Mixed batches.... opinion please

[Dan]

I can't see it being a USP for a shop to say "all your tiles will be from the same batch" on their website or in store. You don't sell the most tiles. There are quite a few firms who sell a lot lot more, and I know for sure a couple of them ensure their tiles are all from the same batch. B&Q who sell the most tiles out of all UK suppliers, I dare say close to the total of all the rest put together, even have signs next to the tiles saying to check batches.

Are you saying your firm isn't a better tile supplier than B&Q? Who don't specialise in anything?!

I'm pleased you made this thread for sure as its opened my eyes but I'm a bit shocked that you can sell so many tiles and have issues with batches. Or complain about costs and say it's not your problem.

 

[Dave]

B&Q are the worst for mixing batches on the stock pallet on display, when the pallet etc gets low in stock , they top it up with what ever they have , no care for mixing batches lol lol....

So if the customer buying doesn't check then it's a lottery what you get , I've had several batch numbers before.... Nightmare

 

[Tile Shop]

OMG!!! Like I said earlier... Calculators at the ready everyone... bit of maths coming you way. Gonna teach you how to do percentages. Maybe 1 or 2 issues a month.... 2000 orders (just looked and that is through our telephone channel alone..... Do you want our other departments figures?)

THE OVERALL COMPANY has couple a month. Wow, this is a 99.9% success rate at its absolute worst??? Are all you guys really that close to perfect??? I Guarentee, that is phenominal compared to some companies, considering we pick up the pieces when other can't fulfil an order for batching reasons.

This was only to highlight one issue we get in this industry. Complaints is what I deal with, investigate and resolve daily and I wanted experiences and opinions from the other side....And know I'm kinda getting the idea that this is being turned into something it wasn't ever meant to be....

Not you dave, you popped your message up while I was typing.

 

[On one]

Surely B&Q can't be as bad as Homebase!
I recently had goodness knows how many different batch numbers in 10 boxes of tiles and 3 different manufacturing years!

 

[Andy Allen]

If you new what we have to go through due to mixed batches them you would understand why it's such a touchy subject.........imagine you have a full diary for the next 2 months you turn up to Tile a bathroom and the customer got mixed batches.......that's a wasted day for us and who going to pay for that?........then you have to try and bump jobs back to try and fit them in again....bloody nightmare all cause someone can't read numbers on a box..

 

[ttt tiling]

Definitely the suppliers responsibility to check .
We roll up to a job , discover mixed batches , then what . Reject the tiles then go home and sit on our behinds while the problem is being sorted out . If we're busy , by the time the new tiles have arrived , we're onto the next job and could be weeks before being able to return to said job . Big problem , people don't like waiting!
AND WHO PAYS FOR OUR WASTED TIME DUE TO A SUPPLIER'S LACK OF PROFESSIONALISM

 

[Old Mod]

Paul,
Unfortunately I feel u've turned this into what ever u think it is!
In your opening post u generalised about this issue, did u not?
Then following 3 replies, you appear to have got very defensive about your companies position on it.

I for one,don't actually know or care who u work for.
Perhaps if u wish to get general opinions, u shouldn't actually reply with your company policy in mind.

It's obvious you're passionate and professional in your job, but it seems to me, that when you're on here,u should really leave the company at the gates of cyber space and come in alone! Haha

Which I believe was your original intention when you joined the forum
Harder than it seems tho eh!

No one took a swipe at u personally, or indeed your company for that matter, until you started using your company as the example.

Good thread tho!

What was it u said in response to me?
No hard feelings?
Well there's no hard feelings Paul

 

[White Room]

Had a problem with batches but that was because they had all been taken out of their boxes, didn't have a hope in hell but just kept my eyes open....

Caption

• White Room
• Aug 8, 2012

 

[Dan]

OMG!!! Like I said earlier... Calculators at the ready everyone... bit of maths coming you way. Gonna teach you how to do percentages. Maybe 1 or 2 issues a month.... 2000 orders (just looked and that is through our telephone channel alone..... Do you want our other departments figures?)

THE OVERALL COMPANY has couple a month. Wow, this is a 99.9% success rate at its absolute worst??? Are all you guys really that close to perfect??? I Guarentee, that is phenominal compared to some companies, considering we pick up the pieces when other can't fulfil an order for batching reasons.

This was only to highlight one issue we get in this industry. Complaints is what I deal with, investigate and resolve daily and I wanted experiences and opinions from the other side....And know I'm kinda getting the idea that this is being turned into something it wasn't ever meant to be....

Not you dave, you popped your message up while I was typing.

You've said you can't check batches and don't mind sending any batch out in any order though. Doesn't matter if that's once ever, or every order. It's the same rubbish stock management and same rubbish attitude.

What a rubbish company you work for. High staff turn over. Lack of training. rubbish stock rotation skills. And your attitude sucks.

