To a large extent what you say is true. The catch is it that was when the old timers (and I would add Windy Dankoff to those) ran their own companies.
In the past several years though we have seen service overall among most distributors, go down as they get taken over by (often foreign) outside companies. The only company we have seen actually improve over the past year or three is Kyocera and Hitney Solar. It is not just the online dealer services that have suffered, although everyone of them has. Of those that had or have a dealer online service, it has gotten worse, or in some cases become unusable or simply never got fixed. For example, AEE used to have the best online system in the industry - but now all that is there is a button that for the past year++ has said "coming soon". As you note about revolving sales reps, there is at least one rep that we have dealt with at 4 different companies now. And while I sympathize with the distributors when it comes to inventory, pricing, and vaporware (those are RE dealer problems also). some of their problems are self-made. And, yes, I realize that the current price wars in the "race to the bottom" for solar panel prices has affected everyone in the industry. But that does not excuse things like telling us that items are in stock, and then telling us two weeks later it is still on back order. So, the bottom line is that while there are not many really bad distributors (I won't name names on list), I can't think of any that really stand out. Or perhaps we just have bad luck with the sales reps that are assigned to us.... .................................................................................................. Northern Arizona Wind & Sun - Electricity From The Sun Since 1979 Solar Discussion Forum: http://www.wind-sun.com/ForumVB/ .................................................................................................. ----- Original Message ----- From: Joel Davidson To: RE-wrenches Sent: Monday, October 26, 2009 5:22 PM Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Great service at the wholesale level? No one has yet to match the quality service David Katz and his crew gave customers when David owned AEE Solar, or Mark Weidhaas gave when he owned Alternative Solar Products. Automation and order processing are important, but what really counts is knowledge, experience, responsiveness, and a sincere interest in helping wrenches provide the right products to our customers. I sympathize with the wholesale distributors. When Wm. Lamb Company was the only wholesale distributor, there were fewer products to inventory. Today, there are thousands of products that are constantly changing. Prices change as if products are perishable. Profit margins are shrinking. Job-hopping sales reps seem to have replaced career sales engineers. Manufacturers are finding it difficult to serve two masters, the multi-megawatt integrators and the smaller stocking distributors. Dealers want to offer their customers the newest gadgets and then complain about availability, vaporware, products not ready for prime time, etc. Joel Davidson ----- Original Message ----- From: David Katz To: RE-wrenches Sent: Sunday, October 25, 2009 12:08 PM Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Great service at the wholesale level? I am certainly interested in which wholesale distributors offer good service, if any. David David Katz Chief Technical Officer AEE Solar 1155 Redway Drive P.O. Box 339 Redway, CA 95560 Tel (707) 825-1200 Fax (707) 825-1202 [email protected] www.aeesolar.com DISCLAIMER: This communication, along with any documents, files or attachments, is intended for the use of only the addressee and contains privileged and confidential information. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution or copying of any information contained in or attached to this communication is strictly prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately by e-mail reply and destroy the original communication and its attachments without reading, printing or saving in any manner. Wind-sun.com wrote: And where exactly would that be? .................................................................................................. 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