Material Handling

[SoCalElectricalContractor]

I am in the Residential market and am having a hard time deciding whether or not to house our material and deliver it or depend on the suppliers to do so. We have been in business for 15 years letting the supplier handle our deliveries but it has occurred to me that most people get their material delivered to their shop and then deliver their stuff themselves. Why when the supplier will? Any comments?

 

[peter d]

It really all depends on the supplier. Some suppliers are outstanding when it comes to dependable deliveries, and market that strength to their advantage. Others can't screw it up enough. At any rate, having the material delivered to your shop then distributed gives you the advantage of buying in bulk (which you obviously know already) as well as giving you complete control of what goes out the door.

 

[220/221]

I would think you would have more control over the inventory if you stocked a weeks supply of everything. It also depends on how many trucks you have in the field.


Inventory DOES cost money but you can make that back by being efficient. Nothing worse than having to send someone BACK to a job because the supplier backordered a few simple inexpensive items.

The supplier will constantly screw things up because they don't really care about your bottom line. Honestly, a full 80 percent of orders do not come in to my warehouse correctly and if someone doesn't deal with it, it COSTS MONEY!

If you have a really organized and knowledgeable person in charge of your materials, things could run really smoothly.

I'd be a kick ass warehouse dude, especially in a residential company where the materials were basically all the same. No one would ever miss a step....but I'm old and tired.

 

[cschmid]

you can also get a better price if you have it all delivered to your shop..price of gas and time for delivery is also included in their bids..We also do it for quality control once it hits job site crews will install it even if it is not complete or messed up..if it is there it is meant to be installed right or wrong..