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Do you ever feel uncomfortable supporting McMaster-Carr and other MRO companies?

Joined
Dec 7, 2015
I know that McMaster Carr has fast shipping and a great selection of parts. When I need something in a pinch, I can count on a quick and reasonably priced item (most of the time). However, as someone who owns my own company and tries to treat his employees with respect, I feel conflicted supporting McMaster after reading about their company practices.

I was curious about the company, and how they offer such fast shipping, so I did some quick research and I found many incredibly depressing reviews on Glassdoor posted by former/current employees. I understand that people are free to choose where they work (and apparently workers get paid pretty well there), but it still left a bitter taste in my mouth. It sounds like there are a group of elite Ivy Leaguers (Management Trainees) overworking and mistreating workers. They apparently fire many employees for the slightest errors or because they are getting older and are being paid too much.

https://www.glassdoor.com/Reviews/McMaster-Carr-Reviews-E37291.htm?sort.sortType=OR&sort.ascending=false&filter.employmentStatus=REGULAR&filter.employmentStatus=PART_TIME&filter.employmentStatus=UNKNOWN

There is even a book on Amazon about what it is like to work from a management perspective and it seems like a very hostile work environment:

McMaster-Carr: The Interview Process and Work Environment, Thomas Jones, eBook - Amazon.com

So I guess my question is: Do you ever feel uncomfortable supporting companies with practices like this? I realize that this is somewhat expected due to the nature of their work, but I still like to support businesses that I view as positive (or at least not negatively).
 
I figure 95 plus percent of companies, small and large, treat their employees like absolute garbage.

If that was how I decided where to spend money, I'd have a lot of money and not a lot of stuff.

Looks like McMaster Carr pays their people very well, and expects them to work for it.
 
I didn't see anything that I felt was godawful. In fact, I kinda like some of the stuff. If everybody did their job like it really, really mattered, it would be a better world. Now, about those Ivy Leaguers, they're like stink bugs - you can't get rid of them, so you learn to avoid antagonizing them.
 
I didn't see anything that I felt was godawful. In fact, I kinda like some of the stuff. If everybody did their job like it really, really mattered, it would be a better world. Now, about those Ivy Leaguers, they're like stink bugs - you can't get rid of them, so you learn to avoid antagonizing them.

I guess that's part of what bothered me. Regular workers never have the opportunity to advance (eevn those with advanced degrees). And after years of slaving away, they are fired by someone 2 months out of college who is half their age.

I'm not saying employers don't have the right to work their workers hard, but creating a culture of fear and firing massive amounts of employees before Christmas seems a bit excessive. Or firing people for taking a single sick day! It just doesn't seem like you need to make people depressed and scared in order to motivate them (I know this works) but so do positive incentives. Maybe I'm just naive, but I try to treat my employees a certain way, and I would hope my son would be given the same basic respect when he is working.
 
I didn't sign-in to view everything about them, but form the 3-minute preview of that link, it seemed like a lot of positive comments.

Something to remember about all things life - those most unhappy, make the most noise... Weather the unhappy former-employees are justified in their frustration or not, you have to take them with a grain of salt.

Personally - I love McMaster-Carr. Awesome website, with downloadable CAD files in any format, on damn-near every product they sell, at competitive prices? It's hard to ask for more as a customer...
 
Doesn't look so bad to me. Salary-wise it looks like they are paying everyone over $20/hr, even warehouse workers. Around here working in a warehouse would be a $10/hr job. They must be doing something right- I've never had a McM order show up late, incorrect, or with a wrong quantity.
 
They get compensated pretty well for a tough job.

Their internal politics are none of my business and does not affect my decision to use them as a supplier.

All the cons on that list are exactly like everything I've heard everywhere I've ever worked. From McDonalds, to being a warehouse bitch in a ice factory, to professional engineering firms.
 
Ask a guy who is a roofer in Miami, a framer in Vermont, or a coal miners in WV if they want $20 an hour to work in a well-lit, streamlined, AC warehouse. Therr would be blood on the ground in the scuffle to get to the front of the line. I am at the McMaster will-call 1-2 times a week. The people are always polite, and it is right on the factory floor. Everyone wears appropriate PPE, the warehouse is immaculately clean, and everyone is on a golf cart/buggy/manlift so its amazingly efficient. They also just spent a full year covering the whole roof in solar panels. Oh, and the easy website, never fucking up orders, and carry nearly goddamn everything. Whatever the level above "fanboy" is, you can count me as that. America needs MORE McMaster level companies, not less.
 
