Real Issues Real Answers

The old saw, “You got to dance with them what brung you,” is a nice sentiment, but how valid is it in our business?...

Staffing our companies with quality people has become one of the most serious challenges facing many LBM dealers. Whether that’s due to the mass...

In an industry where many companies are struggling to attract and hire quality candidates, the first order of business should be making sure the...

At what point does a value-added service effectively work against us? One prime example is material takeoffs, which most LBM dealers provide to their...

“Evolve or die.” That jarring little sentence from an LBM Journal reader packs a powerful punch, and in today’s LBM industry, it is more...

As far as your customers are concerned, your employees are your company. With housing and remodeling heating up, and LBM dealers reporting difficulty attracting...

For LBM dealers, nothing happens until a sale is made. For our builder customers, nothing happens until the material arrives on the jobsite. Deliveries...

While some LBM dealers are just starting to consider how online retailers like Amazon may affect their bottom line, a small-town Arkansas dealer has...

For retailers in a growing number of industries, Amazon.com has proven to be a relentless competitor. (Fun fact: relentless.com actually redirects to Amazon.com). Thanks...

In a very real sense, our companies are our people. They’re what set us apart from the competition, and they’re a big reason for...