Home Center Merchant

Bill Fishman & Affiliates

11650 lberia place dent building material dealer wirh the San Diego, Ca.92128 impression that the show was positioned for the big guys only. The other members o[ the board representingthe HE HOME Center Show in Chi- independents agreed with Helen. Dale cago this March is going to be a Boozer from Columbia, S.C., Pat Roo- humdinger.

The show will be larger. There will be more vendors displaying and there will be more retailers attending. The attendance figures will be way up because of input by those attending the Home Center Show Advisory Board Meeting that I chaired about four weeks after the close ofthe 1986 show. We, the show's management team, got quite an earful from the advisory board.

Helen Jo Whitsell, ceo of the Copeland Lumber Yards in Portland, Or., remarked that some dealers felt that the show was outside their comfort zone. She let us know that some of the retailers that she talks to in her market felt that the very title of the show and its Chicago location left the indepen- ney of J.T.'s Home & Building Cenrers in Newport, R.1., and Ric Russell of Millard Lumber in Omaha, Ne.. advised us to create an identity with the less-than-giant home center and we could count on more people feeling that this show was for them. "Let people know how much ir would cost to come to Chicago for the run of the show, how to get from the airport to the hotels and what to do after show hours." they advised us. "Pinpoint the seminar programs to their size and talk about concepts that they can adapt to become better merchants. Talk to them about their problems and within sales figures that they can identify with . " We listened carefully. The mann{F-

ment team was ver!' responsive to the advice of the advisory board. You have probably' received a copy ofthe 20-page promotion about the show. You may not. however. recognize that there are two versions of this promotional piece. Version B is the typical brochure thar is sent to the major home center chains. Version A is pinpointed to the rural markets. The opening two pages are specifically geared to those who have never belore visited Chicago or the previous Home Center Shows. lt shows typical airfares, cab fares, hotel costs, meals. courtesy buses. shopping areas and sightseeing.

As the board recommended. I pulled together a seminar program that identifies the needs ofthe independent dealer. There will be two opportunities to attend a full-day session with Jim Pence. Chilt Ellett of Chapin. S.C.. will, in his good-ol-boy style. present 25 ideas to increase effectiveness in dealing with people.

There will be sessions on how to attract big-user customers and idea exchanges that will put retailers at round-table discussions with other retailers of their size.

Most importantly. I have advised all the speakers at all l3 seminars to tailor their addresses to this newly identified audience of less-citifi ed operators.

But there's more to this month's column than just the new format for the Honle Center Show. There's a point I'm trying to make. lt has to do with the overstoring of America. ls America overstored? You bet it is! Only in some very rural areas do you find people driving more than 20 minutes to choose lrom a variety of different retailers merchandising similar products. In the lumber and building material industry the competition has become fierce.

Today's customer, whether he's a do-it-yourselfer, a small contractor. a commercial account or a major developer. has the option of shopping close to home at the home center or lumberyard at which he feels most comfortable and where he feels he's getting the best value. (That's "best value" not necessarily the lowest price.) So how do you find out what to do to make customers feel comfortable in your location. Ask 'em! Sit 'em down and ask 'em.

One of the most important, yet neglected. sources of information available to a retailer about his own operation is lrom his own customers. Most retailers have never learned to harness this source of information. lt's so easy, so inexpensive ... and, regretfully, so overlooked. One of the best waYS to have your customers tell you how your showroom fits within their comfort zone is to create an advisory board just like the advisory board that provided us with the input to reposition the }lome Center Show.

What can retailers learn about their own operations lronr an advisor-"- board of their customers and non-customers? llere are just a few areas that were touched upon by advisory board meetings that I have chaired for retailers: o llow the community identifies the store o What is missing or unnecessary ln the merchandise mtx

Just how friendly and knowledgeable are the "friendly and knowledgeable" sales people o llow easy or dilficult it is to shoP the store

. Does the background nlusic and paging system create discomfort Ibr the shopper

. Do systems and Procedures need overhauling o Do the employees understand and believe the companY's charter and goals

When you attend your first advisorY board meeting, wear your thickest skin and come ready to learn that what you wish you were and what you are are not necessarily the same.