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Sad Comment about McMaster-Carr

G

Guv Bob

Jan 1, 1970
0
I am sad to say that our experience has been that McMaster-Carr has changed for the worse in the last few weeks. And I don't see any reason to think that it will return to the friendly, efficiently-run company that it has been for the prior 10+ years that we have been buying from them.

I hope that anyone else who has found this to be the case in your dealings, will contact McMaster-Carr via their website: http://www.mcmaster.com/ > Contact. Be sure to ask that your comments be forwarded to someone in upper management and to a VP of Sales. Be sure to express your thoughts in a polite, business-like manner.

This is a sad comment that am making -- their company has been a pleasure to buy from for the past 10+ years. But now their operation seems to have been turned over to the IT dept and/or bean counters. The sales desk/phone people are as helpful and efficient as always, but unfortunately, their "customer service" philosophy is limited to taking orders. Evidently they have no influence on how the rest of the company is run.

1. As you probably already know, McMaster-Carr has purged many of its customers' accounts in good standing, and is now requiring long-term customers to purchase by credit card only. This is true whether ordering online or by phone.

2. This is fine for small dollar or infrequent orders, but not acceptable for routine purchases.

3. Our experience is that cards are kept with a fairly low limit ($1-$5) because that it takes only one well-meaning but out-of-control employee to sink a project by excessive use of his card.

4. However, if your employees have a reasonable limit ($2-$10K), then the company must now monitor the balance weekly and make mid-month payments just to keep the balance under the card limit and keep on good standing with the card issuer.

5. When you are in a major project, you have to spend to much time keeping track of your credit card balance when you should be spending time on keeping the project under control.

6. I have talked to various McM-Carr people and have gotten nowhere. Our account is over 10 years old and, like all our supplier accounts, is always current.

7. On a different issue.... we have places 4 orders in the past 2 weeks -- all by credit card (as required). Two of these orders were shipped to addresses in other states that we never heard of.

I hope that they will get enough feedback from their customers to pull the plug on the impersonal bean-counter attitudes and return some reasonable customer-oriented management to the company.

Thank you for reading.

Boycott McMaster-Carr
 
L

Lew Hodgett

Jan 1, 1970
0
RE: Subject

McM-C has been a total PITA around here for at least the last 10
years.

The only time we place an order with them is when they are the only
game in town.



--
Hodco Systems
Box 2302
Whittier, CA, 90610-2302
(V) 562-944-4432
E-Mail: [email protected]

Lew Hodgett, PE
 
J

Jamie

Jan 1, 1970
0
Guv said:
I am sad to say that our experience has been that McMaster-Carr has changed for the worse in the last few weeks. And I don't see any reason to think that it will return to the friendly, efficiently-run company that it has been for the prior 10+ years that we have been buying from them.

I hope that anyone else who has found this to be the case in your dealings, will contact McMaster-Carr via their website: http://www.mcmaster.com/ > Contact. Be sure to ask that your comments be forwarded to someone in upper management and to a VP of Sales. Be sure to express your thoughts in a polite, business-like manner.

This is a sad comment that am making -- their company has been a pleasure to buy from for the past 10+ years. But now their operation seems to have been turned over to the IT dept and/or bean counters. The sales desk/phone people are as helpful and efficient as always, but unfortunately, their "customer service" philosophy is limited to taking orders. Evidently they have no influence on how the rest of the company is run.

1. As you probably already know, McMaster-Carr has purged many of its customers' accounts in good standing, and is now requiring long-term customers to purchase by credit card only. This is true whether ordering online or by phone.

2. This is fine for small dollar or infrequent orders, but not acceptable for routine purchases.

3. Our experience is that cards are kept with a fairly low limit ($1-$5) because that it takes only one well-meaning but out-of-control employee to sink a project by excessive use of his card.

4. However, if your employees have a reasonable limit ($2-$10K), then the company must now monitor the balance weekly and make mid-month payments just to keep the balance under the card limit and keep on good standing with the card issuer.

5. When you are in a major project, you have to spend to much time keeping track of your credit card balance when you should be spending time on keeping the project under control.

6. I have talked to various McM-Carr people and have gotten nowhere. Our account is over 10 years old and, like all our supplier accounts, is always current.

