Needing Your Help & Ideas

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Folks, I am applying for a marketing position with a leading Gas and Supply company.  Good marketing managers listen to the customer so I'm doing my research and getting ready for another round of interviews.  I'd like to ask for your opinions on companies like Gas & Supply, Air Liquide, and AirGas. What do you look for?  Who do you think is setting the standard? What really wins you over?  Many thanks in advance.
Reply:What wins me over? ---  Free merchandise after we purchase several hundred dollars worth of consumables and equipment.... Who do I think is setting the standard? --- None of them, They all try and screw you in some way...What do I look for? --- The best prices. In my town of Hattiesburg we had 4 at one time. Nordan Smith(My personal Favorite), (2)Air Gas and a Gas and supply. Nordan Smith was bought out my AirGas. Now I refuse to go to them for anything because they raised almost everything in the store $5 the day after they changed names. The 2 Air Gas locations were already High, Then they closed them down and only used the Nordan Smith location. We don't have an Air Liquide in my town. Never been to one. Now I have been to several different Gas and Supply stores. one in my town sucks. It is a room for 2 shelves and the walls aren't filled up with anything. It basically looks like a cheap cheap operation. Which I despise that about them. Now I have been to one in Morgan City, Venice, and Houma. Those Gas and Supplies were top of the line, Clean, decently priced merchandise, and they threw me in a pair of Tillman 750L gloves after I bought $100 worth of stuff in morgan city. Basically look for the locally owned mom and pop style ran Gas and Supply stores. that are up to par with the world. Not some shotty looking operation. The big box chains for welding supplies suck in my honest opinion. I would rather by equipment online than deal with them fools. You know what I might be on to something there.....
Reply:Man, sounds like the standard is set pretty low.
Reply:I'll move your thread to the general welding questions area since many don't bother to look at the Intro area.As far as what I look for in a supplier, decent prices certainly, but mostly good customer service. Good sales staff that is helpful, knowledgeable, and courteous, who don't make you feel like you are inconveniencing them simply by showing up, and that they are making a great concession by simply selling you something. Simply being willing to stay open a few minutes if you are running late, or having something like a lock box that they can leave your stuff in so you can pick it up after hours by giving you the combo, being willing to spot you a spare cylinder for a weekend without having to open up a 2nd lease, being willing to stock items that you prefer and need regularly, knowing what they stock and how it's used, so they can make suggestions when you come in with "odd" issues you need to resolve... All that to me means more than simply saving a few dollars..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:We have received Co2 bottles from Airgas that were half full, moisture inside, and sometimes they have sent us empties. Paid for them then realized they were screwing us hardcore once we tried to hook the bottle up. Porosity all in the welds, moisture coming out the gas lines, Bottle would be empty in about a day. I switched everything over to 75/25 and they use Southern Gas and Supply and now its fine. Airgas was overcharging for CO2 and screwing us at the same time. We wont be getting in bed with Air Gas every again. We are with Southern Gas and Supply now. The one I mentioned earlier that has 2 shelves in the floor and nothing on the walls. Everything is in the back storage. Shipping container boxes and such are where they store the equipment. It should be out in the open with a nice floor plan for customers to see. There isn't even a welding machine for sale inside! lol. Its ridiculous. I should buy AirGases old building on Hwy 49 and set up shop there with a real deal operation one day. I would sell all Lapco clothing from Morgan City. Did you know in my town the only place to get Fire retardant clothing is Sacks outdoors and Academy's.....Both have prices on their welding shirts and pants at $65-80 a pair!!!!!!! Morgan City Lapco I can buy wholesale for $15-25 a shirt and pants. Maybe less depending on the amount I buy! I would cut throat every FR distributor in the area by half! You can buy in bulk Tweco stinger, ground clamps etc. online for much cheaper than the stores. They are price gouging all over because they know they are the only people in town.
