EDITORIAL

E=MCz and all thattechnical stuff

I N THE NOT TOO distant past, lumber and buildI ing product sales seldom required extensive technical knorvledge. A good background ofinformation, expertise and experience,yes, but extensive technical knowledge, no. Today, selling at retail and wholesale levels can bejust the reverse.

In reading through ttris issue, you'll lurd a number of examples where a high level of product sophistication is necessary for a first class salesjob. Indeed, one story, "Windows Go High Tech," discusses techniques involved in explaining the various types ofglass used in modern windoun. The degree of complexity in glass alone can be daunting.

No longer can the boss simply say, "here it is, sell it," and expect good results. To be effective today, sales and management must be partners; the sales force doing its homework on what it sells and management providing the books, literature, seminan, schools, you name it. Increasingly, the wholesaler is waking up to

DAVID CUTLER publisher

the fact that educating his retail customer is the best kind of business. Erreryone wins, sales and profis rise.

There are still too many in sales who figure they can simply skim over any fine points involved with products that they don't know. Sometimes they get away with it, but increasingly their ad lib apprmch will trip them up. If the boss or fellorv couorkers don't get wise, then the customers certainly will.

Selling the general public will quickly make you aware that the public does its homeuork before spending its hard earned money. Make no mistake. If Joe Customer and his wife don't get the information they want on products, services and systems, they will simply go elsavhere. No fuss, no muss. Yott jus uon't ever see them again.

More than ever, education is an irreplaceable component in the sales equation. As the complexity level increases, a full knowledge of producs will be ever more critical to achieving sales success.

August 1986

Dataline ls Part Of Merger

Datalinc. l division of Display Data Corp.. Hunt Vallcr'. Md.. has signccl a lcttcr of intcnt to bc acquireil bt Conr,cr' gcnt Tbchnologics. Inc., San.losc. Ca. "l have evcry conlidcncc thlt this ncu lullilrneC \\ ill e rrublt'u\ tr) ntlillt rin ()ur trarlitionallr high levcl ol'custorrrcr sup port while bcncliting lirnr thc signiflcant resourccs and crpericncc of Corn crgcnt Technologies." said Hush Bell. prcsidcnt of Dataline.

Dataline. a lcading supplicr of in housc conrpLltcr svstcnrs to thc lunrbcr and building supplics industly. nrcrsccl \\'ith Display Data. r'u,hich of1.:rs specializctl inhousc conrputcr- solutions to thc aLltonrotivc. bccr and solt drink distributors nrarkcts. in March 198:1.

Conr crgcnt Tcchnologics dcsigns. tlcr e-Iops and nranufircturcs colnpLltcrs rund netrvor.k basccl products lirr originll cquipnrcnt nranulicturers in thc datl and inlirrmatron proccssing industry. Its prrxlucts include workstiitions und supcr rnicro/miniconrputcrs based on adranccd rnicroproccssor techrroloel' arrd a broad Iirn!(' ()l \(|li$irrc itPl)lir'irli()rl\.

Wood Door Standards Updated

Thc Nationll W<rocl Windori & Door Associatic'rn has issucd an updatccl stantlard lirr uood llush doors.

This standar-cl contlins a ncu' f ace charactcristics chart to aicl nranutictu rcrs. spccif'icrs. and uscls in idcntiff ing cltxrr lircc charactcristics whcn oldcring rltxrrs. -l'he standard also has bccn upclate tl in rercrul olhcr lt'elr' r'cllce tirrl nc\\ \tJnrlarcls. and nrcthods of pnrcluction.

The National Woocl Windorr'& Door Association. a tcchnrcal ancl standards u riting associati()n. works in all arcas covcring wood winclo*'s ancl ckxrrs. Cur-rcntlv uorking on upclating thcir u'ootl u intlou stlntlard. thc;-' also arc involvcd in clcve loping and pr<xlucine stanclards 1or su,ingin_e patio doors antl skr lights.

Hahn ls Top CEO For 3rd Year

For the third consccuti\,e Ycrr. T. Marshall Hahn .1r.. chairrran and chicf cxccr"rlivc o1'f iccr of Gcorgia-Pacil'ic Corp. has been nanred C. E.O. o1' thc I'car lirr thc lirrcst products anrl lunrber irrclustry b)' 7hc Wrll Street 'l't'ttttscriltt. a wcekly nc\\'spapcr ftrr thc investntcnt conttttun in.

America's best window is now better at helping keep your customers warm in January and cool in July.

The reason is Andersen' High-Performance insutating glass.

A special transparent coating on the airspace surface of the inner g:lass pane works 24 hours aby,365 days a year-in all climates and in all seasons, on all sides of a home-to restrict the flow of radiant heat.

That means heat cant readily escape homes in winter. Yet this coating doesn't inhibit direct sunlight from the low winter sun, which is converted into fr€e radiant heat as it strikes objects srrch as furniture in a room-

In summer, our High-Performane insuhting glass r€sists ttrc radiant heat gpnerated outdoon as the higher sun strikes drivew8ys, sidewdks and so on.

And for climates or even building elevations where heat gain during oling montbs is of greater q)noern than h€at loss during heating months, tber€ is Andersen High-Perfqmanoe Sun insulating gtass.

The only differcns are, one, that the special mting is bonded to tbe airspa€ surface oftbe outer pane-to better r€strict radiant heat. Tlvo, tbe outer Pane is tint€d a wafln bronze toneso direct sunlight is reduced"

For more informatinn on these remarkable new windows, contact your Andersen distributor listed on the facing paep.

CorE hmre toqtality

ALABAMA

Birmineham Sash & Door Co.

Birmingham

Phone: (205) 254-3276

Huttig Sash & Door Co.

Dothan

Phone: (205) 793-4477

ARKANSAS

Fischer Lime & Cement Co.

North Little Rock

Phone: (501) 376-2911

LOUISIANA

Davidson Louisiana. Inc.

Alexandria

Phone: (318) 442-1355

Davidson louisiana. Inc.

Houma

Phone: (504) 879-2313

Davidson louisiana. Inc.

Kenner

Phone: (504) 466-4558

Davidson Louisiana. Inc.

Lafayette

Phone: (318) 234-6373

Davidson l,ouisiana, Inc.

Iake Charles

Phone: (318) 439-8393

OKLAHOMA

Huttie Sash & Door Co.

Okilahoma Citv

Phone: (405) Szclela fuFa

Huttie Sash & Door Co.

Phone: (918) 622-3131

TENNESSEE

Wholesale Buildine Products

Nashville

Phone: (615) 259-4222

TEXAS

Davidson Texas. Inc.

Austin

Phone: (512) 444-6701

Huttig Sash & Door Co.

Dallas

Phone: (214) 247-6161

Tiinity Forest lndustries, Inc.

Hunt (Dallas)

Phone: (817) 268-24r'l

Weyerhaeuser Company

San Antonio

Phone: (512) 661-8415