Is the company still alive? Their website is!

Last month the newsletter focused on providing easy-to-use contact information.

Here is part of an email I received from a specifier:

Some Manufacturers include an "Architects" or "Professionals" tab on their Home Page. I usually try that first and hope to quickly find comprehensive material descriptions, performance characteristics with applicable references (e.g. ASTM), applications, limitations, mfr. physical address, and a live chat or "Find Your Rep" link. I only afford ~one minute to judge whether such cookies are on the bottom shelf. [emphasis added] If so, I'll spend the 20 minutes. If not so, I'll try another mfr.

This is one example of why a phone number and address is essential. I expect that most specifiers will not fill out a form to get their questions answered as the response time is unknown and probably after they complete their review of that section.

Another specifier sent me this email:

Consider adding https://www.hufcoramerica.com/ back to https://www.4specs.com/s/10/10-2235.html.

I looked at this web page for a while remembering that Hufcor had been purchased by a private equity firm. They moved operations to Mexico and then liquidated their Wisconsin assets. There was no phone number on the website and the contact-us link lead to a form to be submitted. After a few minutes I realized the copyright date on the web page was 2021 - before the liquidation. This is a great example of a website that has not died when the company died.

I contacted Kwik-Wall as they had purchased some of the intellectual property of Hufcor and continued manufacturing some product lines. They were unaware of the website.

This is another reason to have a phone number (that works and gets answered) and an up-to-date copyright or last-verified date on the website.

In a parallel situation, a European company needs to be detecting the location of the visitor and presenting local contact info or at least listing the info on a contact us page. I have several European companies I will need to call to see if the number and address we have for their North American office is still valid. Or, I may decide just to delete their listing from 4specs.

Addresses are important, especially for small and medium companies. I use the Post Office Change of Address system to identify moves. Address updates frequently indicate change in ownership or a business failure. Ditto changes in website urls which I can identify with another computer program I use..

Contact me if you have any questions or suggestions.

Colin

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Colin Gilboy
Publisher - 4specs
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