REAL ISSUES. REAL ANSWERS: LBM Consolidation: Good Or Bad?
This month’s question came from Rod MacKenzie of Green Building Resources, Atlanta, Georgia, who wrote: “Is the ongoing LBM consolidation good or bad for...
REAL ISSUES. REAL ANSWERS: Controlling Insurance Costs
It is no secret that insurance represents an important (read: expensive) issue for companies in the LBM business. Indeed, more than four out of...
REAL ISSUES. REAL ANSWERS: Valuing Services
As we know, all too well, there’s much more to a project bid than the price of the products. When a builder, remodeler or...
REAL ISSUES. REAL ANSWERS: The Installed Sales Challenge
There’s no question that margins for LBM dealers are under pressure. With intense price competition for products—in local markets as well as online —...
REAL ISSUES. REAL ANSWERS: The Future of The Independent Dealer
In 1990, popular wisdom held that independent LBM dealers couldn’t possibly survive the onslaught of big box competitors. A quarter century later, some of...
REAL ISSUES. REAL ANSWERS: Credit and Collections
Making the sale is great. Receiving payment is even better. Considering that 97% of full line LBM dealers offer credit to their pro customers,...
REAL ISSUES. REAL ANSWERS: Salary Vs. Commission
Salary vs. Commission
The Issue
This month’s question was suggested by an Illinois dealer who wrote, “With the ongoing changes in business practices, an increase in...
REAL ISSUES. REAL ANSWERS: Managing Growth
As the worst housing downturn in history fades to black, many LBM dealers who have gotten extremely skilled at running bare-bones operations are facing...
REAL ISSUES. REAL ANSWERS: Social Media
Now that most LBM distribution companies have embraced the necessity of having a website…social media represents the next digital debate. Once a company decides...
REAL ISSUES. REAL ANSWERS: Firing Customers
When do you know that it is time, and how do you handle ‘firing’ a customer?
They go by many names (Customer from Hell, Harley...