If you’re responsible for stocking any type of home or hardware store, then you’ll probably want to carry a selection of brass fittings. But actually finding the right supplier for those fittings might be a bit trickier, since most brass fittings manufacturers appear — on a surface level — to offer similar products. Here’s what you can look for as you screen your options:
- A Quality Selection
First of all, you’ll want to see a good range of products, all at the highest quality. Depending on the focus of your store, you might need valves and fittings more suited to household waterworks, or more industrial purposes. But either way, you should ensure that you’re not sacrificing quality to save pennies on each piece. You should also make sure you have a choice of lead-added or lead free brass fittings; due to new regulations, lead free fittings must be used in applications affecting drinking water.
- Custom Abilities
If you’re choosing a new supplier, then it makes sense to choose one that can also take care of custom requests. That way, if you have a customer come in with a request for an unusual brass nipple, flare or any other type of fitting, you’ll be able to confidently say you can handle it — and potentially gain a lifelong repeat customer, too.
- Customer Service
There are quite a few companies that can ship you the parts you need, but not all will do it promptly and accurately. Customer service varies widely from supplier to supplier, and you should consider bad service to be a deal-breaker. If you have trouble reaching a live person when you need to ask questions or put in a special request, that’s a bad sign; the supplier you end up choosing should value your business and understand that delays make you look bad in front of your own customers.
Have you started searching for a fittings supplier yet? Share how your search process has been going so far in the comments.
