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Stanislaus and a Moral Question

Ok, I guess I now understand what “even out” means in this case.

But I don’t understand why it matters at all - I mean, the only time it would matter if you inventory was “Even” would be at the time you are making your very last batch of sauce. Any other time, why does it matter?
 
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I really find this whole situation wierd. A sample is to see if you are interested in using a product. Period. It is not to “even” out inventory.

For crying out loud a case is roughly 20 bucks and all the time spent on arguing with them is worth more than 20 bucks.

I have had nothing but positive things to say about Stanislaus. Once we thought the product was a bit runnier than usual and they truly went out of their way to investigate the issue. Its been quite a few years but they sent out a questionaire about the situation. They followed up on the problem. I just remember thinking geez we just wanted to make sure they didn’t switch something.

As for all the perspectives offered here I don’t think they are the same. If I had to use the salad bar analogy it woud be like a parent making a salad going to bathroom and the child eating it while they were gone.

You are responsible for the errors in your store. Period. When I mess up a pizza I would never ask for a sample of flour, cheese, sauce, topping or a new oven. It is ridiculous.

With all due respect you are a small fish in a big pond. You don’t stand out on their radar and for them to keep giving to you because of your issues is a waste of their time and efforts. They have done more than enough to allow the “samples” even once.

Order another case and get back to business.
 
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There does not sound like any reason to switch brands…Your recipe is working and your customers like it and expect it to be the same all the time…Do not switch just because you are a little upset…
 
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It probably costs Stanislaus more in labor and postage to mess with shipping a couple of cans to an individual customer than the cost of the cans themselves. It almost seems OCD that you want to even up your inventory somehow, but the simplest solution would be as someone else stated, order a bit extra and if you mentally need to, give away the excess.
 
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Actually now I’ve had chance to think about this I think he could be onto something… for example my carrier bags (which we use to deliver soda) come in packs of 1000 but my cans and bottle from coke only come in 12’s or 48’s so every now and then I’ll have to ‘even out’ my inventory by asking coke or the carrier bag manufacturer for a few sample.

and if they don’t I’ll switch to Pepsi - that’ll show em!

I’m sure I could get this to work in other areas to…

Could save me a fortune!

:roll:
 
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I’m glad i’m not the only one that thinks this is a ridiculous post.

Prep mistakes happen, Theft happens, etc…
Your probably complaining about $20 here, and not worth the effort.
If Stanislaus is making you money, why the hell would you switch?

Buy an extra case next week, and move on, and give yourself a pat on the back for
being successful. Alot of people out there wish they did your volume.
 
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Wizzle Wassell:
Actually now I’ve had chance to think about this I think he could be onto something… for example my carrier bags (which we use to deliver soda) come in packs of 1000 but my cans and bottle from coke only come in 12’s or 48’s so every now and then I’ll have to ‘even out’ my inventory by asking coke or the carrier bag manufacturer for a few sample.

and if they don’t I’ll switch to Pepsi - that’ll show em!

I’m sure I could get this to work in other areas to…

Could save me a fortune!

:roll:
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lol… man sometimes I use to-go containers without the lids and now my lid to container ratio is off… I didn’t realize I could just call them up and demand free samples to even it out!
 
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Mistakes happens all the time. That is why proper training must be done on a continuing basis.

What bothers me is that fact that a nameless employee made a mistake possibly 2 years ago and you are just now dealing with it.

If those numbers are accurate, kudos for you for being in business for 20 years.

This post is just unbelievable.
 
I can understand the recipe mistakes. I think I am searching for your reason that the cases need to even out. Order what you need and move on. Just a couple mistakes a year in what appears to be a very large volume operation is also cause for cheers. I can feel your pain about cringing over the sauce errors. I am kinda obsessive about a few things in the kitchen myself.

I do feel the need to take the manufacturer’s side a little . . . . in the name of any of the manufacturers my esteemed colleagues have been making fun with. But, also to stand up for Cartopassi and the Stanislaus guys. My impressions all boil on down to:
  1. When all is stripped away, you are asking the manufacturer to provide free product because your staff made errors, and you have a desire/need to “even out†your inventory because of that error. My mind says that is your problem to solve and that it is in no way a customer service issue. It is a training and owner obsession issue. YMMV
  2. When you called to ask for Stanislaus assistance . . . you lied to get something for free. That alone makes me cringe. Therein lay the bigger ‘moral question for me’. I know it greases the wheels to get what you’re looking for . . . but takes the wind out of the argument (do you think they may keep vast records of customer calls on huge servers in one room so they can make intelligent replies when we call, or have a record of how many times you’ve called for ‘free samples’ of the same products? . . . believe it).
  3. The company did you a ‘solid’ for a couple times, and then it became an expectation on your side. This is the mindset that creates problems in the marketplace. A one reason companies hate doing favors is that it becomes an obligation in the mind of the customer. It seems to have gone that way in your mind, and it will possibly soil the field for those of us in real need asking for assistance. Real need for a product issues. Respect the marketplace for all of us, please.
  4. Tom Cartopassi and Steve Rouse at Stanislaus are impressive men to talk to and meet. If you were in need, they would feel compelled to help. If there were a product deficiency, they would have their staff jump. I have experienced this and heard stories over and again. I can understand why they aren’t shipping you free cans AGAIN when it is your error again. I have a strong suspicion that they would help where they can in getting a reformulation of your sauce to make it simpler for your staff to avoid errors, and to get you off the ½ can of product risk.
All said and done, you have a business related issue that you need to solve for yourself on your own nickel. If someone offers some help or cuts the cost of the solution, then slather them with gratitude and do them a good turn. If they choose not to give repeated freebies, it should not make them heartless and ungrateful. Can’t say yes to everyone every time.
 
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This post is unbelivible… it blows my mind, whats your address I will send you a few cans
 
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Why do you give a rip about inventory being “even”? Who cares? Do you ask your veggie supplier to give you some free onions when they are out of balance with your use of mushrooms? How about some free flour when you don’t have a perfect multiple of your recipe with respect to your inventory of yeast or oil?

If your numbers are correct, you are going through a couple dozen cases a week, so stack the cases up, use what you need and reorder when that stack of cases gets too low! By all means, count the cans when you take inventory to calculate food cost, but stop wasting your time figuring out if you have a perfect multiple of your recipe on hand.

Why bother the supplier with a bizarre request for a few cans of product to even out inventory? A pain for them and meaningless to your business. On the other hand, I might hit them up for about 50 cases of free product (less than 5% of your annual usage) to keep you from switching… now that would make some sense to me! (Escalon offered me free product switch to them, why shouldn’t the other guys offer free product to keep a good customer!)
 
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mar1812:
This post is unbelivible… it blows my mind, whats your address I will send you a few cans
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lmfao… this is by far the best post in this thread.
 
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If you just keep ordering when you are low after a few more mistakes eventually you will be even again!
 
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