Sacked by marshalls? - Contractors being booted off register

[Tony McC]

I'm receiving a disturbing number of calls and emails from contractors that have been removed or are being threatened with removal from the Marshalls' Register for the heinous crime of selling other manufacturers' products.

One instance could be a special case; two cases seems suspicious, but we're now approaching double figures, and that is indicative of a definite pattern.

If any other contractors have received such threats, or are contacted and threatened in such a way, can you let me know?

I feel this is nothing short of corporate bullying and an anti-competitive practice. Contractors are expected to pay 400 quid a year for the "privilege" of selling Marshalls' products and now it seems they are to be treated as tied labour, compelled to do their master's bidding regardless of the effect on their own businesses. This is strangely at odds with Marshalls' much-heralded stance on such practices in India and China.

[Rich H]

That's daft. Customers often specify the paving they want. What's the contractor to do? "Sorry, that's not Marshall's, I'm not allowed to lay it."!

[jonnyboyentire]

mental - exactly why wariness required when "getting into bed" with a supplier

[matt h]

WHY NOT START A NATIONAL BOYCOTT OF MARSHALLS? THEY WOULD SOON CHANGE THEIR TUNE!:laugh:

[David Sarti]

Tony,

I learned through bitter experience many years ago that engaging in a public slanging match is rarely to the ultimate benefit of either party, regardless of the moral or factual basis behind the argument.

I'll confine myself to saying that, in my humble opinion, your opening post stands in very stark contrast to the otherwise well researched and authoritative comments which hitherto I felt characterised your public conduct on your excellent site. I am very disappointed that you did not approach me or my company for comment or fact checking in advance.

I will not comment further, nor return to the thread.

David

[Rich H]

Given the above, this is a rhetorical question: is that a 'yes, we're doing it' or a 'no we're not'?

[lutonlagerlout]

Tony,

I learned through bitter experience many years ago that engaging in a public slanging match is rarely to the ultimate benefit of either party, regardless of the moral or factual basis behind the argument.

I'll confine myself to saying that, in my humble opinion, your opening post stands in very stark contrast to the otherwise well researched and authoritative comments which hitherto I felt characterised your public conduct on your excellent site. I am very disappointed that you did not approach me or my company for comment or fact checking in advance.

I will not comment further, nor return to the thread.

David

spoken like a true politician david :;):

i am guessing that maybe these contractors were given leads by marshalls then turned up and decided to talk to the client about *cheaper* options. in this recession i could visualize this happening

after all a fella has got to feed his kids

however if i pass on a job to someone,be it a window fitter or a plumber i expect them to do it in a timely manner and do it right,

as has happened to me recently, i passed on some tiling work to an old mate of mine,he had 3 days work and dragged it out over 6 weeks with various no shows,request for cash for more materials etc etc.

then the client rang me,crying down the phone,which considering i didn't want a drink off the tiler or the client was a nightmare,

anyway this is all supposition ,
lets get the facts
before we condemn anyone
cheers LLL

[MatthewWakeman]

i take it that Mr sarti is a marshalls man

The bigger they are the harder they will fall

Matthew wakeman

drivewaycompany.co.uk

[Tony McC]

I'm not sure whether David Sarti will read this or not, and I have no intention of demeaning myself by starting or becoming involved in a public slanging match, but even so, his remarks are the second 'comment' from Marshalls claiming that my facts are wrong or expressing disappointment in my "going public", but neither David Sarti nor David Jessop (manager of the Marshalls' Register) have made clear just what it is that I have stated incorrectly.

In a long telephone conversation on Friday morning, David Jessop complained that he thought the "approaching double figures" remark I made regarding the number of contractors involved was "misleading". However, he would not say how many contractors were actually approached. I told David I had 7 contractors in contact with me regarding threats of removal from the Marshalls' Register in a period of two days. I haven't been able to speak with everyone of them since then, so I can't confirm that all of them have the exact same story, but three of them certainly do.

Dave Jessop also denied that contractors were removed for using competitors' products, despite this being a consistent report from the contractors. Disappointingly, Dave would not reveal why the contractors had been removed other than it was a "breach of agreement" and that it was "confidential".

So: on one hand, I have a number of contractors telling me they were removed for using competitors' products, and on the other hand I have Marshalls denying this. I've asked contractors to let me see documentation to support their claims, but I have no intention of publishing such material: a simple 'true or false' will do for me.

Regarding contacting Marshalls for comment: I posted the original message during my all-too-brief lunchtime following a very distressed telephone conversation with one contractor in particular. If I had more time available that afternoon, I probably would have rang Dave Jessop for comment, but I was heavily involved in another matter for the remainder of the day, and well into the evening. Dave Jessop called me shortly after 9am the following morning.

