Do you still TALK to your suppliers?

[MissOwen]

Quite a few thread on here have got me thinking...

Do you talk to your suppliers (in person or on the telephone) or do you do everything online? With online ordering, search engines and forums like this, is the communication between suppliers and customers now forgotten?

How often do you pick up the phone and ask them a question?

If you do choose to do everything online, why? Lack of time? Feel silly incase it seems a stupid question?

Haven't seen a thoughtful thread in a while so thought i'd try and get one going! Look forward to your posts! :hug:

 

[wonderwoman]

i like this thread! i actually think i annoy my supplier the amount of times i have to chase an order up but to be fair i get a good rship with them and become friends over the phone with them pretty instantly. I love it when they're super sweet and you get special offer or discounts for just being nice!! Love it!
Spking of which i called up spa ritual/nsi to expand my range and told me to wait till olympia coz they'll have some new products on offer, otherwise they could of just charged me full wack!! Passing on info lovely!

 

[chocolatepickle]

you know what, I have done things online for ages as I just dont like talking on the phone!
Then one day a few weeks ago I rang a supplier and spoke on the phone, the service was so good- as if I was talking to a familiar friend, I also ended up with some lovely samples of a discontinued product that I'd loved. As I put the phone down I was in such a good mood from it I just thought 'why on earth dont I ring to order more often!?
Since then I have ordered over the phone where possible.

 

[MissOwen]

i like this thread! i actually think i annoy my supplier the amount of times i have to chase an order up but to be fair i get a good rship with them and become friends over the phone with them pretty instantly. I love it when they're super sweet and you get special offer or discounts for just being nice!! Love it!
Spking of which i called up spa ritual/nsi to expand my range and told me to wait till olympia coz they'll have some new products on offer, otherwise they could of just charged me full wack!! Passing on info lovely!

This is a really good point! You'vesaved yourself a few pounds through your good relationship with the supplier....... we all love to save some pennies and if you're anything like me, the money i save usually finds its way back in the suppliers pocket as i suddenly think i have extra money for even more goodies :lol:

 

[shedunlop]

I do a lot of my stuff online nowadays but always ring suppliers first to check them out. I find if they have time for me on the telephone then they will serve me well even when I do order online.

I love the convenience of online ordering, late at night etc but I like to know who I am ordering from. :green:

 

[MissOwen]

you know what, I have done things online for ages as I just dont like talking on the phone!
Then one day a few weeks ago I rang a supplier and spoke on the phone, the service was so good- as if I was talking to a familiar friend, I also ended up with some lovely samples of a discontinued product that I'd loved. As I put the phone down I was in such a good mood from it I just thought 'why on earth dont I ring to order more often!?
Since then I have ordered over the phone where possible.

Great to here you had such a nice experience. I do most of my ordering online too i must say. Mostly because it takes me a week to decide what i want and i love putitng things in the basket, being able to check how much money i've spent and seeing if i can squeeze anything else in or if i should really rethink those little extras that i dont really need :lol:

What about the other info we need from our suppliers? I've seen questions asking for prices, questions on ingredients, if there is a supplier local to a particular area etc and often think, surely the best people to answer that would be the manufactor themselves? Is the internet making us phone phobic?! :lol:

 

[NoLimitNails]

Great thread.

With one of my suppliers I save p&p by ordering online, and honestly cannot remember the last time I had a question I couldn't find the answer to myself. But since my first day into the nailworld I must have been on 3 or 4 classes a year (probably more) so I have had opportunities to talk to them if I like, also there are training nights where I can come for free if I have any problems at all, so no need to call, I do mail if there is a problem though. Once or twice a year someone from the company comes by to show new products, but as we are behind in Dk I always know anything new from here LOL

My other supplier is also my competition trainer, so I speak to her very very often, and always by phone, but orders i always emailed because it is much easier, and I am sure I get it all in the order.

I think it is easier to do everything online, as I am booked during business hours so calls have to be made during lunch break. I prefer to sit down by night and take my time

 

[wonderwoman]

well to be fair buying online is great aswell, sometimes they only have web exculsive prices...which aint bad. I love shoppin around when im free!!

I have found that i do actually go to the manufactuers purly coz im able to make a profit, then goin to other supplier (only applies to my tanning lotions for sunbeds), i got 60% off the salon price i would normally pay, giving me huge retail oppertunities!!! Plus they tend to know more about product ingrediants than a sales rep sometimes!

 

[daniella]

i talk to them online every day .The store is not that close by so.En some i see 2 time,s a jear .

 

[becki x]

Well i spoke to my suppliers via email and a member of their lovely staff on the phone phone last week,as i expected i was dealt with both speed and respect and we had a good old natter and set the nail world to rights too. IMO things like this count !

 

[Martin Duffy]

With Jessica I get a regular visit from the rep, about every couple of months, so yes, I talk to my supplier all the time!! It makes it very easy to keep up to date with what's going on in the company & I get to see the new colours in the flesh before I order them & can then try the new creams etc to check I like the smell & texture. They even came out to do a demo of GELeration. I reckon that's as good a support as any & enables a great therapist-supplier relationship.

 

[MissOwen]

Nice to see everyones views. Thank you for your responses.

I love online ordering but definately agree with Shedunlop that its great to talk to a new supplier and find out how they treat you first time round. Usually says alot about a company :hug:

 

[persianista]

I find beauty suppliers are usually call centres or online for ordering. For hair it is all rep based. The hair reps are usually superb and become friends as well as reps.
With Redken the reps do everything except technical training (they have a lovely technical trainer for that) so it is a very personal service. My redken rep has helped me on launch nights, sales training and is great at squeezing promo stuff out of head office for me. She got me all new towels/gowns/hairdryers etc.

 

[Martin Duffy]

I find beauty suppliers are usually call centres or online for ordering. For hair it is all rep based. The hair reps are usually superb and become friends as well as reps.
With Redken the reps do everything except technical training (they have a lovely technical trainer for that) so it is a very personal service. My redken rep has helped me on launch nights, sales training and is great at squeezing promo stuff out of head office for me. She got me all new towels/gowns/hairdryers etc.

Rep support is one of the things I considered in choosing my accounts. My Decleor & Jessica reps are fantastic. When my Decleor rep comes in she let's me know when their will be special deals on products or if a product is to be discontinued, so I know when to run down my stock. She also does in-salon training in any new products, demonstrating them to me & explaining what's in them, how the products work etc etc. She also helps me choose products suitable to my salon, as well as imparting ideas on promoting sales & treatments & getting advertising and promotional material.

 

[persianista]

My decleor rep only came every 8 weeks, and was not great. One of the main reasons I switched to dermalogica if I'm truthful.