Reply:I replied to this on the AWS forum as well and after reading some suggestions and comments on here I felt that you should hear this too. Although, you may not want to include this in the interview process if you wish to be hired. The larger companies are all about "corporate" operations. In a lot of cases this in and of itself doesn't relate well to customer service. Corporate rules seem to stomp all over many of the customer service practices that actually promote customer loyalty and the ability to entice a repeat customer. If you are able to get into a position where you are allowed to pursue a decent regimen of operation you will do well, however, if your superiors invoke the "corporate" rule you may become frustrated while trying to provide a good level of customer service and grow your abilities and bank account. Good luck and regards, Allanaevald
Reply:Allan, many thanks for taking the time to educate me.  The company I am talking to is in the top 4, but they believe they are on the right track by striving for better service. They are trying to take that attitude down to the store level. I stopped in one store and got the right vibes.  I don't know how their prices compare.  As a marketing guy, I know you have to do both--a competitive price and excellent service. What I'm looking for in the forums is reality.  Doesn't matter what a company says, it's what they do.
Reply:Price is always important but what really sucks is when ANYONE charges top dollar prices and then treats the customer like crap.I always was of the attitude that the Customer is always right. Granted...there will always be one or two customers who are dead wrong....But don't treat everyone who walks through the door in a way that makes them feel they are the enemy. I guess it always gets down to respect.  FWIW...I'm guessing that the one Gas and Supply which locked the supplies....welders in shipping containers was dealing with a lot of theft....after hour break in and disapearing merchandise. It is tough to run a business these days.
Reply:All the welding supply places here in Hattiesburg suck in my opinion. You have to go to somewhere in Louisiana to get a good deal on merchandise and equipment. I heard Mobile has a good one also. The closer you get to cities with industrial construction, shipyards, large building construction etc... you have more reputable dealers. If you come to a smaller town that was rocking and rolling years ago and things subside. The Welding supply stores become money hungry and turn into shotty operations. They don't have the merchandise turn over rate here like they would in Morgan City, New Orleans, Houma, Lafayette, Baton Rouge, Mobile, Biloxi and anywhere in Texas. It all boils down to location location location. When Airgas bought out Nordan Smith it went downhill here. I started to get use to the faces and to the point when I shake hands on a deal and pay. Now its here's what we got if you don't like the prices go somewhere else. When it was NS I could grab about 10 or 12 things and he would bundle them together and give me a discount for buying several things at once. Whether it be -$5 or -$20 when I went I felt like I did some good shopping and shook the mans hand and I said I'll be back soon buddy! That's what you want out of your local welding supply store. I don't want to do business with a company that the guy hears the door ring, comes up front and stands by the cash register waiting on me to pick my items out. I want him to say HEY GUY how have you been, Hey look at the new shipment of torch tips we got in you need one? What about the new welding caps or different style shirts we just got because we know you welders like to get on the job site in that new fancy styled welding shirt. Andrew go get you some gloves and come check out this new miller bobcat we got in the back. Want to crank her up and burn a rod and see if you like it? I understand its a business, but you have to be a salesperson who enjoys his job and likes his customers. Become first name basis with them. Talk to them like you know what we want and pamper us from time to time with your personal discount if you know the customer well enough. It is a corporate business you buy in bulk.... Why not please the customer every once in a while to get him back in the door.It has probably been 3 years since I have walked inside a LWS store in Hattiesburg. I buy everything in Louisiana where the prices are better and the salesperson actually tries to sell me some cool new stuff because they have a reputable show room and back room for demonstrations.Last edited by AndrewDavenport89; 05-19-2015 at 02:28 PM.
Reply:Thanks, Tim.  What I'm hearing over and over again is respect for the customer.  These days, the buyer has more power than in the past--he can go elsewhere, or worse, let everyone know on a forum like this.  I mean good and bad.
Reply:Exactly. Somebody like me can knock on their quality of business ethics lol. Hopefully one of them reads it and gives me an email, ships me a catalog and says pick out what you want for free bahahaha!
Reply:Well, Andrew.  I don't want to state here where I'm interviewing yet, but I'm going to give this input to the president of the company.  If I get the job, I'll let you guys know where I'm at.Then you'll have a man on the inside at corporate! You'll know exactly who to complain to!!!
Reply:good deal. I see your in Louisiana. Keep me informed where your location will be and I might can stop by one day. I travel from time to time.
Reply:Sure will.  If all goes well with the interview, I'll be in Baton Rouge.  In Shreveport now.
