Prosales articles from August 2003

Prosales archives from August 2003

Grassroots: positioning your company as a good neighbor will help root your yard in the community. (Editor's Notes).
August 1, 2003... Standing on a ladder in the middle of Parr Lumber's 19th Street yard nestled in downtown Portland, Ore., director of sales Nate Bond is busy picking out nails for a neighborhood customer who strolled in a few minutes earlier wearing shorts, a...

Back to basics: dealers with top-notch installed sales programs share some fundamental business traits. (New Dimensions).
August 1, 2003... Installed sales. Is it an opportunity to expand your bottom line or a threat to your profitability? It depends on how well you implement the program. It's no surprise that while there are literally hundreds of dealers across the country...

House call: it's not the size of the order that counts, but the quality of the customer. (Firing Line).
August 1, 2003... If you happened to be following one of our second-out deliveries on August 4 last year, you would have noticed several odd things. First, it was being driven by the yard foreman, a man who wants to be loading the trucks, not driving them....

Ready, willing, and able: when it comes to installed sales, knowledgeable, enthusiastic reps are a big part of the value proposition. (Sales Shorts).
August 1, 2003... Randy definitely was a desperate person the day I applied for the job of shelving installer. He didn't even notice the fact that I was not tall enough to reach the high shelves during our first meeting. Because of the excellent job I did...

Start up 4: an installed sales program must address four key points to get off the ground. (Pro Watch).
August 1, 2003... For any dealer's installed sales program to be profitable, it must be conceived with forethought, commitment, and determination. By adding installed sales, you can secure more business, make it more difficult for a customer to switch suppliers,...

Yard notables. (Pro Watch).
August 1, 2003... Strober Opens Design Studio The Strober-Haddonfield Group (SHG), a division of Brooklyn, N.Y.-based Strober Organization, has cut the ribbon on a new design studio for kitchen, bath, mill work, and window products in Pleasantville, N.J....

Bearing the load: to manage a successful installed sales program, you need to put on your contractor's hat and get ready to carry the extra baggage that comes with it: from labor shortages to liability woes to jobsite management.
August 1, 2003... It is a service whole-heartedly offered by many, begrudgingly provided by some, and even completely shunned by others. We're talking about installed sales here, and regardless of the camp your company falls into, it's a concept that continues...

On the job: welcome to installed sales. You're a builder now, and reaching profitability means executing project and jobsite management like a seasoned contractor. (Bearing the Load).
August 1, 2003... So you've pulled the trigger, or have been pushed off the cliff, or actually have found a new business opportunity in installed sales. You've got the latest software, you've got teams of subs lined up, and you've got production builders...

Under cover: with construction defects lawsuits threatening to rain on your installation parade at any time, you need an umbrella of coverage that includes training, insurance protection, and documentation. (Bearing The Load).
August 1, 2003... Your installed sales program may be raining pennies from heaven, but it quickly can turn into a pool of tears if your company is hit with a construction liability lawsuit. That's because installing any product, whether it's with your own crews...

Learning the ropes: a successful installed sales program starts with hiring and training the right employees. (Bearing The Load).
August 1, 2003... When it comes time to roll out your new installed sales program to the ranks, no matter how much planning you put into the business blueprint or how much you invest in software or consulting, it's unlikely to get off the ground without the...

Dealers deliver more than a door with Therma-Tru. (Special Advertising Section).
August 1, 2003... In today's competitive marketplace, building materials dealers need partners who deliver new product offerings and programs that set them apart from their competitors. With the myriad of brands and product claims, it can be difficult for...

Helping hands: for an installed sales program to truly improve the supply chain, it must offer obvious benefits to both builders and dealers. (How To Sell Installed Sales).
August 1, 2003... John Doeden started with nothing. No leads, no crews, and no product in stock. And yet he and the management team at Stenerson Lumber in Fergus Falls, Minn., were confident that an installed sales program for exterior finishes, specifically...

Breathe easy: fiberglass insulation manufacturers ease buyer worries about indoor air quality through testing and third-party certification. (Product Info).
August 1, 2003... When it comes to selecting a brand of insulation, energy savings and sound transmission are no longer the only concerns. Builders and homebuyers also are looking for assurance that fiberglass insulation does not contribute to poor indoor air...

Correct column. (New Products).
August 1, 2003... Chadsworth's 1.800 Columns' new 5-foot-6-inch-tall Polystone Column provides an interior or exterior load-bearing column in a smaller size, eliminating the need to cut down a taller column. The correct taper and proportion is maintained for...

Write on. (New Products).
August 1, 2003... Tajima's Ink-Rite snap-line tool is ideal for use in foundation, framing, and drywall layout, says the maker. The tool produces a permanent marking line up to 65 feet in length in fast-drying red ink. Ink-Rite features automatic rewinding for...

Back side. (New Products).
August 1, 2003... Pactiv's GreenGuard Backer-Pro fanfold underlayment is designed for use with Alcoa Home Exterior's Grand Sierra and Mastic Premium Quest Series vinyl siding lines. The underlayment is made from closed-cell extruded polystyrene and helps prevent...

Storage solutions. (Product Info).
August 1, 2003... Nifty storage features have been a staple of higher-end kitchen cabinet manufacturers, but many manufacturers are beginning to blur the lines between custom, semi-custom, and stock by offering a selection of higher-end storage features in their...

Thread-through. (New Products).
August 1, 2003... CertainTeed's new Kwik-Set threaded drop pipe for submersible pumps pumps water from underground wells and features a machined thread lead-in area that does not increase its outside diameter. Separate metallic couplings do not have to be used...

Water front. (New Products).
August 1, 2003... Tremco Barrier Solutions' FrontLine above-ground water protection barrier prevents water seepage and provides a water seal for above-ground portions of block or poured foundations. The acrylic elastomeric membrane can be spray- or roll-applied...

All the trimmings. (New Products).
August 1, 2003... TechTrim cellular polymer trim boards from Universal Forest Products are now reversible: one side is smooth, the other features a textured wood grain. TechTrim also is available in a new brick mould profile. The factory-primed trim boards...

Keep on truckin'. (Product Info).
August 1, 2003... Here are some of the newest trucks and accessories on the market for easing building materials transport, delivery, and services. Roomy Control GM's (pictured) medium-duty crew cab trucks, the Chevrolet Kodiak and GMC TopKick, feature four...

First impressions: homeowners say that quality construction and installation are more important than cosmetic touches. (View From Big Builder).
August 1, 2003... The majority" of builders will tell you that the top issues driving customer satisfaction are the quality of the drywall, interior paint, flooring, and plumbing. But ff you ask their customers, the results are likely to be surprisingly...