Prosales articles from December 2002

Prosales archives from December 2002

Survey says: contractors play an integral part in home buyers' product and brand selection decisions. Partner up with pros to get in on the action. (Editor's Notes).
December 1, 2002... This summer, my counterparts at sister publications BUILDER and REMODELING magazines collaborated with Harvard's Joint Center for Housing Studies on a major research project designed to find out what factors influence consumers when making...

For the people: becoming a "consumer company" means anticipating and responding to the needs of current and future customers. (New Dimensions).
December 1, 2002... In last month's column we discussed the theory of "one degree of separation" between the services that your company offers and the services your customers need. In other words, you should know your customers well enough to anticipate their...

Call waiting: even your best customers need a phone call now and then. (Firing Line).
December 1, 2002... "Martin called," our store manager told me. It was 10 a.m. and I was on my way to a distant jobsite to measure for cabinets and trim. "Martin who?" I asked, raising my voice over the static of a poor cellular connection. "Martin...

Stepping forward: with value-added services now the rage, two steppers say their foothold in the supply chain is stronger than ever--and they want to prove it. (Pro Watch).
December 1, 2002... George Pattee sees the window industry moving toward a one-step, direct supply chain. "There used to be a lot of two-step distributors in the window chain," says the CEO and president of The Parksite Group, a Batavia, Ill.-based two-step...

Teams work: trust in supply chain partnerships underscores strategies for an ever-competitive pro dealer environment at the 2002 NLBMDA Conference. (Pro Watch).
December 1, 2002... Pat Bennett, vice president of sales for Ace Hardware Canada and former vice president of operations at The Home Depot, brought an industry insider's warning to the National Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association's (NLBMDA) 86th...

Considerable options: there's no single sales compensation plan that fits all, and progressive dealers are finding that customization is key.
December 1, 2002... At The Building Center in Charlotte, N.C., the pay of sales representatives depends on how much profit they earn for the company. The better the price the reps reap for each product, the higher the commissions they earn. "We feel like it gives...

Dot comedy: with a laugh or two along the way, Ply Mart transformed a static Web site into a next-generation e-commerce suite of sales and support systems. (With Honors).
December 1, 2002... Like most companies in the mid-'90s, Norcross, Ga.-based Ply Mart found itself searching for a Web presence as 1,000 dot-com companies were promising easy, point-and-click profit. As Y2K and the dot-com bust rode off with the dream of an...

Show time. (With Honors).
December 1, 2002... Peter Throdahl, division president for Hopkins, Minn.-based Justus Lumber, is still surprised about what often constitutes a showroom in the pro dealer industry. Surprised, but also sympathetic to other dealers faced with the challenge of...

Direct hit: ABC Supply transforms customer service into customer support with an all-encompassing contractor direct-mail marketing program. (With Honors).
December 1, 2002... The management team at Beloit, Wis.-based ABC Supply has two types of customers, says company advertising and sales promotion manager Jeff Garrow. First, there are the thousands of pro contractors generating almost $1.4 billion in sales for the...

Tool power: despite lower margins to compete with big boxes and online catalogs, power tools remain a key component to a dealer's profitability. (How To Sell Tools).
December 1, 2002... To illustrate the power of his extensive tool line at a recent contractor night, Mike Brackin brought in an old Chevy from a junkyard and asked the pros in attendance to guess how long it would take to cut it in half with a recip saw. ...

Mold management: gypsum manufacturers are targeting mold with education and new products. (Product Info).
December 1, 2002... Mold has always been with us, flourishing on the nutrients provided by cellulose-based materials such as wood. The organism's recent celebrity through the media and high-profile lawsuits has encouraged the industry to seek solutions to the...

Let 'er rip. (New Products).
December 1, 2002... Grace Construction Products' self-adhering Ice & Water Shield roofing underlayment now incorporates the company's patented RIPCORD under the release liner, which splits the release liner into two pieces when pulled, This new feature allows...

Flexible comfort. (New Products).
December 1, 2002... Designed for taping and seaming joints, Marshalltown's new Broad Knives are available in 7-inch and 9-inch blue spring-steel blade sizes. Spring steel makes the blades more flexible than standard taping knives, and the aluminum handle provides...

Bend and brake. (New Products).
December 1, 2002... The Tradesmen portable siding brake from J-Dan Inc. features a special "never-mar" bending edge that will not scratch painted material and a stainless steel guard that protects the knife area. The brake's Trade-Loc clamping system locks on...

Shine on. (Product Info).
December 1, 2002... Skylights are an ever-popular solution for introducing natural light into the home, but may have a reputation among some homeowners for contributing to heat gain or loss and the potential for becoming damaged in storms. Some of the newest...

On your mark. (New Products).
December 1, 2002... Levelution's Next Unleaded Measuring tape measure features a precision-ground, hardened-steel marking wheel that allows users to measure and mark materials with one hand. Available in 16-, 25-, and 30-foot lengths, the tape makes marks on many...

Plane and powerful. (New Products).
December 1, 2002... The new 3 1/4-inch hand planer kit from Ryobi includes the Model HPL50K hand planer with a 5-amp motor, as well as an edge guide, dust bag, and storage case. The planer eliminates dust ejection with an adjustable exhaust nozzle, Its edge guide...

Yellow raincoat. (New Products).
December 1, 2002... The Home Slicker ventilating and self-draining rainscreen from Benjamin Obdyke features a 3-D nylon matrix that allows for drainage and drying of moisture between a home's sidewall and the exterior cladding, The moisture-eliminating rainscreen...

Hold tight. (Product Info).
December 1, 2002... Siding that won't shear off, tear, or become damaged during high winds and severe weather requires more than just strong materials. A strong fastening system that holds siding panels secure in extremely high winds is frequently what determines...

Accounts in hand: contractor training can give pro dealers a better understanding of their local remodelers and might build a business or two in the process. (View From Remodeling).
December 1, 2002... Most lumberyards don't offer training for remodelers. They believe contractors don't need it. Except for the top 5 percent to 10 percent of remodeling firms, they're wrong. While quality contractors understand, for instance, a 50 percent to 67...