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For pressuretreated wood thafs kilndiled after treatment, call Dean Lumber Co.

The gente conditoning of our steam dry kilns yields exceptional products such as Dean Deck, Dricon@ fire retardant treated wqrd, Outdooro wood, Wolmanized@ Extra* lumber, and treated specialties.

Where everything is. And isn't. Knows what's coming and going. How much it costs. How much you made. Will make. Could make. It counts. Controls. Analyzes. Predicts. Keeps you aware of everything you need to know. For quicker inventory turns. A larger goss margin. Lower overhead. Higher bottom line. And better customer service. Much better customer service. Because that's what your bottom line rests on. So rest easy. Because customer serVice is also the foundation of our business. service to your customers. Service to you as our customer. We're Ft(eFL systems. We take care of business. We'll teach your staffeverything they need to know about Woodstock9And we'll alwavs be here when vou need us. For more information, call t.eoo.3?7.o39r.

'Your mlsslon, lf you choose to accept lt...tt

Mission statements, aflsr a flurry of popularity, seem to be waning in their appeal to corporate America.

Most customers don't give a hoot and, indeed, most are unaware they even exist. But management should c&e as mission stat€ments often are a fimr's first (and only) attempt to define what they are, why they exist their direction and goals.

The act of defining these elements often forces management to refine its thinking as to what their coulpany is all about. Often nothing more is done than what shotrld have been done by management in the first place. That is, get back to the basics. Indeed, what seems obvious in retrospect is sometimes only reached after much discussion and fractious debarc. Happily, the result usually enjoys majority support.

Not so positive is the fact that mission statements too often are merely a suing of overworked virtually meaningless cliches. Lots of verbiage about excellence, customer service and value that leaves the reader underwhelmed and slightly suspicious that these words are slickly insincere.

Some mission statements have a faintly warlike tone. It makes you wonder if they're selling products or stuming casUes.

For employees, a cleat understanding of what the company stands for and where it wants to go can be very supportive. They can use an effective statem€nt as a sales tool with customers, as guide' lines for working within the firm and as a penonal reassurance that their employer will probably be around for awhile.

Focusing on why it is you all go the store or plant each day can have a number of benefits. Not the least of these is the imperative for profit. Some people get so caught up in their duties that the need for profit somehow gets lost. Top management is not beyond criticism in these cases eithe,r. Customer senrice, quality and all the other frequent features of mission statements are just dandy. But if you don't make a profit, none of the rest matt€fs.

It's 10 o'clock at night Do you lnow where your company is?