Finding the Right Gaylord Box Supplier

You have many choices when searching for a supplier of new or used Gaylord boxes. Make an educated decision before making a costly snap decision and ending up unhappy with the product or service. There are several reputable companies out there, but some are not a good fit for your company for one reason or another. Here’s how to separate the Helluva from the Kinduva, Gooduva or Okayuva.

Customer Service

Does someone answer the phone by the second ring when you call? Do they have a LiveChat option to get you answers fast? Can you easily submit a quote from their website? Do they treat you with respect? Do they ask questions to help you get the right box or does it seem like they just want to sell you something brown? What happens if you have to reject a load? Do they guarantee that what you order is what you will receive?

Helluva Container is customer-driven, and we let our products, our knowledge and our service do the selling for us. Our knowledgeable sales and customer service reps advise customers on the appropriate boxes that will meet or exceed your expectations. We are safety conscious and put that aspect first and foremost. We will not sell you a Gaylord if we believe it is not safe for your application. Obviously, the final call is up to you, but we will push hard keep you safe.

If we make a mistake and ship the wrong boxes, we will correct it. Helluva Container never negotiates on rejected loads, but our rejection rate is so miniscule that it’s hardly worth discussing anyway. We send them back to one of our warehouses to determine why they were rejected and learn from that, so it doesn’t happen again.

Quality

Have your supplier describe their refurbishing process. Do they even have one? Do they know what the boxes YOU will get even look like? How clean they are? What the previous contents were? How orderly they are stacked on pallets?

If suppliers have a refurbishing process, they should be able to tell you what they do to the boxes when they come into their facility. Helluva Container inspects every box, removes as much of the previous contents as possible and all loose tape. We then restack the boxes by part number and securely strap each stack.

If they don’t refurbish the boxes, do they have a screening process for quality verification? Have them describe it to you. If they are a broker-only company, they have to rely solely on their supplier to provide information on the box, including description, bundle count and quality and you have to hope that what is being described to you is what you get. Unless the broker has established a long-lasting relationship with their supplier, it can be very risky for you.

At Helluva, we do onsite visits, get pictures and randomly test loads throughout the year. If a vendor’s loads do not meet our standards, that vendor is removed from the list. If a vendor’s quality goes down over time, they’re removed from the list.

Location & Turnaround Time

Where are their warehouses? Are they strategically located to keep freight costs down? What is the average time from order to delivery?

Because every penny counts, we have warehouses strategically located throughout the US to keep freight costs down and allow for timely deliveries. Depending on the product and location, once your product leaves our warehouse, most items deliver in one to five days. In-stock items can ship the next day if the order is placed early enough and freight carriers are available. Custom order boxes deliver in two to four weeks.

Longevity & Reputation

How long has the supplier been in business? What do others say about them? Do they get a lot of referrals? Do they have bad reviews?

Longevity is king in this industry. If they’ve been in business 10 years or more, they’ve most likely stood the test of time. Before you jump in, do your research and Google them, ask others in your industry if they have worked with or heard of them. What was the good, bad and ugly of their experience?

We are successful because of our reputation, and it shows in referrals. So many of our best customers have come to us through a referral from a colleague or friend. We love hearing when someone leaves a company and brings us with them to their new gig. They know that we are a Helluva supplier!

In the end, you need to educate yourself and ask questions. Do not take for granted that other people have your best interest in mind. They may only be concerned about their commission or covering overhead for the week. The more comfortable you are with their answers and information they freely supply on their website, the more likely you are going to have a good buying experience.