You asked for opinions and we gave you some. Don't get arsey when you don't hear one matching your own.

In a thread with 100 contributions to it, expect 100 opinions. If they were all the same a vthread wouldn't have got so long.

Real cocky response that was Paul.

 

[Tile Shop]

To be fair Dan, you're right. I asked for opinions. I'd love to defend our warehouse but can't establish every single reason this happens. Mixed batches happen even when not intended. If we know its going to happen, we give customers the option and talk the problem through with them, find a resolution. If every company was 100%, tile industry or not, there would be no such thing as customer service. Stock turn around, numbers getting missed, wrong pallets loaded.... company policy can't stop human error. Its going to happen. My point is its not just our company..... high street stores, large chains, doesn't matter and i don't care about them. I want opinions from the people it affects the most. The tilers. The ones that take pride in their work that refuse to continue until the issue is sorted.

Thanks to some of you, i got some constructive feedback and i know your thoughts. If you think i have attitude, i apologise sincerely. But attitudes work both ways. I'm passionate, so shoot me for it. I have a job to do.... i get feedback, we can change policies and how we do things. I learn, then teach others.

I may start threads like this in the future, but i'm not here to get verbally battered, company or personally aimed. My intentions are good and with reason.

Its called understanding...... also works both ways. After less than a day, maybe this one should be put to bed and forgetten about.

 

[Dan]

I wasn't shitty with you pal until you got shitty with us.

I couldn't care less if you're here. Set up your own days and spend money and time on asking fixers (and trying to get them to come to them in their own time like we do here in the thousands every week) if you want feedback but can't handle our forum.

We're honest. If you don't like it don't knock us for it start saying we don't know how to work percentages.

We do VAT returns, customers invoices, suppliers invoices, self assesment tax returns, corporation tax returns, class 4 national insurance. At the very least. Probably even used our skills to earn a shed load more than you too pal. You cocky plonker. Need get off your high horse.

 

[Tile Shop]

No high horse. I'm looking UP to you guys for advice and assistance. I'm the one with the lack of knowledge and need to improve. No need the get personal against me is there? That started before i got "cocky".

Getting the feeling you don't like me very much, but you have given me some ideas i can take back. So thank you.

Can we stop now?

 

[Rizzle from the Portizzle]

To be fair Dan, you're right. I asked for opinions. I'd love to defend our warehouse but can't establish every single reason this happens. Mixed batches happen even when not intended. If we know its going to happen, we give customers the option and talk the problem through with them, find a resolution. If every company was 100%, tile industry or not, there would be no such thing as customer service. Stock turn around, numbers getting missed, wrong pallets loaded.... company policy can't stop human error. Its going to happen. My point is its not just our company..... high street stores, large chains, doesn't matter and i don't care about them. I want opinions from the people it affects the most. The tilers. The ones that take pride in their work that refuse to continue until the issue is sorted.

Thanks to some of you, i got some constructive feedback and i know your thoughts. If you think i have attitude, i apologise sincerely. But attitudes work both ways. I'm passionate, so shoot me for it. I have a job to do.... i get feedback, we can change policies and how we do things. I learn, then teach others.

I may start threads like this in the future, but i'm not here to get verbally battered, company or personally aimed. My intentions are good and with reason.

Its called understanding...... also works both ways. After less than a day, maybe this one should be put to bed and forgetten about.

there is a diffrent way .i can tell you every tile and batch number with every order that leaves the wharehouse when we come to the end of a batch we put 10m2 to 15m2 away in to end batch pallets and keep these for at least 6 mouths some times the tiles might have been bought but for one reason or anther the tiling is not started for mouths .then they need exstra .then after six mouths or so we look out for small orders and sell off the old batch these may be 3 to 4 m2 so still holding a few if the need one or two its so easy to check the batch going out and write on the delivery note the client has a copy and you do to

 

[Dan]

I get along with people from all walks of life. Takes a certain type of person to get my back up. Must be honest you did it when you thought you were teaching us percentages. Also when you said you send tiles out and don't have time to check them. Then later said you do check them and give the customer the choice.

Also the PM sending me trade prices and saying you're not doing it to send trade prices out.

First impression is shocking Paul. I wouldn't deal with your firm personally or in business from the image you're portraying I can see why you're not comfortable in being the front for them.

I hope you manage to get whatever you've come here for though and am pleased that you're trying.

 

[Dan]

there is a diffrent way .i can tell you every tile and batch number with every order that leaves the wharehouse when we come to the end of a batch we put 10m2 to 15m2 away in to end batch pallets and keep these for at least 6 mouths some times the tiles might have been bought but for one reason or anther the tiling is not started for mouths .then they need exstra .then after six mouths or so we look out for small orders and sell off the old batch these may be 3 to 4 m2 so still holding a few if the need one or two its so easy to check the batch going out and write on the delivery note the client has a copy and you do to

Common sense I think it's called eh Ray.