Energy surcharge

[bulldog tile]

I was going over bills this morning and took another look at this bill from a nationwide tile distributor. I've seen this energy surcharge every time I look at one of their bills but I've just about had enough. Back when gas was close to $4 a gallon this company started with an energy surcharge to compensate for fuel costs, but since then gas has gone below $2 a gallon and is now back up to $2.40 a gallon around here. During all that fluctuation the surcharce has remained at 1.5% - it's based on cost not weight. I know that doesn't sound like much but I smoked the old adding machine and looked at how much surcharge I've payed in the last couple of years and it's depressing. I special ordered tile and was charged freight and surcharge! To me it's a typical example starting something that never ends. Sorry about the rant but is this the only company doing this?

[jgleason]

Hi Donnie,

Not at all unusual, especially on shipments of heavy stuff. The company I work for makes paper. A truckload is 44,000#. Shipping it is costly business.

What happened to us was simple - energy costs rose pretty fast and our shipping prices to customers didn't rise fast enough. Energy surcharge got added or passed along from the freight company. Now that prices are down, it isn't going to come off the customer bill unless the customer gripes about it. Then we might remove it, reduce it or tell the customer sorry, you have to pay it. The better the customer (volume, profit margin, pays on time, etc) the more likely they are to get a deal.

Even a small customer has some clout. I would ask about getting it taken off or ask for better payment terms, a discount if paid early, etc.

[Shaughnn]

I'll presume that your "Nationwide ditributor" is Daltile, because I have the same issue with them. The funny thing is that when I buy through a middleman vendor, my pricing is better and does not include the surcharge. I've always been an opponent of the "energy surcharge" because I feel that it's dishonest. If the cost of materials has risen, then let the price reflect that. I resent being quoted a price and then the bill is hundreds of dollars higher because of the unmentioned "surcharge".
Shaughnn

[sandbagger]

Even a small customer has some clout. I would ask about getting it taken off or ask for better payment terms, a discount if paid early, etc.

back in the $4 gas days our trash company (Waste Management) added one of those surcharges. Like Joe said, it didn't come off even as gas went below 2 bucks.

Then a couple of months ago we get a notice of some new add-on charge. So wife calls and gets a nice young lady who at first resisted, but after talking a few minutes she not only took of the fuel charge, she asked my wife, "Oh, would you like a discount? How much?"

I don't know the exact number, but I can tell you the WM bill is significantly lower than it's been for quite some time. Maybe the lady realized there is another option in my area - I dunno. Don't care either. Basically she told my wife, "all you have to do is ask."

[jgleason]

all you have to do is ask

Exactly! As long as you always pay on time you'd be surprised what you can get simply by asking. Cable, phone, credit card all of these service providers will work with you. Especially if your credit is good.

[bulldog tile]

Yes, I understand being proactive in getting lower rates but what gets me is it seems that the only thought this company had was to charge more instead of streamlining their own systems. All of us have had to cut back and get leaner and meaner in this economy - to hear the largest retailer in the world tell it they tweaked their shipment system and saved millions and didn't have to charge the customer one cent - according to their ads. Clean house as best you can before you increase charges to customers for the same services rendered - especially in this economy.

Didn't people have a point with GM having duplicate cars with different names? This tile company could save bunches just in printing alone if they combined their two tile brands.

Just something to think about.

[Houston Remodeler]

I knew it was Daltile before finishing the first sentence.....

[tileguynky]

You ask the local branch man (I have) and get told it is a corporate mandate. Out of his control I have been told. Yet, they will not give me a contact or number to try to see about removing the surcharge. It does stink to be told there is an extra freight charge on an item and then to be charged a surcharge on a special charge.

[lasvegaslenny]

I bet Home Creepo doesnt pay no steenkin fuel surcharge!

BOYCOTT DAL TILE

[sandbagger]

BOYCOTT DAL TILE

well, I can tell you (and have posted) that I wrote Dal off about 4 years ago. Now I know Dal caters to the "pros," but so do lots of folks I've dealt with. I've found if you deal with them right they'll gladly take your money. (I guess they figured out the banks don't care if it's from a little DIYer.)

I was looking for something I knew Dal carried so I stopped by on the way to work. I guess I didn't look like a tile guy. I was completely ignored. Not just a little bit - it was as if I wasn't even in the showroom. I even stood around near the doors where several Dal people came and went, and never so much as a "good morning - are you being helped?" And it wasn't like they were busy - most of that time I was the only "customer" in the room! I played this game for about 20-25 minutes and left.

I haven't been back to Dal and they prolly don't care. I hope they don't care if I tell a few friends.