parts supplers

[happyflyer]

but i think you all miss the point ...nevermind........

We always do, do you want to run it by us again :auto:

 

[happyflyer]

Perhaps we should insist on a city and guilds or NVQ in running a business?

No please Ray !!!! Your choking ain't you

 

[Ray Stafford]

No please Ray !!!! Your choking ain't you

I am joking, but to be honest I would provide basic cashflow management, credit risk assessment and business accounting training for free, IF I thought the right customers would go on it.

90% of our bad debt is caused by two things:

1) Naive plumbers trusting builders/service providers/similar larger organisations, and then getting either completely stitched, or having their cashflow so stretched that they go pop OR
2) Plumbers who go Self Employed, and never work out that the money they take at the end of the job is not all theirs, and they need to allow for paying merchants, tax man etc. Effectively, they are using the business account as an overdraft, and if they have a prolonged quiet period, or take a bad debt themselves, there is nothing left.

The trouble is, if I ran those courses, the people who would come are the thoughtful, sensible ones who would have worked it out anyway. Its just like the DIYers who come on this board - the ones who most need the advice are the ones who don't listen to it.

 

[happyflyer]

I am joking, but to be honest I would provide basic cashflow management, credit risk assessment and business accounting training for free, IF I thought the right customers would go on it.

90% of our bad debt is caused by two things:

1) Naive plumbers trusting builders/service providers/similar larger organisations, and then getting either completely stitched, or having their cashflow so stretched that they go pop OR
2) Plumbers who go Self Employed, and never work out that the money they take at the end of the job is not all theirs, and they need to allow for paying merchants, tax man etc. Effectively, they are using the business account as an overdraft, and if they have a prolonged quiet period, or take a bad debt themselves, there is nothing left.

The trouble is, if I ran those courses, the people who would come are the thoughtful, sensible ones who would have worked it out anyway. Its just like the DIYers who come on this board - the ones who most need the advice are the ones who don't listen to it.

I agree with every bit of it.

 

[Centralheatking]

As this thread has moved on - here is my take in addition to Rays -
1. One man outfit who is good and gets loads of work
Expands and takes a few fellas on
2. The one man then spends all his time running around the men he employes
and some weeks he will pay them more than he earns not good
3. The lesson is aspiring expanding one man bands need to go from 1 - 10
in a year or the whole thing falls apart - 10 fitters can carry the main man

This is my opinion - seen good fellas leave me do this and fail and want to come back - we always say yes - like some bank years ago Centralheatking

 

[Centralheatking]

Ray Stafford speaks his mind - I love it nice one Ray

I would come one of your courses & speak about being a self employed fitter taking on men etc anytime - and tell the whole truth

CHK

 

[Linkyplumb]

i think im gonna open my own parts shop and get direct lol

Looked into a few years ago, but you would need a very good supplier, to guarantee
next day that the big boys can do.

Mind you our two local parts indies have just shut down, so might be scope for one now

 

[Ray Stafford]

Looked into a few years ago, but you would need a very good supplier, to guarantee
next day that the big boys can do.

Mind you our two local parts indies have just shut down, so might be scope for one now

The difficulty is that you can't just buy the fast moving stuff. To have a direct account with the manufacturers and get decent terms, you have to commit to stocking a whole range of their parts. Of course, you can just buy from a factor, but then you are trying to squeeze two margins out of a sale that only has room for one.