One of the most frequent concerns I hear from retailers, especially as it relates to claims and complaints with the big carpet manufacturers is how they hate being at their mercy. We have dealers who ask for alternative suppliers who care about who you are and are willing to work with you and provide you product that is not fraught with the same types of problems consistently.

The big mills can supply you with almost everything you need in the way of every style available and imaginable. They can also supply you with hard surface products. What they no longer provide is superior personal customer service and a personal relationship. There are manufacturers still small enough to appreciate the retailer and large enough to accommodate the business.

One of those rare companies where you will never be a number is By-Pass Carpet Mills in Dalton. If you have an open mind for a small but relevant product line, manufactured by a company that offers very good quality and value, then you can take advantage of developing a relationship like you once had years ago in this industry.

Certainly there are still some manufacturers you can get this from in both residential and commercial products. The difference and complete distinction with By-Pass is it made the decision to work with us to help it be better than it is. This is such a departure from the norm that it stands out as being an anomaly in the industry— and that impressed me.

By-Pass makes both residential nylon and polyester carpet, much of it solution-dyed. It also has a small line of cut-pile nylon commercial goods targeted toward churches. It is flexible and can react to what you want and even develop a custom program for you. One of its objectives is to get back to the basics of doing business the way it was once done with a personal touch.

By-Pass takes pride in what it does. It is not looking to do business with every dealer in the country, only those whose businesses it can help create value for and you may be one of them.

More and more retailers are getting frustrated from getting stonewalled when trying to communicate with their manufacturing suppliers, especially as it relates to claims. The first order of business is to strive to produce products without any acceptable percentage of defects. Smaller manufacturers have to live or die by this philosophy; they can’t afford to have claims because of cost and they jeopardize business relationships.

When relationship selling is what you do, it’s important not to do anything to harm it.

Regardless of whom you do business with, it is incumbent upon you to ensure you aren’t doing anything to create problems at your end. No manufacturer is going to want the monkey you have on your back passed on when it’s not theirs. If the monkey belongs to you, you have to take care of it, it’s no one else’s job.

Don’t oversell the product or the warranties. You must sell the correct product into the right location. Explain to her what the flooring material will and won’t do. You must qualify the consumer and product, and make sure it’s installed by certified and qualified mechanics who are paid a fair wage. You must see to it the product is installed according to the manufacturer’s and industry standards, and tell the consumer how to take care of it.

If you’re looking for someone different to do business with that thinks a lot like you, give By-Pass Carpet Mills a call at 800.772.1894. I’ve been impressed with it and I think you will be too.