Reply:Excellent customer service usually guarantees you return customers. It means having knowledgeable sales personnel on the floor, establishing rapport with walk-in customers and willingness to help a regular customer who's in a pinch. Andrew and Allan made several good points already that you could start from.I work/own a small hardware supply. Being a small operation means I usually cant compete in pricing so I try to compete on customer service to get repeat customers. People who come to me usually are the little guys, walk-ins or small shop owners. You should hear the complaints they have experienced. In my opinion supply companies exist to SERVE customers.
Reply:You've heard enough that I don't need to add any thing, and I don't want to rain on your parade or discourage you, but it has been my experience with corporate America that all the management wants to hear is what a great job they are doing and how are the profits. They can't see constructive criticism as an opportunity to increase customer satisfaction and there by increasing customer base and profitability. The worst thing to happen to the welding industry is the loss of the owner operator welding supply house and the take over of the large chain vendors. The best thing to happen is the advent of internet sales and the smart phone so that I don't have to put up with the crap service and poor pricing of the chain suppliers. I have said many times that if someone could figure out how to ship cylinders inexpensively that the chain stores would close as I am done with them and they only have them selves to blame.Your questions here are quite timely as I just left a supply house that started as an owner operator and is now a big chain corporate store so after 20+ years I am now no longer there. Best of luck with your job search, and when you discover that you can't change the culture of a business that you don't own, don't get discouraged, open your own business.
Reply:Originally Posted by lhyams3Folks, I am applying for a marketing position with a leading Gas and Supply company.  Good marketing managers listen to the customer so I'm doing my research and getting ready for another round of interviews.  I'd like to ask for your opinions on companies like Gas & Supply, Air Liquide, and AirGas. What do you look for?  Who do you think is setting the standard? What really wins you over?  Many thanks in advance.
Reply:^^^ Ding ding ding! Its nice to have a supply store that cares about the customers. Not having corporate down their backs asking what were the sales this month. And how can we price gouge this product to get more revenue. I have seen a soap stone holder at $5 before Rofl!!! a Chipping hammer at $15. I could go on and on with the pricing. I can buy almost everything I need cheaper online and not have to deal with a big bill and a guy who doesn't know me because they cycle through salespeople so much. I tried to get a guy to explain to me the differences between a couple machines and he couldn't. I asked well is there anybody else here that can? No sir our tech guy is out today. TECH guy?! No any salesperson in a welding supply store should have enough knowledge to sell me a machine. Its like buying a car. If I go to a car lot and ask for a specific truck and he walks me on the lot and shows me a truck that isn't in the same category as what I explained. I will walk away. If I talk to a car lot salesman and he cant explain to me how many miles, what transfer case is on that truck. Does it have the Allison transmission 5 speed or 6 speed. Is the truck running 3.73 rear end gears with posi trac or factory lockers? If he cant tell me what drivetrain, motor, bells and whistles. I wont do business with them. Same principal goes for A Welding Supply store.
Reply:Originally Posted by silvertinai missed the part that said marketing position... the parts i underlined are usually asked when a company is looking to expand its operations in other locations or is launching a new or improved product. Very rarely are they asked when trying to improve customer relationship.
Reply:Originally Posted by AndrewDavenport89Marketing is customer relationship. They should go hand in hand. They should open more stores up with Demonstration rooms. Sales people that have a vast knowledge of the products they sell. I want a owner who was a welder for years and knows the struggles of being the small time guy buying equipment. They are few and far between.[
Reply:Guys, thanks for all the input.  I think I learned more from you than spending a month in the field.
Reply:Originally Posted by lhyams3Sure will.  If all goes well with the interview, I'll be in Baton Rouge.  In Shreveport now.
Reply:Here is my suggestion - put a price on everything, and at least never charge more than is marked. I don't care if you put the MSRP on it, at least I know the highest you will charge. Then based on my account, business, whatever you might discount it 10%- 20%. Or at least I can ask will you discount it? With no price anywhere, I just keep walking because I am not going to let them write it up at a high price and me have to say, "No I can't afford that so put it back". I'll pay it once, but I won't be back. Then the other side is old stock has $18 marked on it, but the computer says $22. I should only pay the marked price. That's another peeve.Good luck. There is a lot of money to be made if you treat Customers fairly.Burt _____________________Miller Syncrowave 250Millermatic 211Miller 375 Plasma Cutter Hobart Handler 12010FtDrillBit.com
Reply:ah man you hit the nail on the head. I have been in so many supply stores with no pricing on all their items! or when I get to the desk it is more on the computer! wtf!!!!!
