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  David Cox July 25, 2012 at 7:04pm

  Proximity, Quality of services - IE does the guy on the counter know im a regular and therfore take care of me... IE Lawnmower not working at 12:30pm on a wednesday.... get an old banger for the afternoon while the main one is quickly repaired,

  discounts are nice.... but quality service time after time, quick services and being honest - IE can they get what I want yes/no are probabbly bigger for me.
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  Thermo July 25, 2012 at 7:44pm

  depends on what you are selling! I have a small amount of suppliers that i selected because they seemed pretty good when i first encountered them. Some i have moved to after others let me down. reasons i use them as follows:-

   

  fencing supplier

  about 15 miles away others closer, but when i first used them they were very helpful. Its a family run business. They will bend over backwards for me. I know i get the same discount as everyone else in teh trade from them. They charge me a small amount for delivery, but their products are good, always delivered on time. They will do anything they can to help if you have a problem. I have the owners personal email and mobile number and he will often email me back on a sunday evening (not that i expect it)

   

  Main building materials supplier

  i personally deal with the manager and i get good service. i have his mobile number. he will do me a good price and will haggle with me. deliveries always good and free. i do get muck ups when things are late etc, but he sorts them out for me. Will do his utmost to help. I can also walk into another branch and i will get the same discounts and service. With many bigger suippliers it doewsnt matter whats on teh system they will still overcharge you then make it as difficult as possible to get a credit back when theyve gone over agreed set prices.

  Topsoil and turf

  good local firm. quality always excellent and any problems will sort it out. i know i will get my truf delivered as early as possible in the morning so i can get it down asap. I know the topsoil will be delivered before ive even got to site. No real discounts but its the service.

  local hire shop

   

  same again pretty good deals, lots of help and service.

   

  In short i want to be able to pick up a phone and someone who i have a good relationship with answer it and help sort out the query. Ive used most of the above for in excess of 8 years. It works both ways in that i wont screw them down for prices and in return for the service i do my part by always paying my invoices promptly.

   

   
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  Neil Petrie BSc Landscape Mgt July 25, 2012 at 9:06pm

  As you are obviously interested in supply of chemicals and fertilisers, this is my experience from the folk I use:

  Personal service - I have the same guy that phones me up every time, or if I phone them I ask for him by name.  He knows my business, he knows the products I use, what I'm likely to need soon, etc..  Whenever he calls up to ask if I need anything he often takes a minute to see how things are going - makes it more informal and personal, less salesman like.

  Delivery needs to be prompt - I've got jobs to get done and don't want to have to wait about for supplies to arrive.  On the point of delivery we have a minimum spend of either £150 or £300 for free delivery (I can't remember which it is) so generally I will save up an order so I can make this saving. 

  There are a couple of things I value.  

  Going out for a couple of drinks now.  Good evening all.
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  John Cooke July 25, 2012 at 9:10pm

  Price is important: I want to be able to offer my clients a better price than they can obtain themselves, but still make a margin on the products, albeit, small. There has to be an advantage for the client to use you and there is no point in using your own money unless it earns something. 

  The big builders merchants aren't really interested in a small business such as mine and I find their prices can normally be beaten with a few phone calls or a google search.  It's a shame the big boys don't look after us small people better, the guys in the yard at all my local major suppliers are very helpful and realise they are, in many cases, uncompetitve.  (Hat tip and thanks to Graeme at BGS, who set up a trade discount at Jewsons for LJN; big discount but still beatable prices)

  I try to use local suppliers and this holds true for turf, soil, plants, aggregate, skips, plant hire and machinery.  I'm lucky, we have good local suppliers and these are the people with whom you develop good relationships. I find them very helpful and with, more often, the best prices and that's what keeps you coming back.
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  Steve London Stone July 25, 2012 at 10:36pm

  Of course price is important but to build a long term business, you need to have a quality product and offer a better service than any of your competitors.  Follow that approach and you will build loyal customers
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  David Benson July 25, 2012 at 11:11pm

  as others have said price, quality of product if its not in stock can it be obtained for next day. for me i try and shop local as most employ local people (merry go round syndrome) also look at why your company chooses there suppliers it might give you some of the answers
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  Angus Horticulture July 26, 2012 at 9:58am

  Thank you all for taking the time to reply, it is interesting to hear your opinions and we will certainly be taking them all on board.

  We are a small family run business so we pride ourselves on offering the personal service and have great working relationships with many of our customers so its good to hear that that is one of the main things people look for in a supplier. I totally agree with Johns comment about the 'big boys' not looking after small business what they seem to forget is they probably started out as a small business once too.
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  Thermo July 26, 2012 at 8:13pm

  i forgot tomention i recently stopped using a skip company i had been using since they started up at the same time as me. In fact i was their first account customer. we do about 12-15K in skips each year. They let me down a couple of times and the final nail in the cooffin was when they were advertising skips in a local builders merchants at the same price as i was getting as an account customer. they told me they couldnt do anything about it yet they dropped the prices for other builders who complained. I went to another more local company who give me a decent deal, but again their service is excellent. If a company can afford to lose that money then so be it, but if thats their attitude and they lose several like that it soon adds up. They do seem to forget who supported them on the way up
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  Paul & Megan Dovey February 27, 2013 at 9:13am

  Local, we try to only use local but it's got harded to do that, customer service is also important to us, have stopped using some suppliers due to lack of this, would go for the above first then free delivery plus a percentage discount before free products any day.
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  Paul & Megan Dovey February 27, 2013 at 12:45pm

  I have to add to what Duncan said only in my case it was because Im a woman. I'm in partnership with my husband. some years ago I walked into a well known builder's ready to pay a large sum of money in cash, I was dressed in a business suit as I had been to a meeting, I waited my turn, but when it came my turn the staff behind the counter looked over my head and started serving the other builders. One staff member actually said I could wait as I wasn't busy. My time is worth just as much as anyone else. I walked out and a few days later the same company refused to deliver a order because we had an outstanding bill. I complained to manager as I pointed out I had stood there with the cash willing to pay but had been insulted by his staff, I Paid the cash closed our accounts and I've never been there since. They have on many occasion telephone to ask us to reopen our account, the answer is NO.treat all customers the same with respect.