Will-call counter

Definition

The trade counter where a contractor collects stock the same day instead of waiting on a delivery.

Why It Matters

The counter is the part of the business that decides whether a contractor keeps coming back, because a crew standing still costs more than the parts do. It is also where the trade's real service level is visible: what is in the bin when somebody asks for it. A seller's fill rate report is a summary, and the counter is the thing itself. Spend a morning behind it before you agree a price, and count how often somebody leaves with nothing.