Great topic RJ.
Our local distributor is Interlink Supply of Omaha.
My dealings with them go back a few yrs to when I was a tech for a local hack.
My boss had wore out his welcome in the store, so he'd send me in to pick up supplies & drop off the machines.
Thats where I met Clark and Lisa Mecham.
A husband/wife duo, They were running the store (still are) and one thing I found I liked about this place was that Clark and Lisa treated me fair and were genuinely down-to-earth people, just fun to be around. Positive.
When I began talks with Clark about purchasing a TM, he actually told me to go clean for another 6 months, formulate a business plan, and come see him.
Of course I didn't wait 6 months. Hell I didn't wait 6 weeks.
I rolled out of there with a new
Hydramaster and no clients, and payments to make and mouths to feed.
I had no doubt I'd pull thru and get things going, but it was tough convincing others of that in the beginning.
I always felt they actually gave a damn whether I sank or swam.
They have been there for me through the first weeks of me freaking out about the quirks of my machine.
I'm sure I've wore out the head tech/advisor Brian with some pretty stupid questions.
I'm pretty sure he came close to calling me stupid a few times, but did not lol.
Parts have always been in stock.
They have referred us to new clients.
They have been pretty knowledgeable on most chemicals / tools and when they don't know, they will give me the number of someone locally who does know.
They have stayed after closing on a friday night, as we sped across town to get that last minute part or chem we just couldn't do without for the weekend. More than once.
Anyway, here I am rolling into my 3rd year, still a newbie in many ways, and though there are some products I purchase online, I still go into the Interlink store regularly.
These are friends of mine. They've met my wife and kids. And dog.
Sure the prices are higher. BFD
I've said it before: I'd rather pay a little more for good service.
The same folks who cry about their distributor's prices, are the same ones who like to stand in the distributor's parking lot (or a BB) and boast of their own high prices to any other cleaner who might be hanging around.
That sums up the local scene for us.
Jeff at
GreenGlides has been very helpful, knowledgeable, and more than fair in our limited dealings with them. I do not know if they actually have a store where they are at, but if they ever did open a shop, I suspect the local cleaners would flock to the location.
And Rick Gelinas company,
excellent supply has been truly top-notch and continues to offer sharp service at a good price.
In short, any supply shop / or online shop is just a warehouse or a price list.
The PEOPLE are what make us come back, or never want to come again.
Just like what we do as cleaners / business owners:
we either deliver the goods with a positive vibe and go above and beyond, and succeed....
Or we don't.
Its all about
service and lets not forget that what makes good service even better, is when the customer is giving it right back.
Remember that the next time you are fencing with some clerk over a 12 dollar part.
