Subject: A supplier who listens -- and responds

From: [email-masked] (Alan Frisbie)
Date: 11 Oct 94 09:14:10 PST

This note is just to let people know that at least one
supplier listens to their customers.

Recently, I placed an order with MSC Industrial Supply Co.
When it was delivered (the next day -- Georgia to California!), 
I checked off each item on my original order list against
the packing slip list.   This was made difficult by the fact
that the packing slip listed everything is a totally random
order.   Everything was there, but it was a pain to find
each item on the list.

I filled out the customer comment card (included with the
order), complementing them on their good service but
complaining about the random listing.

Yesterday I got a phone call from MSC!   They not only read
the comment cards, but take them seriously.   The woman
wanted to discuss the issue with me and solicit suggestions.
She explained that the packing list is printed in the order
that items are stored in the warehouse, and that it causes
confusion internally also.

I don't know what they will do about this, but I am impressed
that they actually took the time to follow up on a customer's
comments.   This gives me a warm fuzzy feeling about MSC
and I will certainly consider them first whenever I need
anything.

For reference:
	MSC Industrial Supply Co.
	151 Sunnyside Boulevard
	Plainview, NY 11803-9915

	800-645-7270 (voice)
	800-255-5067 (FAX)

You can tell when the new MSC catalog is being delivered --
the UPS driver has to use a forklift.   :-)

--  Alan E. Frisbie               [email-masked]
--  Flying Disk Systems, Inc.
--  4759 Round Top Drive          (213) 256-2575 (voice)
--  Los Angeles, CA 90065         (213) 258-3585 (FAX)

---

From: <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 14 Oct 1994 18:43:09 CDT

>        MSC Industrial Supply Co.
Here, Here !!

I "inherited" a 5-year-old MSC catalog with my lathe and called them
tentatively to order some tools and supplies.  They were fantastic!
Despite the fact that my catalog had old part numbers and the poor
order taker had to research them all to convert them she was very
pleasant, patient, and helpfull - all while she was also teaching a
new order trainee. Some of the items that I wanted were no longer
available so she gave me higher quality (read 'more expensive')
items at the price of the lower quality, discontinued ones.

I've made several more orders since then and have always found them
to be very pleasant and helpful.  I had to return a tool post
that didn't fit my lathe and a set of center punches because I
decided that I actually wanted an automatic punch - all no problem.
I've gotten everything within 1-2 days.

Contrary to some other posts, I've found their prices on *comparable*
merchandise to be quite competitve and their quality to be quite good.
The problem is that there is seems to be a very wide range of quality
available in the tool industry in general - from cheap junk to
'mortgage the house' perfection.  I find that MSC offers a range of
qualities in most of its products so if you don't need millionth of
inch perfection you can opt for a cheaper alternative.  I tend to buy
the better measuring tools and the cheaper cutting tools.

There was somebody in this thread who said that his boss
bought mainly from MSC and that as a result their shop had
poor quality tools.  I suspect that that's because his boss bought
the cheapest stuff in any given catagory of tool - I've had those
kind of bosses myself.  But when I'm paying the bill it is nice
to have the option of "buying down" when I feel that the extra expense
isn't necessary.

MSC gets an 'A plus' from me.

- Chris Wieczorek
  [email-masked]