Range of services offered

The VSTH offers a wide range of services:

Great savings for parcel mailings

Thanks to a contract concluded by our association, members profit from a very advantageous tariff for mailing parcels and save – depending on the number of parcels sent – up to several CHF 1’000. Our Secretary is at your disposal for any questions you might have in this regards (Tel. 061 / 228 90 30).

Enlarged membership list

Our enlarged membership list contains the following data from all our members:

Full address with telephone and fax numbers; internet and e-mail addresses, possible branches or subsidiaries and groups to which they belong; bank relation; current product line, sales department, agencies held; person(s) to contact for inquiries. This list is also available for non-members against payment of 100 CHF.

Trade magazine "Technischer Handel"

The trade magazine „Technischer Handel“ is published once a month and sent to all members free. It gives information on all questions and problems related to our trade sector and publishes many results and key data from surveys among members as well as company portraits. It is the official publication of both our association and of the association of German technical traders.

Surveys among companies

Our business survey among member companies allows participating members to compare the commercial results of their own company with the results of the whole trade. It is carried out every year and includes the following data referring to company structure, services offered and costs (compatible with the business survey carried out by the German association):

•  Number of employees thereof : number of field service staff, production workforce, stock/forwarding department 

• Sales returns thereof : production

• Number and distribution of invoices average invoice amount

• Expenses relating to the goods

• Stock, inventory turnover

• Total expenses except those relating to goods, personnel expenses, leasing fees, expenditure on offices and buildings, cost of borrowed capital, publicity expenses, travel costs, entertaining expenses, depreciation

• Average collection period from debtors

• Outstanding debt as a percentage of sales turnover

•  Actual losses on debtors as a percentage of sales turnover

The results are only given to participating companies. Full secrecy is guaranteed with respect to the replies submitted. Participation is free.

Setting up a quality management system

During 1996/97, we organised a seminar for seven members, during which the manual of requirements for obtaining a certificate according to ISO 9000 was drawn up. This solution allowed the participants to obtain the certificate for their company at external costs amounting to less than 20'000 CHF. It is planned to hold this seminar again for other interested members.

Statistics

In the past, we have, on several occasions, drawn up statistics on request by our members. This service will also be available in the future.

Terms of trade

Our terms of trade were approved on April 2^nd, 1998. They were drafted by our committee, scrutinised by our lawyer and put into force by our general assembly. We recommend them for use by all our members, especially those who have  outdated terms of trade or don’t have any at all. The VSTH terms of trade are available in German, French and English at no cost for our members.

Terms of purchase

Our general terms of purchase were approved on June 14^th, 1995. They are just as important as the Terms of trade. They help to avoid that the terms of trade of the supplier become an integral part of the contract. Even if the terms of purchase and the terms of trade disagree, and if the contracting parties do not reach an agreement, the buyer is in a much better situation if he has such terms of purchase than without them. Another reason for having them is quality management, which is impossible without purchasing conditions. The VSTH terms of purchase are available in German and English at no cost for VSTH-members.

Labour safety and health protection, regulation Nr. 6508 of the Federal committee on labour safety

Each business with more than 4 employees (even purely commercial businesses!) or paying an insurance premium rate higher than 0,5% for their casualty insurance have to comply with the new regulation Nr. 6508 of the Federal committee on labour safety. The deadline for the introduction of this regulation expired on 31^st December 1999. In order to make it easier and cheaper for its members to comply with the new regulation, the VSIG has developed its own scheme. Every member firm that adheres to the VSIG scheme for labour safety fulfils the legal requirements. This genuine solution saves much time, hassle and costs. 

Replies to questions from members

Replying to questions submitted by member firms is part of the tasks of our managing committee.

Enquiries by telephone

The President and Hon. Secretary is at the members’ disposal for any question with respect to commercial matters, business administration and, as far as possible, legal matters, any time and at no cost.

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