AC supply stores are run by soup nazis

[wolfstrike]

"improper etiquette".

calling around , shopping for prices ....that's a No-No
calling for a price then not showing up to buy it, ...that's a No-No.
asking why things doubled since last year, ...that's a big No No.

they ask you all kinds of irrelevant technical questions when you buy parts, ...answering any question incorrectly, ..that's a No No.

EVERY time you go to the store or call in, they make an entry into the computer.
they don't tell you anything, but screw up too many times, no soup for you!






"MAN! i called in and you said the part was here!, i drove all the way out here and now you say not in stock?
didn't you check when i called on the phone?



... ....?

[jdblack]

I dont have those problems.... Maybe you need a better store.

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[Freightshaker]

We call all the time for just pricing. It's part of building a quote for repair. Residents want quotes, commercial, industrial. Why would pricing be a problem?

[jpsmith1cm]

I dont have those problems.... Maybe you need a better store.

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[hvacvegas]

Dude, you've got the wrong supply house.

If I want a price out of anything in the book, I call up, get a price right there with which stores I can get it from, how long to order if it has to be shipped, and the price of shipping direct (if any). If he thinks I'm price shopping, he'll ask what he has to do to sell it.

We just picked up 2 lochinvar 399's, they took 2k off the price of EACH boiler.

If your moving any decent amount of product with that guy, they should be kissing your feet.

We just got one of our distributors to run a material takeoff list + materials price off a print, and he itemized the whole thing, with pricing on the individual items, even though we could cut out the stuff we can get cheaper from other supply houses.

Seriously, find a different supplier.

Oh yeah, and your picture is freaking funny. I laughed my butt off.

[carmon]

I have never had a problem like that......

[wolfstrike]

all the companies i've worked for have been low volume.
i used to work for a well known , and hated, AC service sales company.
i found out when i changed companies that the real pices were about 10% to 20% cheaper than what they charged us.

later , i was working for SEARS.
SEARS hired some nutcase to be our manager.
the manager would tell us we could only go to one store, and every month or so, it would be a different one.
the techs and i came to the conclusion that this manager was trying to work out a deal where if he gave them all of SEAR's business, he would get some kickback.
i didn't work. we kept being directed to go to different stores.
none of the supply stores in my area cared if they were getting all of SEAR's business or not.
(i don't have any proof, but that seemed to be the way it happened)

[matt1124]

If I don't have a lower competitors price when I call Johnstone they wonder what's wrong. "Dirty dog" the manager calls me. I want my doughnut and I want to haggle when I show up there!

[coolcajun]

The supply house I deal with will usually drop the price lower when I get there. But has also referred me to some of his family!

[ga-hvac-tech]

Wolf... you need a PERSONAL relationship with the manager at the supply house. This requires a few things:
1) A decent amount of volume purchases of both equipment and supplies. In my area $35K or more of equipment and $65-75K a year total is entry level to be treated with respect. Not hard to do at all... $35K of equipment is only 22 builder grade systems. If you install any high end... lets say only upgrade to VS drive furnaces (still 80%)... this becomes only 17 systems. Not that difficult to sell and install 17 systems in a year.
2) Building a relationship based on respect and trust both ways... note some supply houses are not capable of this... just leave and go somewhere else. Most of us handle a specific brand of equipment not because it is what we like... rather it is what the best (best for me) supply house sells.
3) Do a few favors for the manager and counter folks: I will leave this up to your thoughts...
4) Behave in a professional manor when you are in the supply house!!! This is important... Did I say this is IMPORTANT??? And if you sense the counter dudes (or dudettes, some places have women behind the counter), are not as smart nor as conservative as you... simply be nice to them where they are... DO NOT try to teach them nor fix their thinking... they take this personally and will screw with you as a result. Just be nice... and let it go.

I am sure other folks can carry this discussion along... the point is to either build a relationship so you are 'special'... or you will be treated as 'little people'... I am not trying to be rude... just blunt: Make your choice and do what you know you need to do...

[ga-hvac-tech]

The supply house I deal with will usually drop the price lower when I get there. But has also referred me to some of his family!

Same with me... I am the 'best referral' when a HO calls looking for help. I also take care of heat and AC for ALL the folks at that house... Just courtesy...

[Mike19]

calling around , shopping for prices ....that's a No-No
calling for a price then not showing up to buy it, ...that's a No-No.
asking why things doubled since last year, ...that's a big No No.

they ask you all kinds of irrelevant technical questions when you buy parts, ...answering any question incorrectly, ..that's a No No.

EVERY time you go to the store or call in, they make an entry into the computer.
they don't tell you anything, but screw up too many times, no soup for you!

I don't know who you are dealing with, but around here we have Gustav Larson and United, and they are good to deal with. You can call, ask questions, ask prices, check stock, and it is no problem.

I needed an eev for a beacon unit, Gustav looked it up, but they did not have one in the company, it would have to come right from Bohn. They called Bohn and it was on backorder at the factory for like two weeks. The guy at Gustav knew that me telling a restaurant that I couldn't their fix walk-in freezer for two weeks would not be good, so he gave me the part number and said "Try calling United and give them this number, they are a big company, maybe they have one sitting on the shelf somewhere and can get it to you quicker".

[ga-hvac-tech]

I don't know who you are dealing with, but around here we have Gustav Larson and United, and they are good to deal with. You can call, ask questions, ask prices, check stock, and it is no problem.

I needed an eev for a beacon unit, Gustav looked it up, but they did not have one in the company, it would have to come right from Bohn. They called Bohn and it was on backorder at the factory for like two weeks. The guy at Gustav knew that me telling a restaurant that I couldn't their fix walk-in freezer for two weeks would not be good, so he gave me the part number and said "Try calling United and give them this number, they are a big company, maybe they have one sitting on the shelf somewhere and can get it to you quicker".

The supply house I mentioned above... the one where I take care of them and they take care of me... has done this very thing (highlited) many a time.

A relationship is a two way street... build it... and it will reward you many times over!!!

[moon_shadow]

I have those problems once in a while. I called to price a compressor once. They told me the price and had plenty in stock. Showed up a week later to pick it up and was informed the compressor was no longer available, and had to go through all kinds of hurdles to get what I needed.

They get me when I call to get a price on something... "it's about $300" they say. First time I heard that, I figured it was somewhere between $295 and $305. Not so... turns out it would be closer to $350 or so. Now I make them give me the exact price down to the penny with a quote number. Minor price differences like that may not be a big deal to the big boys, but to small trunk slammers like myself, it can take a bite out of the bottom line when bidding something out. Even if I have to go back and redo the estimate, it still takes time out of the day, I have to get it re-approved, go back and forth and so on... time is money!

[wolfstrike]

ga-hvac-tech thanks for that info


it seems the problem is, my area is so busy that the supply houses don't give a damn about anyone

[whiteair]

depending on what i am getting in the past i would send an email to my main guy who always took care of me. then if i couldnt get it through him i would walk over to the fax and shoot a fax to supply houses we used depending on what it was i needed ( brand wise ).

most of the times i bought stuff direct from my guy at **** or i bought it at *********'s or ****** REfrigeration. not sure if i can type or should type supply house names so i put asterixes.

the supply houses seemed to like this, i didn't bust anybody's balls, i didn't waste time on the phone or in the store, and i bought a lot of stuff.

we will see if things are different now that i go from working for a couple different big ass companies to running my own thing.