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Guest Editorial Who's Willing to Help the "New Guy on the Block" Get Established? by Jerry LaMarsh Owner Jerry's Mobile Repair Mount Vernon, Washington There are many changes taking place in our industry today and those of you who have been around awhile know and have repeatedly said that those who do not change are going to get left behind. Unfortunately, some of the big boys don't feel they need to change which poses a problem for small companies in the industry. I am a professional maintenance man with over thirty years of experience. I have owned three small companies over the years so I am familiar with such things as vendors, wholesalers, and the never changing "credit application". Getting started in business is like starting out in life after school; you need credit but no one will give it to you unless you already have it and you can't already have it because nobody will give it to you. And some distributors require you to purchase a minimum every month or every year to maintain a wholesale account. I wanted to own a Mobile Repair business for RVs so I invested a lot of money and 13 months to attend a technical institute and receive my RVIA certification to add professionalism to my company and my trade. Then I invested a lot of money in my company such as a service truck, advertising, phone, etc. _ all those things required when starting a new business. As a result, there is little left to satisfy suppliers requirements for money in the bank. I am a one person operation, my truck is my warehouse (for now) but I feel I am being restricted as to my profit margin because I cannot buy wholesale. Not only does it cut my profit but it also cuts the potential profit for the wholesaler that I could be buying from _ but it seems a couple hundred dollars a month is not worth their time. I wonder if they can remember when they were small and getting started and how sweet that order was no matter how small? There is one manufacturer, Dinosaur Electronics (electronic circuit boards), in our industry who I feel fortunate to have come across and who I feel is a true innovator and pioneer in helping change the way manufactures and suppliers, and yes, distributors, deal with customers. It's called the "No Application Form, Open Account". What does it mean? It means a lot, especially to the little guy, a small businessman like myself. I order what I need, they send it, it's that simple. I have thirty days to pay. If I don't pay, I don't get anymore parts. Not only does it help the little guy but I am sure is saves them money and time as well since there are no forms, no credit checks, etc. etc. Some may argue that they have no way of knowing whether someone is a good "credit risk" without all that paperwork. My answer to that is that far more money has been lost by so called "good credit risks" than by the little guy trying to get started. Let's say I call up a distributor and order a Suburban Manufacturing Company P-30YSfurnace and they ship it UPS. If I didn't pay in thirty days, what is that distributor out? A couple of hundred dollars, maybe. And what am I out? Out of business, that's what. I just finished my first year and I am still a small company but bigger than I was a year ago. I will continue to grow with or without the help of the big guys, but there's one thing they need to remember when that day comes that I am no longer a small company but a company that orders and sells thousands of dollars worth of RV products each and every month; who am I going to buy those parts from? It sure won't be the company that refused to help when I was just starting out. One reason is obvious, the other is because, like you old timers in the industry say "Those who refuse to change may not be here anyway." On behalf of all the "little guys," I'm Jerry LaMarsh/owner, Jerry's Mobile Repair -- and growing.
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