Paint It Right was founded by Roy Parker in 1981, and has become one of the most sought after painting contractors in the Richmond, Virginia area. Parker has also become a strong advocate of the new Sherwin-Williams Buy Online service. He sat down with PPC to tell us why.
How did you decide to try Buy Online?
I probably would never have tried it except my rep Bob Evans brought it out to a job one day to show me how to use it. It had what I thought were phenomenal attributes. Nobody else offers this. It’s an awesome tool. When I send in my order, I get a message that the order is in, then another message when the order is answered. So I know exactly when it’s ready, and I’m not wasting time.
Is there a specific example of how it helps you save time?
We use a particular kind of wire brush. I was out driving and stopped at a store but it was not in stock. So I checked and it showed me the closest store where it was in stock. So we can check inventory and order sundries online as well as paint.
Were there any specific challenges you hoped it would solve?
Before using this app we had several concerns that were keeping us from using more of Sherwin-Williams products on our jobs. Example: Confusion about what sheens were available in different products.
The app takes away this confusion by me being able to simply put in Duration® or Cashmere®, and it tells me what I need to know.
Pricing was also a concern of mine, but I can get my price immediately using Buy Online. Every question or concern I have is answered.
It also shows me what I’ve bought recently, colors, even a product description. It’s all right there – it’s a game changer.
Would you recommend it to other painters?
I do recommend it to everybody. I’m active in the Richmond chapter of the PDCA, and I’m telling everyone to use it. This thing is phenomenal. If you’re not using it, use it!
How to get started
To learn how to start ordering your paint and sundries online, see our story Buy Online: It’s Easy, Fast and Efficient.
This article was originally published in the Spring 2018 issue of PPC magazine. Roy Parker was interviewed by Mike Starling, PPC Editor. Read more about what pro painters have discovered on the job in the PPC What I’ve Learned archive.