It's actually funny too, when you stop and think about their competitors. I can remember (4) MSC orders within the last year, that have either been messed up, or the item delivered was damaged. And I hardly ever order from MSC if I can help it. In 3 years, I don't remember a single McMaster-Carr order being wrong...
 
IMHO online reviews are usually written by three mindsets...

Those that are pissed and want to retaliation.
Those that are thrilled and want to share and help advertise

...and those that think other people give a crap what they think.

Someplace in the middle is a truth...from what a read, it don't sound all that bad.


If you think they have issues...try working at a Sears, Verizon, AAT...they can really treat people like crap...herd them to the door before beni's kick in, reduce hours slowly so they become ineligible for unemployment..screw around with schedules so you can't work. Hang the threat of being laid off over your head year in and year out as their department dwindles and you have to take on more work and responsibility for the same pay...
Set you up to fail so you can be the next scapegoat...


As you said...if they treat their people like crap...they have the option to leave. If the money keeps them there...guess its not all that bad.

As to me looking elsewhere...I pay a bit more for getting my stuff next day from them, they are always more then helpful...why would I take my business elsewhere.
 
Ditto!
I came up through the ranks working for some abusive employers, looking back some did me good others not so good, one item to note, there's a lot of people in the work force that barely do their job and nothing more, employers fill a void with these people, when management changes or conditions and markets change these people go away, some by choice some not, the dull ones rarely see it coming and they whine the loudest.
I've been in the management position and made these decisions, sometimes it's tough. Instructing a snot-nosed young over-educated punk to go make the call isn't always good form, but as a manager, it let's you see what kind of an employee they'll make.


I didn't sign-in to view everything about them, but form the 3-minute preview of that link, it seemed like a lot of positive comments.

Something to remember about all things life - those most unhappy, make the most noise... Weather the unhappy former-employees are justified in their frustration or not, you have to take them with a grain of salt.

Personally - I love McMaster-Carr. Awesome website, with downloadable CAD files in any format, on damn-near every product they sell, at competitive prices? It's hard to ask for more as a customer...
 
I worship at The Altar of McMaster. I could care less what their business practices are - I feel like I couldn't do business without them.
 
Wait am I reading this right or did my lasik surgery screw me???

They're paying warehouse workers in the united states $20/hr probably great benefits in a clean climate controlled high tech warehouse. Mcmaster expects them to work for that wage and they don't get fired and people are mad????
 
Where else can you find a website that reads your mind, knowledgeable people who answer the phone before the first ring, 3D CAD without the bullshit, orders placed at 6:30 pm still show up the next morning, and the ability to order OUTSIDE the catalog, quickly, and at reasonable cost? I'm completely in agreement that the country needs more companies like McMaster, not fewer.

Look at the competition. The best possible argument for McMaster is using Grainger's website for 5 minutes.
 
Look at the competition. The best possible argument for McMaster is using Grainger's website for 5 minutes.

I get what seems like a quarterly call from our MSC rep asking how they can get more business. I tell them "be more like McMaster!"
 
I get what seems like a quarterly call from our MSC rep asking how they can get more business. I tell them "be more like McMaster!"

McMaster = No BS Spam in my Inbox
McMaster = No BS Triple-Priced Sales flyers in my mailbox
McMaster = No BS phone calls interrupting my busy day
McMaster = Reliable, quality products at reasonable prices
McMaster = Reliable, usually next-day delivery (same day sometimes)
McMaster = The absolute best website on the interwebz, no bloatware, no pop-ups, no videos, no "Splash Screens", NO BULLSHIT, find what you want (by 100 different names), order it.......done.
McMaster = Service by real people who actually know things
McMaster = best in the business by FAR.
 
McMaster helps me do my job better and faster. And I live where anything bigger than a 206 bearing is a two hour drive. As far as what I read I see a far bigger a$$hole to work for every time I glance at a mirror.
 








 
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