7. On a different issue.... we have places 4 orders in the past 2 weeks -- all by credit card (as required). Two of these orders were shipped to addresses in other states that we never heard of.

I hope that they will get enough feedback from their customers to pull the plug on the impersonal bean-counter attitudes and return some reasonable customer-oriented management to the company.

Thank you for reading.

Boycott McMaster-Carr
We stopped using them on a regular bases a while ago.

We only buy from them when absolutely necessary.

3 of the major reasons we stopped buying from them are

1. Overly priced products in many area's

2. Inconsistent product line and lack of detail data in cat.

3. Getting double billed attempts. (multiple times).

They never use to be this bad how ever, it seems that the times
are reflecting on their business.

http://webpages.charter.net/jamie_5"
 
RE: Subject

McM-C has been a total PITA around here for at least the last 10
years.

The only time we place an order with them is when they are the only
game in town.

--
Hodco Systems
Box 2302
Whittier, CA, 90610-2302
(V) 562-944-4432
E-Mail: [email protected]

Lew Hodgett, PE

ww grainger is no better, were a small business that bought a lot of a
few select items, if you dont buy 6 or 10K a year theres never a
quantity discount.

so they didnt want our business, we buy elsewhere........

now some tiny start up may be discouraged by such idiot policies, and
be the next microsoft.

grainger by bean counting will discourage small customers who one day
may be large customers, but never spend a dime at grainger........
 
Absolutely zero problems dealing with them to date. While their prices
aren't the lowest, their service has always been first class. I order
before 4:00 pm, I have it next day by noon. We darn sure don't spend much
more than $2K/yr with them but we always receive friendly courteous service.
I was shocked to read the above.

Stu Fields
Experimental Helo Magazine


My experience is the same as Stu's - McMaster's been very good
for my needs and almost always ships "next day" by UPS for very
reasonable rates. While not the cheapest source for most things
(especially raw metal/plastic materials), their speed and availability
outweigh that. I spend ~10-20 $K a year, almost all by CC.

Wud
 
T

Tom Gardner

Jan 1, 1970
0
I am sad to say that our experience has been that McMaster-Carr has changed for
the worse in the last few weeks. And I don't see any reason to think that it
will return to the friendly, efficiently-run company that it has been for the
prior 10+ years that we have been buying from them.
<snip>

Hmmm, we've had the opposite experience. Friendly, knowledgeable and we get
same-day delivery if we order by noon. We do about $1k/mo.
 
J

John R. Carroll

Jan 1, 1970
0
Tom said:
I am sad to say that our experience has been that McMaster-Carr has
changed for the worse in the last few weeks. And I don't see any
reason to think that it will return to the friendly, efficiently-run
company that it has been for the prior 10+ years that we have been
buying from them. <snip>

Hmmm, we've had the opposite experience. Friendly, knowledgeable and
we get same-day delivery if we order by noon. We do about $1k/mo.

I'll second that.
I get my stuff so quick it's scary - usually the same day.
 
N

N8N

Jan 1, 1970
0
ww grainger is no better, were a small business that bought a lot of a
few select items, if you dont buy 6 or 10K a year theres never a
quantity discount.

so they didnt want our business, we buy elsewhere........

now some tiny start up may be discouraged by such idiot policies, and
be the next microsoft.

grainger by bean counting will discourage small customers who one day
may be large customers, but never spend a dime at grainger........

Grainger isn't interested in non-corporate customers, either. Makes
you feel guilty buying anything from them for personal use due to the
attitude. I've had nothing but good experiences with McM-C and I hope
that that does not change. I especially like the quick shipping,
faster than any other company I've ever done business with. I do wish
they'd post brand names on their web site though.

nate
 
K

Karl Townsend

Jan 1, 1970
0
Hmmm, we've had the opposite experience. Friendly, knowledgeable and we
get
same-day delivery if we order by noon. We do about $1k/mo.

Ditto here, I only buy elsewhere on the very rare occasion that they don't
have it. its easier than going to the hardware store.

