Why Don't People Like CEF?

[exbdc]

Judging from members' comments CEF seem to be the least liked electrical wholesaler in the industry & was wondering why this seems to be the case.

My only dealings with them has been as a supplier, not a customer, & can only say that they are a professional company to deal with & pay their bills quicker than a lot of the other national wholesalers.

 

[spinlondon]

Their own brand of cable ties are crap. Pull them tight and they snap.

Their own brand of light fittings are flimsy, often not surviving delivery.

You can phone them up to see if they have an item in stock, when you get there, they haven't got it.

When they deliver an order, it will be wrong, stuff will be damaged and stuff will be missing.

 

[baldelectrician]

CEF = Check Everything First

• Including price quoted on phone is price on the line
  
• No delivery charges there (you wern't told about)
  
• Make sure you don't get a price 3 x what you have been quoted elsewhere
  

I have found them less than great. They are a wholesaler of last resort

 

[Lurch]

I used to use them quite a bit when they stocked a range of stuff. They've binned all that now and are starting to just keep their own brand flimsy crap on the shelves, and it's not even cheap. Sweeping statement there I know, but saves me itemising faults with every line they do.

 

[Evans Electric]

Using anywhere other than your home branch was always a performance, you wait while they phone your branch , then they do " double booking" which meant they share the sale with your home branch.

Then there were a lot of ....mistakes..... on the invoices, when I was a supervisor had to check every one. On invoices for industrial work with loads of items on it, you'd find some Twin/earth booked out in the middle. That was a long time ago.

I have to say ,in fairness, we were working right by one of their branches in Brum and the guy was really helpfull although we were not account holders.

 

[Riggy]

Our local CEF branch are excellent, they understand customer service - very rare in the wholesale world unless you are "mates" with the counter staff.

 

[Apache]

CEF will give anyone an account, we have one at the surgery. And they deliver to us for free (about 20 miles away from the branch)

 

[Andy™]

i only use them as a last resort, and i normally avoid the one local to me like the plague - staff are a pain to deal with, they never phone back with prices etc, often have stuff out of stock, and the stuff thats due in next day usually takes a week.

not so local branch at gateshead isnt too bad, so usually deal with them instead

 

[revjames]

In my last job it was either CEF of N&E. N&E would tell you if it was in stock, how much it would cost incl your disc etc and when you would get it (usually next day) very reliable. A bean counter from upstairs decreed we should now go to CEF. They would promise the earth over the phone, anything slightly out of the ordinary they would order from RS and slap 10% on it. If I wanted something from RS I would order it from RS!

 

[matt.leung]

also when buying on account why cant they tell you how much the item will cost unless you are shopping in the branch that you set the account up with...

does each branch have a different price for every item that they stock....

 

[NozSpark]

also when buying on account why cant they tell you how much the item will cost unless you are shopping in the branch that you set the account up with...does each branch have a different price for every item that they stock....

What they do is book it out to your branch and then you branch invoices you with the discounts that they have set up!

My local CEF's are ok, although some of the ones a bit further away are staffed by little oiks who haven't a clue or would prefer to chat behind the counter!

 

[wozz]

my local one you wait an absolute age to be told they havnt got it and there prices are shocking.

BUT they are the only wholesalers around here open on a saturday.

Ive always believed CEF are good for cable if you are buying in quantity although i have never done this myself, just seen other doing it.

 

[ProDave]

They are over priced, poor sales staff, and they treat you like it's a privilege to allowed to buy from them.

Like others I only use them as a last resort for the rare occasions they are the only one that has the part you want (e.g proteous MCB's to fit the old style wylex boards)

There are plenty of electrical wholesalers that offer better service, better prices and a better attitude.

 

[Lurch]

also when buying on account why cant they tell you how much the item will cost unless you are shopping in the branch that you set the account up with...does each branch have a different price for every item that they stock....

Pretty much. Each branch is in effect totally separate from every other branch. I had accounts at 3 branches at one point as they refused to transfer between branches and I got fed up of trying to price stuff when buying from somewhere with special items that the local branch stocked but my branch didn't. Complete shambles to be fair.

 

[Subneural]

Expensive in comparison to other wholesalers.

Proteus is crap. ie: you can cook your breakfast on their DBs they run that hot.

Takes an eternity for credit notes to appear and then only when they chase them.

Branches actually try to poach accounts from each other.

Sales staff are usually either new to the trade and then move on when they get the hang of it or the crap no one else wants.

My rep moved to another wholesaler I use and no-one from the CEF branch has even called to say hi since he left 2 months ago. Now thats crap customer service.

 

[Pyro]

Judging from members' comments CEF seem to be the least liked electrical wholesaler in the industry & was wondering why this seems to be the case.

I worked for an electronics company that had a CEF account; I was the only authorised user of that account. When the company closed down, I KNOW FOR A FACT that the CEF account was 100% paid-up.

Due to me having worked at the closed business, the CEF branch would not accept orders from me at the counter even when payment was to be in cash.

I vowed never to dirty my feet on a CEF doormat again..... 22 years later the vow holds true. Neweys gets my vote for top-supplier.

Pyro.

 

[the doctor]

hello

you all forgot to mention that they do stock xmas tree lights and lawnmowers but no unistrut or if they do, they dont have the brackets......

also, if you buy 10 crappy sockets you get a bill for 10MK units buried in the middle of the invoice, "sorry about that mate"

that said, if you are stuck there always seems to be one nearby. i remember working near the british museum in london once and was desperate for gear.

there was a CEF within walking distance.....

best wishes

alan

 

[spinlondon]

helloyou all forgot to mention that they do stock xmas tree lights and lawnmowers but no unistrut or if they do, they dont have the brackets......

also, if you buy 10 crappy sockets you get a bill for 10MK units buried in the middle of the invoice, "sorry about that mate"

that said, if you are stuck there always seems to be one nearby. i remember working near the british museum in london once and was desperate for gear.

there was a CEF within walking distance.....

best wishes

alan

I think I'd have got a Bus somewhere else.

 

[the doctor]

I think I'd have got a Bus somewhere else.

ROTFWLnow now spinlondonROTFWL

"any port in a storm"

 

[batty]

They are a hard company to deal with. If you are overcharged you have a nightmare getting a refund. The attitude to me is they want your business but don't look after you like other wholesalers. Personally I do not use them anymore after some parts where damaged on a big order of over 5k and they would not refund me