Qualified Remodeler helps independent remodeling firms to survive, become more professional and more profitable by providing must-have business information, namely best business practices, new product information and timely design ideas.
Issue link: https://qualifiedremodeler.epubxp.com/i/771639
and Lowe's did twice as much business with contractors than the top 100 pro dealers combined. So, they are doing plenty of that business, but if you want to step out of the box at all for something odd, that's when a local operator will get the business. When I was in the business years ago, con- tractors would come in with something ripped out of a magazine, and it would be our job to find it. "Our client's wife wants this, and I have no idea what it is." And ultimately we would find it. You can do that in seconds online today, but it used to take weeks to find Velux roof windows because we had never heard of them in California way back then. If you want that kind of stuff, you typically can't go to a Home Depot or Lowe's, because what they have is what they have. It is not like go- ing into a local LBM dealer where they are going to do the research, set up an account with a man- ufacturer that they've never done business with before and get those products for you. ere is always going to be that limitation—whatever that limitation is—that they have in their inventory. QR: I hear that some LBM dealers are fo- cusing more on higher-end specialty prod- ucts as a way to differentiate and cater to remodelers? Brooks: at is one of the relatively new initiatives that is going on at Kimal Lumber (Sarasota, Florida) right now. If you want to choose tools or whatever the product line might be, if you go to Kimal you will find they have Festool. And why do they have Festool? Well, they did the research and found it is a very good tool for their contractor customers. And they've got Yeti coolers, and yes, they are more expensive, but they do a better job down there in Florida. ey have black col- ored winter clothing rather than Carhart for the same reason. Kimal has always had that kind of reputation. ey do their homework and find the best product you can possibly get for this application. And they are consciously trying to build on that reputation. ey want it to be the brands you've never heard of. "is comes from Germany, and it is a whole lot better than the one that you can get here. Here are our sealants. We don't have six different brands here; we have decided that OSI will perform better than anything else." ey are really working hard to bring that out. 2015 2016 2014 TOP DEALER-REP TRAITS What do you want from a supplier representative? To alert me to availability issues To listen to me and my issues before they start selling To be knowledgeable about the business of remodeling and custom home building To provide advance notice of price increases To be a resource about new products and new technologies To share new products and their benefit to my business To be able to discuss installed costs of their products To provide installer training or other education for my team 8.9 8.6 8.8 8.9 8.6 8.5 8.9 8.7 8.8 8.8 8.2 8.5 8.6 8.5 8.7 8.4 8.3 8.6 7.9 7.5 7.8 7.8 7.5 8.1 Individual dealer reps are key for remodelers—their knowledge of the business of remodeling is as important to remodelers as their listenering and other basic communication skills. Source: Qualified Remodeler 2016 Supplier Survey SPECIAL REPORT: Supplier Service 38 January 2017 QR QualifiedRemodeler.com 7 Year, In‐Home Warranty—Best in the Industry! 800.851.4192 ~ www.imperialhoods.com American Made Since 1961 Uniquely You Upgrade your kitchen with Imperial's Contemporary Island Range Hoods 304 Marine Grade Stainless Quiet: 1.6 to 4.6 Sones 600+ to 1200+ CFMs Duct Covers Made to your specifications. LED or Halogen Lights For more info circle 60