Here’s why we’re more than the S-word

The S-word. You’ve used it, and it’s often what people call us. "Supplier". It’s a small word for what we actually do, and it doesn’t quite capture how far we’ll go for our customers. It’s a word we quickly outgrew since starting out in GQ’s North End in 1958. Ask our Managing Director, Kevin, what makes Haslop & Mason different, and products aren't the first thing that comes up. "I think about the people," he says. "The ones who walk through that door every morning, and the customers on the other end of the phone who trust us to pick up."

The S-word. You’ve used it, and it’s often what people call us. 

"Supplier". It’s a small word for what we actually do, and it doesn’t quite capture how far we’ll go for our customers. It’s a word we quickly outgrew since starting out in GQ’s North End in 1958. 

Ask our Managing Director, Kevin, what makes Haslop & Mason different, and products aren't the first thing that comes up. 

"I think about the people," he says. "The ones who walk through that door every morning, and the customers on the other end of the phone who trust us to pick up." 

Almost seven decades since our doors first opened, that's still what the difference comes down to: not what's on the shelf, but who's behind it.

Our Business Manager Dewald won't tell a customer “no” just because something isn't on the shelf. 

"If a customer needs something, we find it," he says. "Even if it's not a product we stock, we look everywhere until we find it." 

Senior Procurement Nadia agrees, saying: "You stop knowing just the company and start knowing the person." Of the customers she's worked with for over 20 years, she says: "I recognise the voices on the phone before they've told me their names."

Our approach matters most when something actually breaks. When a customer's PLC panel burnt out at 5am on a Sunday, Account Manager Chris and the team had them back up and running within three hours. "Every minute costs them," Chris says, "and we feel that pressure alongside them."

It wasn't a one-off. Account Manager Marius had a similar call at 1.30am, after a controller blew. 

"The customer got the controller within an hour, and the plant was back up and running," he says.

None of that is really about stock or logistics. It's about staying close enough to really understand customers so that you can make a real difference. 

"I don't think we're the biggest supplier our customers deal with," says Kevin. "But when something goes wrong and they need someone who actually knows their operation, we're the name they reach for first."

If this sounds like the kind of service you're after, reach out to Haslop & Mason on 041 451 0935 or email sales@handm.co.za.