With the marvellous gift of hindsight, it probably would have been better for me to speak to Dave J before posting here, but I was so disturbed at what I was told by one contractor, and then substantiated by another, that I was probably impetuous. In my defence, I can only remind readers that I am not a journalist, just a knackered ex-contractor providing a discussion facility for other contractors and interested parties. A trained journalist would have (and should have!) checked the story before rushing into print.

However, this does not change the fact that there are contractors making allegations and a manufacturer unwilling or unable to clarify the matter. Marshalls have not denied removing contractors from the Register, but while the affected contractors have no doubt why they were removed, Marshalls will not state *their* reasons, nor will they clarify the numbers involved.

How Marshalls choose to run their Register is nowt to do with me and I don't wish to say who or how or why. As I have stated on numerous occasions, all of these 'approved lists' have their good points and their bad points. Some lists are not as good as others, but Marshalls Register would, in my opinion, be one of the very best. However, when contractors I know personally start telling me that they are being threatened or have had their membership repealed solely for using competitors' products, that is a serious matter, and one that ought to be discussed openly.

David S or Dave J are free to post here with any comments or clarification they wish to make. Without naming the contractors involved (I would remove such indiscretion if it occurred) it should be possible to state why these contractors were expelled and why they believe it is the use of non-Marshalls' products that have led to their expulsion.

On the positive side, I have had no further calls or emails from contractors claiming similar treatment since Thursday.

[Iain]

I think the fact that you have reflected on how you could have dealt with this better Tony speaks volumes of your integrity and interest in protecting the good name of honest contractors. For what its worth I don't have a problem at all with the way you have dealt with it, your not a journalist.

It is in stark contrast to the Marshalls rep who in true modern fashion has stropped off and taken the his ball with him. You'd think with all the money they make from "order select" they could spend some on a bit of management training and perhaps realise how many of us using or viewing this forum are customers of theirs.

[dig dug dan]

I have been told by a contractor on the register that you must not use other products. I assumed he was wrong. I hope he was!

[enigmaenigma]

There’s two sides to every coin and it’s far to easy to jump in boots first – especially when it involves a big organization or company and possible injustice against the little man as it were


However, and although I’m resisting the urge to do that, I still think that David Sarti’s comments were somewhat dismissive or arrogant and did little to allay fears for those within the scheme or potential new members


Whilst I appreciate that he is hardly in a position to divulge chapter & verse on individual cases, I still would have expected some sort of acknowledgment or reassurance from him


And although Marshall’s might think that these allegations of stifling competition are only as a result of a vertical arrangement, where an inequality of arms exists in their favour, and not as a result of a horizontal arrangement between them and a similar sized organization


This doesn’t mean they are beyond the reach or powers of competition laws and those who are charged with investigating and enforcing them - Something that might be worth bearing in mind, when they next flex their corporate muscle on anyone who has been found using competitors products

[lutonlagerlout]

perhaps their share price dropping by nearly half in 6 months has caused concern,the building sector is looking iffy right now and as the prices drop hostile takeovers and the inevitable restructuring make everyone didgy
LLL

[warnergrounds.co.uk]

When we were looking into joining the register some time ago now I brought this up with our local office. They said that if we wanted to be a Marshalls contractor we should be happy to sell their brand, and that alone.

We were not prepared to limit our customers choice of stone and am glad we spent the £400.00 elsewhere !

I think the whole approved contractor thing is a farce. We have a company policy of not joining these and we NEVER will. I think that Marshalls should take more responsibility for works undertaken by their approved contractors. The failure to have a signed satisfaction note from the customer is just a complete cop out.

Marshalls take their money from the contractors who are effectively their sales force.

As an example we have had an ongoing marketing campaign from a resin bonded aggregate supplier. Hounded me by e-mail, phone, letter. I finally decided to get a price off them for a job we are looking at only to be told, only our approved contractors can use our product. In answer to my question "how do we get approved" I was told to pay £1k for a training course!

Not bloody likely. Why the hell should I pay someone to sell their products for them..... the mind boggles.

As NCC can attest we recommend products we find are good to our local merchants who we are lucky as hell to have - they are an independent and the customer service is second to none.

We are happy to build our business without buying into all these "schemes". At the end of the day those costs have to be passed on to our customers - if they would prefer to pay a premium to someone with a few fancy stickers they need to know the reality. You get what you pay for - and sometimes you pay for a large company to provide some vehicle stickers and leads. It's no better than backhanders in my book. Business should be about providing a fair service at a fair price.

And Tony - I wouldn't apologise for what you said. You were bang on the money - as you nearly always are. All of us on here know where you are coming from and Mr Sarti will need some tweezers for his splinters.

If he spent more time ranting about the defective installation of that drive I tried to help out with a few weeks ago and less time alienating his potential trade customers his figures would soon sort themselves out. In my view that was a massive PR boob - Marshalls kicks contractors arse from John a Groats to Lands End and relays drive at their own expense - £2k install - publicity like that you can buy - if you actually CARE! Should have put him in the stocks and chucked the tegulas at him!!