WINTER 2016

LELAND INDUSTRIES INC.
95 Commander Boulevard, Toronto, ON M1S 3S9, Canada
TEL 1-800-263-3393 FAX 416-291-0305 EMAIL info@lelandindustries.com WEB www.lelandindustries.com
MANUFACTURING FASTENERS WITH 400 YEARS OF HISTORY
Leland, incorporated in 1983 has only a 32 year history.
But, our sales staff has nine members with a Sales history that
exceeds 400 years. Our staff remembers Dial Telephones, Order
Pads, “Kardex” systems and yes, an ashtray on every desk.
Let’s face it, our Sales Force is old, but “experienced and
knowledgeable.” Not knowledge that comes from electronic
seminars, not from books, this is knowledge that comes from
years of crawling around jobsites and manufacturing plants,
asking questions, solving problems and sometimes being
“Chewed Out” by customers. The “Dumb Rookie” mistakes we
made fade from memory and our daily experiences become part
of our “Bank of Knowledge.”
Why did I pick this subject? Who cares about old salesmen
and older stories? Any user who has called an importer with a
problem call cares. In my years of selling I have never
encountered an overseas manufacturer making “house calls.”
Only Domestic Producers care enough to problem solve, to make
the end user feel important.
Experience and Customer Service has a cost. Unlike some
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importing distributors, domestic manufacturers employ a trained
sales staff. A properly trained sales staff benefits employer and
customer alike. This comes at a cost that is ultimately passed on
to the end user. Did it really cost, or did the customer receive a
benefit. Recently, one of our Salesmen learned that a customer
was switching to an import product because of the cost of our
domestic fasteners. We were too expensive in his eyes. Our man
asked, “How many screws would be used to erect the building
being discussed?” The answer, at least 2,000 screws, the extra
cost, $20.00. One Penny per screw extra to erect a 40’ x 60’
structure with 12’ sidewalls. The cost of the complete building,
more than $30,000. Twenty Dollars extra to avoid chipped,
peeling paint on the fastener heads. Powder Coating, considered
by the customer to be an extra expense, became a positive
selling feature after the salesman pointed out the advantages,
including no call backs for peeling, fading fastener heads.
The next time you see an old guy with something to sell,
give him a listen, he may know more about your needs than
you do.
LELAND INDUSTRIES INC.