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Author Topic: Your favorite dealer Brad Allen Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 688 From: Evansville, IN, USA Registered: May 2000 posted 08-19-2003 05:02 PM                     If this isn't against Brad's board policies, Can I ask who's your favorite equipment supplier? Based on fair pricing, actually returns calls, has good reputation, does what he promise's, supports what he sells, etc. Reason for this question. I helped a new twin theatre get up and running last fall. We had one HELL of a time getting anyone to give us quote on equipment and booth install. Job ended up costing around $60,000 after install. Nothing to sneeze at. I distinctly got the feeling after that experience that if you didn't have at least a 20 plex, most dealers didn't want anything to do with you. We sent request's for bids to 18 dealers, (some which frequent this board) and only ONE out of 18 bothered to respond. Some called to ask questions with promise's to get a bid to us, but they never followed thru. I was completely floored by this lack of professionalism. I mean, if you don't want to sell me equipment, say so up front, don't string me along for a couple of months. Geez. Off the soap box. So, in my quest for projectors and sound equipment, can you suggest dealers?  |  IP: Logged William T. Parr Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 823 From: Cedar Park, TX Registered: Nov 2000 posted 08-19-2003 05:40 PM                     Brad we use a local dealer here in Austin, Southwest Cinema Services. Richard Tucker is the owner of the establishment. Has always given me a quote for items no matter how small of an order it was. Has always returned my phone calls regaurding issues with booth equipment and purchases, and has done all my installation, upgrade and repair work since the place reopened in late 2001. He is an all around nice person to deal with and does do some work on request out of state. If you would like to talk to him in the future about a project e mail me off line and I will forward his info to you.  |  IP: Logged Andrew McCrea Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 645 From: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada Registered: Nov 2000 posted 08-19-2003 05:41 PM                        I highly suggest two dealers for their expertise and helping me understand some more about the business! One is a good friend Tom Hutchison. His company is Canada's "Independent Theatre Supply". He can be reached at: 14306 115 Ave. Edmonton, Alberta T5M 3B7 Canada Tel: (780) 482-1611 Fax: (780) 482-3520 Email: its@compusmart.ab.ca The other is Canada's "Cinex". Kris Brunton works for them, and he posts on the forum regularily. They are FAMOUS PLAYERS official supplier. You can reach them at: 140 Goodyear Rd Napanee Ontario K7R 3M3 Canada Tel: (613) 354-4272 Tel: (877) 277-3611 Tel: 01-613-354-4272 Fax: (613) 354-9130 Web: http://www.cinex.net E: kbrunton@cinex.net Hope this helps others!  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 08-19-2003 05:50 PM                     Sending out 18 requests for bids is absurd to say the least!! Unless you are writing an article on the margin difference of different dealers or that sort of thing.....anyway, you deserve the slight response you got back. Like any city or government entity that does the same thing three bids is standard. As for the dealers that didn't respond...they were probably too busy with normal customers to be able to. At times we literally get burried here and right now are backlogged about 2 years. I know that we would have responded had we been requested to do so. Had we not not been able to we would have e-mailed or called as to why we were not able to. Once you find a dealer that you are comfortable with and know you can trust, the whole bid process can be eliminated. You will eventually learn that a reliable, knowledgable, capable dealer is worth far more than any slight difference in bids. Perhaps you should consider buisness school 101 before going any further..... Mark P.S. The size of the job is irrelevant to us. We treat everyone of them as if they were the most important job of the year. All dealers should!  |  IP: Logged Brad Allen Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 688 From: Evansville, IN, USA Registered: May 2000 posted 08-19-2003 06:07 PM                     Well I should elaborate on what I said Mark, I was trying to avoid writing a novel in my first message. It ended up being 18 requests, because no one was responding. 2 or 3 at a time was sent out over an 16 month period. When we received no response, out went 2-3 more requests, and so on. I "had" a regular dealer. Dealt with him for 18 yrs. He was one that never bothered to acknowledge the request, or return phone calls, after more than one request, thus the search was on. Problems I had with him more than once during the 18 years. Got tired of it. Yep, he's still in business. Boggles my mind. I hate to beg for a dealer to take my money. I can understand a dealer being swamped, but he shouldn't burn bridges by ignoring a possible customer. I've heard this same gripe from others hunting for equipment. Thanks for the other tips guys. P.S. (P.S. Mark said, The size of the job is irrelevant to us. We treat everyone of them as if they were the most important job of the year. All dealers should!) Your the rare breed, there's not many around with that attitude. On the contrary, most have no clue what the term customer service means.  