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We used to have
over, 450 accounts, ocean to ocean and always managed to
deliver in a couple days. You have to watch that the
customer does not end up running your business. There is
always a way. I will tell you this, and I am trying to help
you. The way you are operating is extremely rare. It is
costing you time, money and I am guessing, a lot of stress.
Standardize
your scents, limit them to a certain quantity. By doing
this, you increase your buy volume and lower your Cost Of
Goods Sold. For special scents or blends, publish your wait
time clearly and always beat that time. Never deliver late,
if you can help it, that is worse than giving them a longer
time frame. Have everything needed for the completion of the
order ready, when the soap is ready, labels, boxes, packing,
etc.
For hotels, we
used to negotiate, 6 month, 1 year contracts. They told us
how many of each scent they wanted based on their previous
sales for each quarter of the year. We would produce that
amount and 5% to 10% more, having all ready in plenty of
time. We would deliver on time and if they needed a little
more, we had it available. Any extra was stocked until the
next order, so we never really had more than a little over.
It all takes a
little planning but in the end, you take far less time, pay
far less in raw materials and are not, "Under the Gun" all
the time. Usually, the customer in the end, is actually able
to pay less; because the orderly way the product is produced
and sold, is a savings to both of you. You are therefore
more competitive. Your customer in the end will spend less
time ordering, paying for orders, accounting, etc.
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