But, I've learned in my business that you can't make everybody happy. Guess
the same is true of McMaster

Karl
 
E

Edwin Pawlowski

Jan 1, 1970
0
I am sad to say that our experience has been that McMaster-Carr has changed
for the worse in the last few weeks. And I don't see any reason to think
that it will return to the friendly, efficiently-run company that it has
been for the prior 10+ years that we have been buying from them.


1. As you probably already know, McMaster-Carr has purged many of its
customers' accounts in good standing, and is now requiring long-term
customers to purchase by credit card only. This is true whether ordering
online or by phone.

**************************************************************************************

Not true in my case. I've been buying on open acdount for 20 years.
Placed orderws this week, no problem. Delivery is always next day.


Sorry, but I won't be joining your boycott. They are a reliable and valued
supplier.
 
L

Leon

Jan 1, 1970
0
I'd say you are barking up the wrong tree.
I am not sure who you are and probably would give them the benefit of the
doubt over you coming here and bad mouthing them.
I would advise you to focus you complaint towards them as that will do more
good than complaining here.
 
S

Smitty Two

Jan 1, 1970
0
Guv Bob said:
I am sad to say that our experience has been that McMaster-Carr has changed
for the worse in the last few weeks. And I don't see any reason to think
that it will return to the friendly, efficiently-run company that it has been
for the prior 10+ years that we have been buying from them.
<snip>

I'll join some others in saying that I've never had a problem with them.
We've been buying from them for at least 20 years. They've never screwed
up an order, or an invoice. They aren't the cheapest guys around, but
for volume we go elsewhere. Need a screw? A piece of aluminum? Anything
under the sun? They've got it. In stock. It's a rare day when UPS
doesn't bring another "present" for someone, and it's a very small
company.

Fast, convenient, no minimum order. And, they have *the best* website,
period. Effortless to use, no eye candy, just pure simple brilliant
construction. I tell my other suppliers: You want to improve your
website, model it after McMaster's.

Oh yeah, 2% 10 discount always available, and zero hassle returns. I
sure hope Bob's experience is the exception, and not becoming the rule,
because I'd hate to lose these guys.
 
S

sparky

Jan 1, 1970
0
I am sad to say that our experience has been that McMaster-Carr has changed for the worse in the last few weeks.  And I don't see any reason to think that it will return to the friendly, efficiently-run company that it has been for the prior 10+ years that we have been buying from them.


It must be your attitude that gives the people you talk to a bad
attitude. I have been getting items
from McM shipped to Canada for 20 years now. No company can match the
service they give. If I
place an order today it arrives by Purolator courier tomorrow at
noon. The local companies take a
week to get me a price on the item and then say it will take 2 weeks
to get it because it has to be
shipped from the US. That excuse is getting pretty old by now!
 
I have to echo so many on this one, I have always had good service, a
little pricey at times, but always in stock.
20+ yrs and no problems, even had an order that I placed online and
saw my screwup, called them right away, and the order had already been
put into the system, young lady changed the order, (fixed my screw-up)
and correct order showed up the next day.

Something to note: I have always gotten name brand products from them,
order a tap handle, and you get a starret, order a carbide 5 flute
endmill you get Niagra or Garr or Robb-Jack, power hack saw blade for
my 1940's era Racine, you got it, Starret.

There may be a deeper reason for the it / bean counters coming down on
a company or individual.
My $.02

"D"
 
D

David Nebenzahl

Jan 1, 1970
0
Grainger isn't interested in non-corporate customers, either. Makes
you feel guilty buying anything from them for personal use due to the
attitude. I've had nothing but good experiences with McM-C and I hope
that that does not change. I especially like the quick shipping,
faster than any other company I've ever done business with. I do wish
they'd post brand names on their web site though.

Hmmm, now I have to say that that doesn't jibe at all with my
experience. I have a tiny, tiny account with Grainger, and I've had
nothing but good experiences dealing with them. They're always helpful
and don't seem to mind at all that they're not getting rich off of me.
 
P

PhattyMo

Jan 1, 1970
0
Guv said:
I am sad to say that our experience has been that McMaster-Carr has changed for the worse in the last few weeks. And I don't see any reason to think that it will return to the friendly, efficiently-run company that it has been for the prior 10+ years that we have been buying from them.

