OPERANNG OPPORTUNITIES

Wally Lynch

Builders Express, lnc.

PO. Box 741623

Dallas. Tx.75243

VERY year about this time, someone gets word that so and so is opening a new store in rhis trading area. We hear about it because of a concern on how to best combat this new market presence. This poser most often comes by phone a week or two before the intruder is scheduled to open its doors. Sometimes it is fortunately up to a couple of months before the newcomer's grand opening is planned.

When an operation opens up. you can bet the family jewels that it is doing so because of a firm conviction that the endeavor can and will be profitable. This in itself identifies a marketing weakness within the community which the alien believes he has sponed, identified and will exploit.

The fint priority that the late comer must and will pursue is to change the buying habits of the customers within the area. From an operating standpoint. this is done be pre- senting an image conducive to bringing the customer into physical contact with the facility and its sales force. There the impression is either solidified. destroyed or s€nled somewhere in between.

Images are generated and sustained in many ways. but the fint rule of sun'ival is to be competitive. In terms of the long time entrenched dealer. this involves understanding and identifying the new image so that op€rating judgments can be made regarding a competitive postwe.

Images have infinite identities. Some cannot be matched without great expens€. others are just difficult to duplicate because of their cost and still others can be provided with new disciplines at liftle or no additional outlay. While the possibilities are broad. most identifiable image makers fall into six categories.

(l) Lncation: Only one entity can operate from each site. Each outlet has that edge. be it good or bad over everyone else.