Reply:+2 on putting a price on the items!Syncrowave 210HH140Victor O/AHey Bistineau.  I'm in Broadmore.
Reply:Just came back to see if there were more posts.  I wrote up a paper and included all of your comments.  The president of the company is reviewing it now.Thanks again, Louis
Reply:Good customer service starts with training the people behind the counter. Counter sales cannot know every process and product out there but it helps the consumer if they have the resources and some knowledge to get the products they need and know how they are to be used.Knowing HOW to sell will help also.......I have seen sale people that couldn't sell a life raft to a drowning man.Louis I hope you are working for one of the two majors in the US because they both can use some help from the kind of guy that would come here and ask what they need to work on.
Reply:I just saw this thread and it's right up my alley. After applying 3 times I finally got an Interview with Air Liquide, since then I've worked at 2 independent welding supplies and really lucked out and am currently the technical product support specialist-welding for the largest industrial supplier in Canada. I basically provide welding advice, Certs. and other information to about 178 branches across Canada. My dad was in turf equipment sales for about 40 years and had the highest market share in Canada and even set some worldwide sales records. I mention this because I asked him one time what is the most important aspect to being a good salesman. PRODUCT KNOWLEDGE! There are obviously other things like knowing your customers needs, being personable, getting correct answers ASAP etc., etc. Be positive and wiling to learn. Ask if they have a catalogue you could study. Nobody knows everything about welding but that's OK. You need to know the basics and where to get the answers for what you don't know. Never bash a competitors product instead talk about the features and benefits of what you're selling. Sometimes with a good customer, there is nothing wrong with telling them that a competitive product is a better solution for them and/or a good product. Your customer will respect you more than if you sell them something they aren't happy with. One bad sale can sour a good customer relationship. I'm also a customer of welding supplies and the number one thing that really irks me is sales people not knowing the answer to a question I have and instead of admitting it they try and fake it. No answer is better than a wrong answer. That's where knowing where to get the right answer is important. You also have to know when to give advice. If somebody wants engineering or technical advice that should come from someone specialized in that field, tell the customer that. On the other hand I think someone coming to a welding supply should expect to get better advice than if they go to a box store. When I worked at ALC another inside sales rep. was telling a customer they need to talk to an engineer in order to get the right rod for welding stainless steel. Yes on something critical. He only needed a few rods so when he was looking at other stuff in the showroom I went over to see what he needed the stainless rods for and he said it was for some cracks in a liner of a fire box. There was no pressure involved, he just wanted something to fix the cracks that was corrosion resistant. I suggested a .5kg/1lb pkg. of Blueshield Xtreme which is basically a 312 stainless rod. I told him it is stainless based and a little pricey per kg but not nearly as expensive as having to buy a 4 or 5kg pkg. of a specific stainless rod like 308 or 316. He was happy. I never said anything to the other sales rep. She acted like a know-it-all but actually knew very little. She got a call one time asking if we had anything like a Bessey clamp and I heard her muttering while walking through the showroom, "What the hell is a Bessey clamp?" If you don't know what a Bessey clamp is, you probably shouldn't be in welding sales. She isn't anymore and I couldn't be happier. She was really nasty to new employee's but sucked up to managers. They finally got a manager that saw right through her. She had 3 month's to do the job she was promoted to by the old manager and decided to leave because she realized the job wasn't as cushy as she expected. I have never been more happy that someone left a job. I hate it when the wrong people get promoted over much more deserving people. Good luck in your interview!Last edited by Welder Dave; 05-25-2015 at 02:35 AM.
Reply:More good advice.  Thanks guys.
Reply:Top Gas distributors... Air LiquidePraxairThey are always consistent and carry quality products and services. Praxair is always growing and has many job needs such as marketing, engineering, and maintaining careers!VictorPraxairAir LiquideMillerLincoln Electric