# Talking to paper reps



## Underdog (Mar 9, 2013)

I'm going to be e-mailing some questions to a paper rep tomorrow morning.
If y'all have any interesting questions I'll try to include them if they are appropriate to what I'm trying to learn regarding defects and the installer's responsibility to be their failsafe/stopgap end game solution even though we don't get compensated for it.

I'm going to try to find out their inspection protocol and such.
I'm curious as to how we are supposed to be quality control in two strips even though we can't hang strips over every circumstance in a single room. (Inside corners, outside corners, tiny wraps, different lighting, long walls with critical lighting, etc...)

Tonight will be the only opportunity unless the conversation gets extended.


:cowboy:


----------



## Schmidt & Co. (Nov 6, 2008)

Good luck with that. My experience has been that they will always throw the installer under the bus if at all possible. 

A number of years ago we hung a wallpaper in a dining room. Customer gave us the paper in the morning and left for work. Installed it without problem, but the next day she noticed that one color was left out of a flower in the pattern. It was small, but it bothered her. She contacted the manufacturer and explained the situation. Of course they said we should have caught that a color was missing, (do there quality control job) but it's rather hard without the wallpaper book in our possession. 

In the end they begrudgingly agreed that it wasn't our fault, and agreed to pay for us to remove *and* rehang. BUT, they wanted all the removed wallpaper back to prove the HO wasn't taking them for a ride on the labor bill. Gave the rep the two garbage bags full of paper myself. :yes:


----------



## daArch (Mar 15, 2008)

"this is first time we have heard of this problem"

Ask him/her how long it takes their customer service drones to memorize that :whistling2:

I had a bolt of wallpaper (I'm too lazy to look up the mfr) which while I was hanging, I noticed large and distinctive red slashes in the middle of the bolt, which were quite obviously indicating printing defects. Apparently, as the paper screams off the printing rollers, an inspector is looking for defects. When he/she sees some, a marker is used to make the slashes I had seen. This bolt was not removed from inventory despite the inspector's slashes. 

OH, ask the rep about the instructions to the shippers from higher ups referencing returned goods,"Keep shipping it until it doesn't come back"


----------



## Underdog (Mar 9, 2013)

This helps... hope I don't get blackballed.


:cowboy:


----------



## daArch (Mar 15, 2008)

Underdog said:


> This helps... hope I don't get blackballed.
> 
> 
> :cowboy:


wear white u-trou


----------



## ProWallGuy (Apr 7, 2007)

I really really like the "hang 3 strips and wait" instructions.


----------



## daArch (Mar 15, 2008)

ProWallGuy said:


> I really really like the "hang 3 strips and wait" instructions.


liar :whistling2:


----------



## Underdog (Mar 9, 2013)

ProWallGuy said:


> I really really like the "hang 3 strips and wait" instructions.


I address that.

Any bets on whether they put the answers in writing?
'cause I answer all of their questions.


:cowboy:


----------



## Underdog (Mar 9, 2013)

Oh yeah, I have to admit that I didn't apply the adhesive with "the gentle strokes of a pasting brush".
But the other instructions that came with it said I could use a roller.

Sheesh...


:cowboy:


----------



## chrisn (Jul 15, 2007)

*Mr*

Well, good luck :whistling2:


----------



## chrisn (Jul 15, 2007)

*Mr*



ProWallGuy said:


> I really really like the "hang 3 strips and wait" instructions.


----------



## daArch (Mar 15, 2008)

UD,

Got another "issue" I'd love to hear the company line on.

Why is it that we wait all summer for paper to be delivered and then all of a sudden EVERYONE has it arrive in September ????

Makes my fall a living hell.


----------



## Gwarel (May 8, 2012)

daArch said:


> "this is first time we have heard of this problem"
> 
> "


I heard those exact words when I was having a problem with some paper on a Barnes and Noble. The pattern was circles in the kids section, and the seams curled no matter what we tried. The rep said they had done stores with this pattern all over the country and never had a problem. We corrected the problem by overlapping and double cutting about 3/8". When the architect came around a few days later he commented on how good the pattern turned out and wondered how we did it because......."We've had problems with that pattern on every store we've done."


