Mike Henderson
07-01-2008, 2:21 AM
I will be teaching a series of veneering classes for Woodcraft starting in September so I needed to buy some veneer for the class. Since this isn't for a furniture project, I'm very flexible about what I can use - mainly I need consecutive pieces and a low price - but almost light colored species will do (I also asked for some veneer for trim - various colors but only a piece or two). Not a giant order but maybe 250 square feet total.
What I did was put a message together outlining my needs and asking for recommendations that would keep my cost low. I sent the message to a number of veneer places in the US.
I was surprised by the result. One place didn't respond at all. Another sent me a message saying to look at their web site, pick what I needed and place the order - essentially a "kiss off" message. Another sent me an e-mail asking for more information, which I replied to. When I didn't receive a response, I called the guy - he was out but never returned my call.
Only one called me to discuss my needs - Brendan from Certainly Wood. I got his recommendations and told him I'd like to think it over and would call him back - he said "No problem". I reviewed his recommendations against the web site and made a few changes but generally ordered what he recommended.
I don't understand why companies "blow off" a potential customer, even a small customer. I told them I would be teaching a class, and you would think they would figure out that the students would ask where I bought the veneer, but none effectively responded except Certainly Wood. Maybe that's why Certainly Wood is big and the other companies are not so big.
Or maybe they just don't want to deal with small customers
Mike
What I did was put a message together outlining my needs and asking for recommendations that would keep my cost low. I sent the message to a number of veneer places in the US.
I was surprised by the result. One place didn't respond at all. Another sent me a message saying to look at their web site, pick what I needed and place the order - essentially a "kiss off" message. Another sent me an e-mail asking for more information, which I replied to. When I didn't receive a response, I called the guy - he was out but never returned my call.
Only one called me to discuss my needs - Brendan from Certainly Wood. I got his recommendations and told him I'd like to think it over and would call him back - he said "No problem". I reviewed his recommendations against the web site and made a few changes but generally ordered what he recommended.
I don't understand why companies "blow off" a potential customer, even a small customer. I told them I would be teaching a class, and you would think they would figure out that the students would ask where I bought the veneer, but none effectively responded except Certainly Wood. Maybe that's why Certainly Wood is big and the other companies are not so big.
Or maybe they just don't want to deal with small customers
Mike