Wake up NOW VOW

First Post By: Mushroom

2008-10-01 09:12:31

'Supplies Team' are now supplying my local Council - there is no contract as it wasn't even tendered properly.



'Supplies Team' are a wholey owned subsidiary of VASANTA who as we all know wholly own VOW. VOW and Supplies team share directors and shareholders - therefore there is no ambiguity. VASANTA sell direct to my customer base and Vasanta are VOW.

What dealer in there right mind would continue to support this wholesaler? When is the industry going to wake up? This wholesaler is now covertly shortening the supply line to the end user and guess what fellow mushrooms - your being cut out of it.

malcolm Lewis

2008-10-01 12:11:05

Perhaps Vow can expand the Evolve Roadshow (10th November) to include a talk central to the dealers thinking "How to sell Direct to the consumer by the head of Supplies Team"

P.D.

2008-10-03 13:30:10

As a UK dealer currently spending a considerable sum with VOW, I would like to second the view of 'Mushroom'. Are we really expected to compete directly with our wholesaler ? Why do VOW expect us to support a competitor? The business acheived through VOW can only go to help 'Supplies Team' in terms of lower cost pricing and greater rebates for higher volume purchases. Should we allow this to continue ?? Given the ' Exclusively Wholesale ' approach from Spicers , could it now be time to move ?

Anon

2008-10-06 19:33:52

So at last, an article that actually has some truth about it. An old associate of mine works for a Large Contract Stationer, and he held the account for a part of a utility company. He had held this for some time, until the turn of 2008, when he was called to a meeting to be told Supplies Team had won the entire tender for this Utility Co, and they had to start using them immediately. He lost an account that spent 100k per year at a margin of 37%! He has never figured out how he could have lost this account to a telesales outfit from Wakefield! If only he had known about the merger between KFH and ISA! Now I am sure you are all wiping your eyes at the prospect of a Contract Stationer losing business! HA! Well I am sure up and down the length and bredth of the country, dealers of all shapes and sizes are starting to tell there own stories, along similar lines. If you consider that the combined purchasing power of VOW and Supplies team now gives them an improved margin to go out there and win business. The margin that can be made from dealers in the wholesale market may be in the teens, but the margin made by the larger Contract boys, are in the high 30's! to low 40's!. £150 million turnover at 40% GP, versus £250million at half that. Who's funding whom? Do the Math, But next time your VOW Rep tells you, 'Supplies Team, You'll never here from them round here', pick the phone up and make sure your accounts are ok!, cause I know Supplies Team are!

vow employee

2008-10-09 16:55:12

Vow, formerly Kingfield Heath, has changed dramatically from a friendly business to a greedy and inhospitable employer who expects maximum output from its employees with little in the way of return or thanks. Currently it would appear that VOW is now being operated by the supplies team management structure and ethos. What exactly do they know about wholesaling and dealer needs – not a lot so it would appear.

whistleblowing in the wind

2008-10-10 09:32:04

With ref to the VOW employees comment, I have this 1984 mental imagery of sirens wailing flashing searchlights and a company lockdown at VOW House until the culprit is found and sent on a re-education program by their HR department. Always thought it was Spicers that was the cold businessmachine looking to go-direct at the first opportunity. My how the world turns.

vow employee

2008-10-10 16:40:30

The ethos has shifted to a “who can get into work the earliest attitude and who can leave the latest”. Seemingly, many folk are desperate and worried for their jobs. Maybe they think this form of culture will keep them in work and pay for their extravagant mortgages. Unlikely somewhat!

Mushroom - Dealer

2008-10-14 10:33:01

It seems that those at the top in VOW are a little upset at this topic. There is complete silence to any requests for a discussion. Clearly there isn't much VOW can say to either the trade or the dealers when caught with its pants round its ankles. You are all correct in what you say. It is a sad day and an exact reflection of the wider economic world in which we are all about to pay the price. To VOW I say - have you nothing to say? To all the decent hardworking dealers and VOW employees I say - good luck in the dark and may the compost miss you when it falls!

anon

2008-10-18 11:11:11

It completely amazes me that VOW have managed to sell against us their customers and we have collectively allowed them to do so. With only one or two defections to Spicers from perhaps the more principled of dealers the rest of us simply grumble a bit and say "we'll wait until it impacts us before we do anything". Does this give those at Spicers a green light to do the same one day? Probably if we're not careful.

malcolm lewis

2008-10-19 12:12:52

For Spicers to do the same as VOW would mean buying another company, after all their sales force find it difficult to sell to the trade perhaps thats why VOW have conceded that they also do not have selling skills and are just order takers

Just watching

2008-10-20 22:04:01

For God's sake - I've been out of this for 5 years & nothing changes. Stop bleating about your competition & focus on your own business. If you lose accounts it's because you lost attention, watch what is happening & be prepared to fight your corner.

whistler's mother

2008-10-21 10:02:04

We haven't heard from "VOW employee" for a few days now... have the HR police got to him do we think?

vow employee

2008-10-21 12:45:07

Whistler's mother, what makes you think I am a him…lol! The Gestapo on 2nd floor in K-House have not as yet sniffed me out! Therefore, I am sorry to disappoint you. Maybe it's high time I turned myself in!

RAP

2008-11-05 19:12:43

Yes