One of the most frequent concerns I hear from retailers, especially as it relates to claims and complaints with the big carpet manufacturers is how they hate being at the mercy of them. We have retailers who ask for alternative suppliers that they can do business with that actually care about who you are and are willing to work with you and provide you product that is not fraught with the same types of problems consistently.
The big manufacturers can supply you with almost all of everything you need in the way of every style available and imaginable. They can also supply you with hard surface products as well. What they don’t provide you anymore is superior personal customer service and a personal relationship. There are manufacturers that are still small enough to appreciate the retailer and large enough to accommodate their business. One of those rare diamond in the rough companies where you will never be a number is By-Pass Carpet Mills right here inDalton,Georgia. If you have an open mind for a small but relevant product line, manufactured by a company that offers very good quality and value, then you can take advantage of developing a relationship like you once had years ago in this industry.
Certainly there are still some manufacturers that you can get this from in the industry in both residential and commercial products. The difference and complete distinction with By-Pass Carpet Mills is that they made the decision to work with us to help them be better than they are. This is such a departure from the norm that it stands out as being an anomaly in the industry and that impressed me.
By Pass Carpet Mills manufacturers both nylon and polyester carpet, much of it solution dyed, for residential application. They also have a small line of cut pile nylon commercial product that is targeted towards churches, which they have had for years. They are flexible in that they can react to what you want and even develop a custom program for you. They can respond fast to requests and have the assets and equipment to produce carpet in a very timely manner. One of their objectives is to get back to the basics of doing business in the industry the way it was once done – with a personal touch. Another aspect of the business is selling rolls; they are not really a cut order house. They control the product from start to finish and they don’t have “volumitis.”
By Pass takes pride in what they do. They are not looking to do business with every dealer in the country, only those whose businesses they can help create value for; you may be one of them.
More and more retailers are getting frustrated by the fact that they get stonewalled when trying to communicate with their manufacturing suppliers, especially as it relates to claims. The first order of business when producing carpet, in my opinion, is to strive to produce products without any acceptable percentage of defects. Smaller manufacturers have to live or die by this philosophy; they can’t afford to have claims because they’re too costly and they jeopardize business relationships. When relationship selling is what you do it’s important you don’t do anything to harm it.
Regardless of whom you do business with in the floor covering industry it is incumbent upon you the retail dealer, to insure that you aren’t doing anything to create problems at your end. No manufacturer is going to want the monkey you have on your back passed to them when it’s not their monkey. If the monkey belongs to you, you have to take care of it, it’s no one else’s job.
You have to make sure you don’t oversell the product or the warranties. You must sell the correct product into the right location. You have to explain to the consumer what the flooring material will and won’t do. You must qualify the consumer and the flooring product, make sure it is installed by certified and qualified mechanics who are professionals and that they are paid a fair wage. You must see to it that the product is installed according to the manufacturers and industry standards and that you tell the consumer how to take care of it. If you do all of these things, and sell product you can trust that will perform, you should be able to avoid claims completely.
If you’re looking for someone different to do business with that thinks a lot like you, why don’t you give By Pass Carpet Mills a call at 1-800-772-1894. See if they’re an alternative manufacturer you’d like to develop a relationship with and do business with. I’ve been impressed by them I think you will be too.
Author: Lewis G. Migliore
LGM and Associates – The Floorcovering Experts