Right now I'm in a small prototype shop and we don't buy enough stuff to get the kind of attention your getting, but in the past I've been in your situation.
Then the only people I met with where the ones I called, no one else got past the front desk. They could drop off catalogs and cards but unless I called them, NO DICE. Also discourage people from walking in the back door. Infact I made it a rule that no one could just walk into the shop without an invite. I mean that's just basic saftey rules right? Also I always pick a sales rep. from one of the better tooling stores in the area and give him as much of the stuff as possible. Then when I get jammed up and need something fast that guy will do whatever it takes to get me what I need. Like drive to where it is pick it up and bring it to me. And I never take anything but scratch pads and pens, everything else is turned down with a smile!
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