Good use of graphics

FXPLAINING to your doit-your- r:l self customer how he actually goes about doing it when he wants to repair that leaky faucet at home is a problem that plagues all retailers of home use items.

One of the best ways we've seen to cope with the questions is a series of display boards that has been worked up by Warren Voth, display manager for the Handyman Hone Center chain of stores.

The well-thought out and visually attractive displays all carry the headline "Handyman Helps You (Fix A Faucet. .. Install Panelling... Repair Toilet Tank Plumbing)" or what have you.

The primary purpose of the boards is to help the sales clerk show the customer how to do common home repairs and projects himself. Set up to show such things as the working parts in a faucet or toilet tank, they graphically present an understandable explanation to even the dullest thumb banger. Some of the displays even include instruction sheets that the customer can take home to study in leisure.

PIUHBlllG repairs are made understandable, if not easy, by using these well-done displaysTaking the mystery out of how to "deityourself" goes a long way to getting the inventory sold.

Story oI o Glonce

Visual displays can be an invaluable help to you and your customer in answering the inevitable questions of how to do it. Side benefits include painless training of both clerk and customer.

"So many large stores have thrown service out the window," Voth explains, "I feel'we at Handyman have to get the service back in and keep it an important part of our growth."

He says the feedback they have received from the displays has been overwhelmingly favorable, both from the customer and the clerks.

The new visual aids displays on wire and pipe, as well as the BendixVisador one on moulding, are now in all the chain's California outlets. The faucet display board is now in most all stores and a paint display is being designed.

Voth is always on the lookout for trouble spots in merchandising various items so that the right display, to do the right job for the customer, will be on line when needed.