I hope that anyone else who has found this to be the case in your dealings, will contact McMaster-Carr via their website: http://www.mcmaster.com/ > Contact. Be sure to ask that your comments be forwarded to someone in upper management and to a VP of Sales. Be sure to express your thoughts in a polite, business-like manner.

This is a sad comment that am making -- their company has been a pleasure to buy from for the past 10+ years. But now their operation seems to have been turned over to the IT dept and/or bean counters. The sales desk/phone people are as helpful and efficient as always, but unfortunately, their "customer service" philosophy is limited to taking orders. Evidently they have no influence on how the rest of the company is run.

1. As you probably already know, McMaster-Carr has purged many of its customers' accounts in good standing, and is now requiring long-term customers to purchase by credit card only. This is true whether ordering online or by phone.

2. This is fine for small dollar or infrequent orders, but not acceptable for routine purchases.

3. Our experience is that cards are kept with a fairly low limit ($1-$5) because that it takes only one well-meaning but out-of-control employee to sink a project by excessive use of his card.

4. However, if your employees have a reasonable limit ($2-$10K), then the company must now monitor the balance weekly and make mid-month payments just to keep the balance under the card limit and keep on good standing with the card issuer.

5. When you are in a major project, you have to spend to much time keeping track of your credit card balance when you should be spending time on keeping the project under control.

6. I have talked to various McM-Carr people and have gotten nowhere. Our account is over 10 years old and, like all our supplier accounts, is always current.

7. On a different issue.... we have places 4 orders in the past 2 weeks -- all by credit card (as required). Two of these orders were shipped to addresses in other states that we never heard of.

I hope that they will get enough feedback from their customers to pull the plug on the impersonal bean-counter attitudes and return some reasonable customer-oriented management to the company.

Thank you for reading.

Boycott McMaster-Carr



Hmm...that sucks,I just ordered from them for the first time this week.
Paid by CC,so far everything seems dandy..As long as my package arrives
in one piece,I'll be happy.
 
N

N8N

Jan 1, 1970
0
Hmmm, now I have to say that that doesn't jibe at all with my
experience. I have a tiny, tiny account with Grainger, and I've had
nothing but good experiences dealing with them. They're always helpful
and don't seem to mind at all that they're not getting rich off of me.

That's just it, you have an account with them. If you're just walking
in off the street they simply won't sell to you, unless you know the
name of a purchasing guy at a company that has an account with them.
Fortunately I *do* work for a company that has an account, but since
ordering from McMaster-Carr online is actually *faster* than going to
a brick and mortar Grainger store, unless Grainger has the part in
stock, McM-C gets most of my business.

nate
 
J

J. Clarke

Jan 1, 1970
0
N8N said:
That's just it, you have an account with them. If you're just
walking
in off the street they simply won't sell to you, unless you know the
name of a purchasing guy at a company that has an account with them.

I keep hearing this. They've never asked me for any kind of
identification or account number or anything else. Must be something
in the way you present yourself that causes them to want to pick on
you. My Dad had that problem--he was one of these people who couldn't
go down to the gas station without putting on a suit and tie, and
several times I've seen "wholesalers" turn him away. Same
"wholesalers" when I go in totally grubbed out with tools in my pocket
looking like I ran out of whatever in the middle of a job generally
don't have any trouble with them.
 
N

N8N

Jan 1, 1970
0
I keep hearing this. They've never asked me for any kind of
identification or account number or anything else. Must be something
in the way you present yourself that causes them to want to pick on
you. My Dad had that problem--he was one of these people who couldn't
go down to the gas station without putting on a suit and tie, and
several times I've seen "wholesalers" turn him away. Same
"wholesalers" when I go in totally grubbed out with tools in my pocket
looking like I ran out of whatever in the middle of a job generally
don't have any trouble with them.

I'm usually wearing a company logo polo shirt, even so I've gotten the
same reception from two different Grainger branches. First question
is "who do you work for" and the second is "whose account is this
going on." If you tell them that you're buying stuff for yourself
they will still insist on associating the purchase with an account.

The electrical wholesaler down the street, I *have* walked in wearing
a shirt and tie and received prompt, friendly service.

nate
 
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