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Maybe some of you other vendors have had this problem. Granite guy calls and he’s going to send employees to a Corian certification class. Of course, Dupont has a set list of tools you MUST have at the class. Been the same list of tools for as long as I can remember. We provide exactly what is on the list. We’ve done this 100’s of time but the vast majority are usually to cabinet folks or several individuals getting in to doing their own Solid Surface tops.
Granite guy is oblivious to what these tools are for or how to use them. We try to educate them as best we can. However, 2 times in the last month we get a call perhaps a week after granite guy has taken the class informing us that the class is over and they no longer need some of the tools. This is due in part to several factors:
A) They’re cheap bastards and think “big box mentallity.” In other words, buy it on a Friday, return it on a Monday with some excuse.
B) Someone at the class informs them that they can save a buck (literally) on a differant product.
C) Both of the above.
We at Federal, DO NOT rent tools. We deliver what they ask for on their PO#, get paid for it and hope we can supply their Solid Surface tool needs down the road. The problem is granite guy has been conditioned to attempt any way possible to BS, lie & screw his way in to the cheapest thing he can buy without regard to building relationships IMO.
Anyone had this problem?
Cristina, cristina, cristina…Yes you may but this, to me, is a very important topic.
Ok, if your serious, it is his sample tool. Have him leave it for a couple of days.
Dave, What kind of tools do you see coming back? Send them to this site’s classifieds and maybe some of us will buy them. You make a sale, they make a sale,(and expose themselves) and some of us get smokin deals
Cristina, I was kidding as well.
Dave G., a used Porter-Cable 332 sander? These things are like $69.00. No market for used. A used 3/8″ single flute plunge bit? No market. These guys are attempting to use a supplier to get through the class. Aint happening with this supplier.
One granite guy that called had spoken to a differant supplier. The granite guy faxed me their “suggested tools”. It included a 6″ Festool Rotex! No solid surface class, EVER has a Rotex on their list for a class and I told the guy as much. Saved him a lot of money…then he attempts to screw me.
Yes Norm but it is not suggested for a Corian class. That, would be complete overkill. I have had Duponts list of required tools for years. It’s the same. No Rotex on it.
I just looked into that class myself, they want 1000 bux, two days outta work, all those tools, Man does Corian really sell that well around here anymore?, We have enough trouble trying to move SS and to raise the price of their class, Three years ago it cost me 365.oo, And then you need their type of glue gun, tips. Now don’t get me wrong, i’m into training but I can’t tell the difference between Avonite white and Corian G white anyway, they even have the same ingredients….according to Avonite literature., There are so many brands out there…why Corian?, cause people think Corian is a material and not a brand. I love to repair and refresh Solid surface so i hope all these Granite guys switch over to SS, so i can help them out, just don’t want them to act “GHETTO” to DAVE, especially if they live and do Business here in this industry…freaking wingnuts!!!!!!!
Well Gene, Duponts warranty is pretty good, especially when you sign the CFI agreement stating that you will pay for any repairs made within 10 years if it was from fabricator error. And better yet, the call on whether it was fabricator error isn’t even up to you if your customer calls Dupont for the repairs.
What’s the difference in the “Corian” class and the “ISSFA” class? Obviously materials used, but what if any techniques are different? Where do they hold the Corian classes? I’m thinking about sending a few people to a training class. I know about the ISSFA but would consider the Corian if its on the east coast.
Yes Norm, they do. This is where the granite dude took the class. The same granite dude who stated: “We really don’t want to fabricate this s**t but we could sell jobs with it.”
Dave, that reminds me of a remodel bid I went on, and the homeowner scheduled me and another company at the same time. Well my competitor only sold granite, and when the homeowner asked if they could get a integral sink, the estimator said, ” we don’t sell plastic sinks”. At this point I could have went “Al” on him, (sorry Al), but I chose to simply offer the homeowner choices.
Norm,
That’s the best way to do it. We sell SS,E-Stone, & Granite. But the one thing we never do is bad mouth one or the other with the potential customer. The main thing we do is Educate the customer on these products and let them make an informed decision.
By the way Dave, that cyclone 3/16 coring bit is working awesome 17 holes and counting. Waiting on the next set of letters to come in before we drill. Since I’m not truly a “Granite Guy” can I return when i’m done if I repaint the worn area?
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