Wifey, the bean counter, does all the running around for the bits and pieces lately. She's got the time to call both the suppliers and the big box guys to find out who has what for our guys on the job. - And more importantly to her - THE PRICE.
I'm lucky to have her because the only salary I have to pay is my own mental well being at the supper table every night while being "briefed" on just EXACTLY what happened during the day. And what we paid for stuff!
Mostly the big box doofusses can get it kind of right for supply of material, but if one of our guys needs a particular part that the big box guys don't normally handle, the poor guy on the electrical supplier desk gets the "action" from a dedicated gopher/bean counter/grunt/ delivery person and better find it - in her words "QUICKLY".
I know most of the rest of you guys don't have a wife that's that supportive (if you are lucky enough to have one like that), but it's saved us all kinds of time over the last few years and our journeyman and apprentice guys are just super happy to see wifey drive up to the site with the material they need within a few minutes of asking for an item they don't have. - (Like that new 200 amp Siemens panel that is replacing an old FP someone bought in the US 50 years ago).
The only thing that gets me PO'd though, is that she usually brings a bunch of coffee and doughnuts for the guys and they all have to sit around and yakk for 20 or 25 minutes about "things" with her about the jobsite while our customer is waiting for us to get their work done.
Bonnie does that every day, even if they don't need parts too.
Works for us, I guess. At least our guys are hanging around.
Overall,I like it because she probably got the best price too. It's likely saved me a few $10G bills over the last couple of years.
A gopher might be in your future? It's well worth it in my opinion.