----------



## Underdog (Mar 9, 2013)

daArch said:


> UD,
> 
> Got another "issue" I'd love to hear the company line on.
> 
> ...


 
Well I've never really seen that pattern (no pun intended) but maybe it has to do with them getting back from vacation.
But if hell is having plenty of work in the fall, maybe you should look into becoming a house painter.


:cowboy:


----------



## Underdog (Mar 9, 2013)

O.K., I think I've discovered something today.

The manufacturers put demands into the instructions and put the instructions into the rolls...
1) They don't offer compensation.
2) They don't have any agreement with the installer.
3) Their agreement is with the purchaser and no other.
4) The instructions are for the purchaser.
5) The installer's agreement is with the home owner.

The installer has no contract or obligation to the manufacturer, no?
Is my logic flawed?

I'm Batman :zorro:


:cowboy:


----------



## daArch (Mar 15, 2008)

Underdog said:


> O.K., I think I've discovered something today.
> 
> The manufacturers put demands into the instructions and put the instructions into the rolls...
> 1) They don't offer compensation.
> ...


YET many instructions recommend a competent professional installer (so why am I hanging paper??? )

For a few years, a few mfr's had an agreement with the NGPP that if an NGPP installer ran into bad paper, those few mfr's would throw some chump change at the installer as "set up" compensation. I called it hush money. OH, and NGPP installers were encouraged to report a problem to the NGPP. Those reports barely saw the light of day., but it sure made us feel good that someone was listening to our complaints :no: :no:


----------



## Underdog (Mar 9, 2013)

daArch said:


> YET many instructions recommend a competent professional installer (so why am I hanging paper??? )
> 
> For a few years, a few mfr's had an agreement with the NGPP that if an NGPP installer ran into bad paper, those few mfr's would throw some chump change at the installer as "set up" compensation. I called it hush money. OH, and NGPP installers were encouraged to report a problem to the NGPP. Those reports barely saw the light of day., but it sure made us feel good that someone was listening to our complaints :no: :no:




You make my point right there. Who is that message for? The purchaser!!!



Although you inadvertently came up with the solution. 
Give installers their manufacturer's certification. Allow businesses to know you are on their trusted list and this would refer jobs.
Plus give them a hotline to their rep with the respect you deserve. Maybe even talk with them openly and honestly. Especially if you have hung their inferior designs and made them acceptable.
And give the installer a bit of insurance when a material goes south.

It would be fun to have a YELP type site where installers could rate materials and provide pictures.


:cowboy:


----------



## daArch (Mar 15, 2008)

Underdog said:


> You make my point right there. Who is that message for? The purchaser!!!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Yup, that would be a good start, but that ASSUMES the mfr's give a rat's ass. 

The WP industry has a long and successful history of shooting itself in the foot by producing and promoting inferior and defective goods. If they can't get the message by being clubbed over the head with an 80% drop in revenues (in the 90's) , then who would expect them to react favorably and responsibly to any other input ?


----------



## Underdog (Mar 9, 2013)

daArch said:


> Yup, that would be a good start, but that ASSUMES the mfr's give a rat's ass.
> 
> The WP industry has a long and successful history of shooting itself in the foot by producing and promoting inferior and defective goods. If they can't get the message by being clubbed over the head with an 80% drop in revenues (in the 90's) , then who would expect them to react favorably and responsibly to any other input ?


 Well since my dad retired I've been mostly a loner paperhanger recluse so I haven't kept up with trends and such.
But from what I see now, they're going to have a problem finding people that have the skill to install these new materials.

This is the first time since the early 90's I've had to deal with a rep, but judging how they communicate, they must have problems consistently.
I've already been lied about and I had only spoken to this rep twice on the phone. E-mails only here on out.


:cowboy:


----------



## daArch (Mar 15, 2008)

Underdog said:


> Well since my dad retired I've been mostly a loner paperhanger recluse so I haven't kept up with trends and such.
> But from what I see now, they're going to have a problem finding people that have the skill to install these new materials.
> 
> This is the first time since the early 90's I've had to deal with a rep, but judging how they communicate, they must have problems consistently.
> ...



This is first time I've heard this happening


----------



## chrisn (Jul 15, 2007)

*Mr*



daArch said:


> This is first time I've heard this happening


me too:thumbsup:


----------

