.

Last year I had to choose between PPAI & ASI and I chose ASI because... I love to hate them but they are still the best in our industry.

Tim, I can understand purchasing services from ASI, but why would you not be a member of our industry's only trade association?
ASI is profit driven for the owners of ASI while PPAI is member driven for the welfare of the industry. The association truly works for all of us in the industy. ASI provides many fine products, but it only works for the ultimate well being of ASI.
Please do not be confused. ASI is not a trade association.
I hope you will reconsider your 1.) membership and 2.) participation and 3.) involvement with PPAI.
Those are three very important things that ASI does not offer you.