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 08-19-2003 06:15 PM                     I agree Brad, This dealer should be shot. Bet I know who it is too!! If a dealer can't do a job he should just tell the customer. Simple as that. I know that we'd be happy to quote your plex. We've done many installations in Indiana. Location is never a problem at this end. Weather we can fit it in all depends on your secedule and ours though..... Mark  |  IP: Logged Mike Heenan Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1896 From: Scottsdale, AZ, USA Registered: Mar 2000 posted 08-19-2003 06:25 PM                     I remember I tried to buy some equipment and supplies from you Mark a while ago, and got a response you were on the road or vacation and would be able to help me out when you got back. So I emailed when you said you'd get back, no response. Several emails after that, no reponse. Sure it was going to be a small order but still would have been nice to deal with you. Oh well.  |  IP: Logged Andrew McCrea Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 645 From: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada Registered: Nov 2000 posted 08-19-2003 09:00 PM                        Tom e-mailed me today to inform me that he is no longer in the cinema equipment supply business... Therefore, I would suggest Cinex, or if you can contact Best Theatre Supply, Try them at: Best Theatre Supply, 1303 Yonge St. Toronto, Ontario M4T 2Y9 Canada Tel: (416) 323-7244 Fax: (416) 323-6600  |  IP: Logged Joe Redifer You need a beating today Posts: 12859 From: Denver, Colorado Registered: May 99 posted 08-20-2003 04:20 PM                        Brad- What dealers didn't respond? We should know.  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 08-20-2003 07:03 PM                     Mike H. Thats one of the reasons that I left that company. Working there was quite trying most of the time to say the least but I do have to pat myself on the back for lasting 5 years with them. Needless to say, that other "company" now employs no full time motion picture technical person even though they claim to still be a full service dealer. Its been real interesting working for my present employer in town for the past year now and getting to know most of our customers quite well. I find that they had similar unhappy experiences with that "other" company and very few if any of them take that company seriously any longer. Anyway, my present employer has two full time office people. One for sales exclusively, the other is our book keeper. Then there are five of us in the field and or shop working at any one time. Thats alot different from there just being me at the "other" place and I had to do the quotes, write P.O.'s, order items, do service work, do booth installs, and do the billing, and ok P.O.'s for payment. Five years of working there gave me a masters degree in how not to run a buisness. Hopefully, no one here will ever get themselves into a job at a place like that. Mark  |  IP: Logged Mike Heenan Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1896 From: Scottsdale, AZ, USA Registered: Mar 2000 posted 08-20-2003 07:15 PM                     I see... sorry to hear about that, glad you're in a better place now!  |  IP: Logged John T. Hendrickson, Jr Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 889 From: Freehold, NJ, USA Registered: Apr 2001 posted 08-20-2003 07:57 PM                     We have an excellent business relationship with Capital Motion Picture Supply, 630 Ninth Ave. in NYC. Larry Perse and Mark Kramer are great people, fair with prices and knowledgable equipment dealers. When we need something, they get right on it. Their telephone # is 212 757-4510, fax # 212 265-5648. For technical services, we deal with Bob Peterson at New England Theatre Service. We have been very pleased with Bob and his people. Tel: 1-800 388-7547. We are a 13 screen independent, and all these folks are always happy to help us.  |  IP: Logged Ken McFall Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 615 From: Haringey, London. Registered: Apr 2001 posted 08-21-2003 04:23 PM                     In the UK Sound Associates have been very good to me... both with advice and service. In the USA Component Engineering.... need I say more. As for ancillary supplies Jack Roe are hard to beat.... they also supply Film Guard... nuf said!  |  IP: Logged Ky Boyd Hey I'm #23 Posts: 314 From: Santa Rosa, CA, USA Registered: Jun 99 posted 08-23-2003 05:40 PM                       Scott Hicks at American Cinema Equip in Portland, OR - Simply the best!  |  IP: Logged Peter Hall Master Film Handler Posts: 314 From: London, UK Registered: Dec 2000 posted 08-24-2003 05:12 AM                        Just read the topic thread - there's a dodgy Jamacian guy who stands at the corner of Coldharbour Lane and Railton Rd who I believe fits the bill..  |  IP: Logged

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