Archive for December, 2008

Wishing you a happy, safe and healthy holiday season.

Look for the next Blanco Beat post on Friday, Jan. 9.

Quality and heritage defines Blanco, and it also defines P.F. Valente Associates, Inc., which in October became Blanco’s sales representative for New Jersey, Eastern Pennsylvania and Delaware.

What guides the high standard set by P.F. Valente? This is a company that values the longevity of their relationships with the product lines they represent. For example, they have a 28-year relationship with Grohe and 15 years with Panasonic ventilating fans.

“We value the reputation of our agency, and we view the product lines we represent as long-term partners,” said John Capaldo, Vice President.

Seven outside sales representatives call on plumbing wholesalers, and a project coordinator calls on architects, engineering firms and specifiers. Together they represent companies that include Jacuzzi/Whirlpool, Steamist (steam generators for bathrooms) and Taylor Industries (marble products).

The family company was established in 1973 in Vineland, NJ, by Phillip Valente, President. Doug Valente is Vice President. It moved the offices to Bridgeton, NJ, in 2003.

P.F. Valente was attracted to working with Blanco for three main reasons:

• The quality of Blanco products, which P.F. Valente appreciated from being in the industry for so long.
• The proximity of Blanco’s location in Lumberton, NJ, to the market they work in.
• The history of Blanco, founded in 1925, and the German heritage. Valente has a lot of experience working with German companies (i.e. Grohe) and they are used to the excellent quality and engineering of German products.

This fresh partnership is forged on another common, longstanding goal.

“Service to our customers is our most important objective,” said Capaldo.

Stay tuned for future spotlights on our sales reps. Good selling, and please join in the conversation. Share your thoughts on this or other topics by clicking the comments link below.

Our new Stellar line of Blanco sinks stands out because of its Refined Brushed Finish, an aesthetically pleasing look that goes well with almost any décor or color scheme. Like fine silver, this is elegant, timeless beauty – and also value.

But a fine finish is only one of six things that make this new Blanco product truly superior.

• The six available shapes, including the 1.75 bowl shown, were chosen because they are already popular with consumers.
• Only six SKUs cover every application, a compact lineup of the most popular sizes.
• The innovative Refined Brushed Finish in stainless steel makes cleaning a snap, and is extremely durable, so it will retain its luster.
• Rendered in exceptional 18 gauge stainless steel, Stellar upholds Blanco’s high quality standards.
• Exclusively designed accessories are a perfect “add-on” product.

For all of these reasons, Stellar is the superior new alternative to no brand, low quality imports.

The following Stellar sales tools are now available on the Information HQ site:

• Price pages and spec pages
• Training presentation and talking points
• Competitive Matrix
• Stellar sell sheet will be available soon as a downloadable PDF.

The new Stellar series is now ready for pre-selling, and orders are now being accepted. Shipping will begin in mid-January.

Good selling, and please join in the conversation. Share your thoughts on this or other topics by clicking the comments link below.

When it comes to technical questions about our products, Blanco is fortunate to have experts ready with answers.

Each day in our Technical Department, Ryan Farquhar and Jim Entwistle deal with functionality issues on all Blanco faucets, plus the occasional sink question.

Ryan, our Plumbing Technician & Product Specialist, teams with Jim, our Quality & Plumbing Technician, to provide technical information and assistance. They often guide plumbers through sink and faucet installation. One of the challenges of their job is to interpret the caller’s issues over the phone.

The faucet technicians, as well as our customer service team, receive a lot of positive feedback on their quick, timely, and personalized service. Some customers are so impressed that they write in thank-you notes.

Some excerpts:
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“Just before Thanksgiving I needed a new replacement faucet. Ryan expedited the shipment of a new Blanco faucet and it arrived two days before the holiday – an impossible mission! My thanks go to Ryan and the whole Blanco family.”
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“I purchased a Blanco faucet 4 years ago and was experiencing a small water leak. With the knowledgeable and patient assistance of Ryan Farquhar and Jim Entwistle, we were able to repair the faucet. I would like to commend Blanco for having this level of customer support available and Ryan and Jim’s able and patient assistance.”

We recently heard from a woman who mentioned that she was “not afraid to handle a hammer, screwdriver and pliers’’ — even at age 77.

After getting the information she needed, she commented: “It’s easy to see why the granite installer said Blanco is the best – not only is your product great, but all the support behind it – you’ve made my day. Thanks again to Jim.”

Thanks to great customer support from staff like Ryan and Jim, quality at Blanco is more than a slogan, it is how we do our jobs every day.

Good selling, and please join in the conversation. Share your thoughts on this or other topics by clicking the comments link below.