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Meeting with Chris Wilson (CB)


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Just had my meeting with Chris Wilson.

 

I would like to thank him for making the effort to come and thanks for the cakes :)

 

He has made it clear he is only opening shops in areas where Timpsons rule or buying shops from people who are going to sell to Timpsons. But has no more plans to open anymore at this time.

 

He also explained that once a shop has gone to Timpsons he has lost a customer which then effects the wholesale side of the business. I can see his point on this matter.

 

He is dedicated to the wholesale business and that is where his heart is. I feel he has backed this up by coming and seeing me. I don't know how many MD's would make the effort to come to my little shop in Ipswich.....

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A good positive result, good interaction and well presented here on the forum from both parties. Embracing the forum concept can only help wholesalers and members to form the correct opinions to debates. Keep up the good work EVERY body.

 

Lee

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  • 2 weeks later...

I've known Chris for many years as a friend and supplier. He told me years ago that he would rather buy a shop than lose a customer to Timpsons. Chris is a genuine guy and plays a big part in keeping the cost of shoe repair materials down!!!!! He is not a competitor, just a hard working businessman looking after his wholesale business.

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Had reason to talk with chris today after meeting him for the first time at the show and agree that he is a good bloke, But he does have a wee bit of a comms problem in house, some of the old dears that answer the phone make hard work out of simple questions. When you call someone like Glenway you only have to say what you want and the stuff turns up the next day, No need for account numbers, call this number or that number, try back after lunch, They have a cool computer system that as soon as they pick up the call all your details are on there screen and all you do is order. I think i have about 6 numbers for birch and can try 3 or 4 sometimes before someone answers ? All that said its my own fault no doubt for not being in the trade for 50 years and having diamond tipped cutters instead of finger nails. Sorry for the rant, we all have challenges in our own , mine is patience, I need to realise everything in this trade is not razor sharp.

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I have contacted my local wholesaler 3 times by phone, each time the "old dear" didn't know what I was on about (ezebadge) once told be available November twice I was told they would phone back, twice they didn't.

Spoke to rep, I asked him to find out about the system availability & phone me, he didn't :cry:

I am now perusing other avenues. COMMUNICATION are the key to continued success!

 

Lee

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unreturned calls are another bugbear of mine where CB are concerned :evil:

 

summat else i don't understand and it must cost 'em a fortune: if you order just one of a key (summat you wouldn't normally carry but have to order for a customer), they post it out for you then follow it up with a posted statement a few days later. surely this actually costs them more than the profit made from the key blank?

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unreturned calls are another bugbear of mine where CB are concerned :evil:

 

summat else i don't understand and it must cost 'em a fortune: if you order just one of a key (summat you wouldn't normally carry but have to order for a customer), they post it out for you then follow it up with a posted statement a few days later. surely this actually costs them more than the profit made from the key blank?

 

Surley thats good customer service on CB's side.

I very rarley phone the warehouse as my rep is excellent, If he doesn't answer his phone, he always rings me back & always gets my goods here when he says they'll be here. :wink:

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good customer service my a**e :evil:

 

we don't have a rep :lol:

 

we had an issue with our last one and we haven't had one since which suits us fine :!:

 

reps can't help you when you need a technical query answered or when you need to speak to someone in sales about your account, or at least all of those we have had haven't been willing to.

 

rick.

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Ascap29, you feel it is fine" for CB not to get in touch, Healy's wont deal with you, soon you mat run out of options.

Love the my Ar*e bit though.

 

UK900 you may be getting prefential treatment due to your size, no I dont mean your waistband but the size of your business. One man branches will not get the same dedication as larger shops. Always has and always will be the way the wholesalers operate no matter what they say the reps have favourites.

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Just get the feeling that they must mis orders that are not followed up in time and calls that are not chased up and then the order goes elsewhere, To there competition, IF and only IF it was my firm I would try and sortout my inhouse structure before I started opening shops. We all no what it is to spread ourselfs so thin that we start to mis the little things out that made us get here in the first place.

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That's OK to a point but to use one of Hugh's sayings.

 

One can be so absorbed in cleaning the Toilet

that one forgets to open the front door.

 

 

You never ever get all things right all of the time.

(not unless you are named Hugh or UK900 that is :wink: )

just have to do your best as staff will allow and plan for the future not the present.

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errm, where did i say it was fine for CB not to be able to get in touch with me :roll:

 

i said it suited us fine that we don't have a rep, CB have my email, my work number and a mobile number, that should be more than enough!!!

we also get the monthly offer sheet and have access to their website so we're not exactly missing out by on much by not getting a personal visit.

 

again today, 3 times we telephoned the key department whilst a customer was shopping to help obtain a copyright key blank, 3 times no one was available and no one had returned our calls by the time i left work at 3pm!

the customer has gone elsewhere :evil:

 

and healy's won't deal with me because of the previous owner's conduct, as you well know. you make it sound to other people who may view your ill considered post like it is something of my doing which you darn well know it isn't! if a supplier read that post they would think it was because of something i had done which could possibly affect any future dealings. :evil:

 

rick.

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errm, where did i say it was fine for CB not to be able to get in touch with me :roll:

 

i said it suited us fine that we don't have a rep, CB have my email, my work number and a mobile number, that should be more than enough!!!

we also get the monthly offer sheet and have access to their website so we're not exactly missing out by on much by not getting a personal visit.

 

again today, 3 times we telephoned the key department whilst a customer was shopping to help obtain a copyright key blank, 3 times no one was available and no one had returned our calls by the time i left work at 3pm!

the customer has gone elsewhere :evil:

 

and healy's won't deal with me because of the previous owner's conduct, as you well know. you make it sound to other people who may view your ill considered post like it is something of my doing which you darn well know it isn't! if a supplier read that post they would think it was because of something i had done which could possibly affect any future dealings. :evil:

 

rick.

 

What post you referring to Rick, I'm a bit confused :oops:

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