I reach out to our clients periodically to thank them for their business. I probably don’t do this as frequently as I should. When you run a family business as we do, every order, big or small, is important to us.
This week, I sent one of those “thank you” emails to one of our best clients, and received the below response:
“I know I’ve said it before and my perception may be a bit biased since I don’t work as closely with some of the other [LPS] team members, however, I just wanted to reiterate what a pleasure it is to work with Erik. He is hands down one of the best people I’ve worked with from a vendor relationship standpoint. Very responsive, always looking for the best options available even if that’s not through LPS, honest and articulate.”
Ever since I began my career in lab supply sales 53 years ago, I have made a pledge to myself that I would treat you, my customers, fairly and honestly. As a manager of salespeople, I always taught them what I consider to be the keys to success:
- Say what you will do and do what you say - promptly.
- Treat every day as a learning experience, and your customers as your best teachers.
- Be honest with your customers, and treat them as you would like to be treated.
I do my best to set an example for my team. Letters like this one bring me great satisfaction, knowing that honesty really IS the best policy.
Shipping Charges
Shipping costs continue to increase, especially for LTL shipments and for hazardous materials. We always encourage our clients to use their own UPS or FedEx accounts rather than prepay-and-add whenever possible.
As I previously reported, many of our vendors are becoming reluctant, or have outright refused, to provide us with freight quotes. To avoid delays in your order, it is best to use your freight account and avoid asking for estimated shipping charges. Doing so will only delay your order and cause frustration when we have to tell you the vendor won’t respond.
Please also keep in mind that even though you may have a FedEx and/or UPS account, bulky items such as drums and certain hazardous materials can only be shipped LTL. FedEx Freight and UPS Freight are separate companies from their ground counterparts, and require different account numbers.
Fact of the day: Most major lab supply distributors mark up their freight charges by 30% or more.
LPS will always - always - look out for your best interest when it comes to shipping.
Final Thoughts
As much as we try, “you can’t please all of the people all of the time.” For example, some of our web customers are very upset when we tell them we can’t ship chemicals to a residential address,especially materials such as HF, Arsenic, Sodium Azide and Chloroform.
We have other customers who see a picture of an instrument, and make a purchase without understanding what ships with the instrument, and what is an accessory you must buy to go with it. What is shown in a picture is never a substitute for a specification sheet! Our friendly LPS experts are always happy to consult with your team to discuss your specific needs, and assist you in finding the best equipment for your budget and requirements. Contact us today!
