Postby one love » February 2nd, 2010, 10:44 pm
I agree that in retail the small things kill you. When I was still a business owner before I moved and took this job, the economy was great and work was plenty.
I had 16 installers and when things were good you do not keep up with every dollar but I started to add things up and this is what I found.
One contractor would take off $1000-$3000 a week for odds and ends etc. (stealing from me) I added it up and he took me for approx $100,000 in less then a year.
Next when my installers would go to our distributors to pick up material etc. ( the job i have now a territory manager for a large dist.) they would add 5 gallons of finish here and there, sand paper etc.
Nobody was allowed to order except me and my Dad but somehow my installers were getting materials. I found out one of the warehouse guys at the dist was there friend and his dad owned a flooring business as well. they would order on my account and sell it to his dad....... Surely 25k lost there as well maybe more, by the time we caught on it was to late and I could not prosecute.
I also had a lot of wood stolen from my warehouse but I found the installer that took it and I gave him a choice, to confess and pay me back or go to jail, he chose to confess.
Point being small things add up, when a recession hits the smalls things would have helped greatly!