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CHANGE 0F ADDRESS Send address label from recent issue if possible, new address and 9-digit zip to address below.

POSTMASTER Send address changes to The Merchant Magazine,4500 Campus Dr., Ste. 480, Newport Beach, Ca.92660-1872.

The Merchant Magazine (ISSN 7399723) (USPS 796560) is published monthly at 4500 Campus Dr., Ste. 480, Newport Beach, Ca. 92660-1872 by Cutler Publishing, Inc. Periodicals Postage paid at Newport Beach, Ca., and additional post offices. lt is an independently-owned publication for the retail, wholesale and distribution levels of the lumber and building products markets in 13 western states. Copyright@2012 by Cutler Publishing, Inc. Cover and entire contents are fully protected and must not be reproduced in any manner without written permission. All Rights Reserved. ll reserves the right to accept or re.ject any editorial or advertising matter, and assumes no liability for materials furnished to it.

How many businesses are putting the customer first?

f av mcnEASINGLy sHocKED at how bad customer service has become. If only lsome owners and bosses understood what is happening on their front lines, they would surely cringe.

On Friday night, we drove 50-plus miles over two traffic-snarled hours to arrive at a restaurant to celebrate a family birthday and the visit of a nephew from Australia. By the time we arrived, I was ready to eat and drink. My wife and I were the first to arrive at 6:10 p.m.-an early hour when the restaurant was only a third full. Our table was set up and waiting, but when I asked to be seated, I was told in a haughty manner, "No, you must wait until your entire party is here." At 6:15,I asked again. I tried to argue nicely that the restaurant was all but empty. I was told, "No, you MUST wait," with a stare that made me think I was about to be tasered. I can say that the staff's attitude messed up my evening and guaranteed that I will never return. At long last, we were seated-at a makeshift table in the middle of the aisle to the kitchens and bathrooms, where I could not hear a word from someone seated 3 feet away. I suspect our placement was deliberate.

A month before Christmas, I succumbed to all the advertising by AT&T for their U-verse cable system. First I was told that it would take about a month before it could be installed-not until December 30 between 8 and ll a.m. I agreed, even confirming with my local store a few days before. Come December 30,I waited and waited, made three calls to re-confirm they were still coming that totaled about one and a half hours. About 2 p.m.,I finally learned that our order had been put on hold by the warehouse. Nobody could tell me why. On January 20, while I was traveling in another state, a message was left on my voicemail that the installers were on their way. Of course, I wouldn't be home to let them in for another week. Par for the course, here we are in March and not a peep out of them. Guess who is not going to get my business?

How many times do you walk into a store, like I did to retum something at Costco last week, only to watch three of the five help desks close in front of you, and then have to watch the clerks standing around laughing and giggling as the return line grew longer and tempers shorter.

Or when you want to get help in a store and have to listen while the clerks plan their weekends on their cell phones and give you a dirty look because you are interrupting their day? Inevitably, you'll overhear them say, begrudgingly, that they have to get off the phone because some customer keeps looking at them.

A couple of weeks back, two contractors submitted quotes for re-sealing our floors. One gave us his promised quote the following day. The other needed two promptings before he finally turned in his bid on day seven. Guess who got the work?

When I make calls in this industry, I cannot tell you how many times I am appalled by the ineptitude of some of those who pick up the phone. Many do not even know how to transfer a call. Others leave you on hold for five minutes or more, making you doubt if you are still on hold or not. Yikes!

You would think that in all these instances, your competitor must have found a way to infiltrate your company with these employees to sabotage your business. Sadly they did not. You hired them. Can you think of any better way to drive customers away? Or is it just me?

Alan Oakes, Publisher ajoakes@aol.com

www.building-products.com

A publication of Cutler Publishing 4500 Campus Dr., Ste. 480, Newport Beach, CA 92660

Publisher Alan 0akes ajoakes@aol.com

Publisher Emeritus David Cutler Director of Editorial & Production David Koenig dkoenig@building-products.com

Editor Karen Debats kdebats@building-products.com

Contributing Editors

Dwight Cunan, Carla Waldemar, James Olsen, Jay Tompt, Mike Dandridge

Advertising Sales Manager

Chuck Casey ccasey@building-products.com

Administration Director/Secretary Marie Oakes mfpoakes@aol.com

Girculation Manager Heather Kelly hkelly@building-products.com

How to Advertise

Ghuck Casey

Phone (949) 852-1990 Fax 949-852-0231 ccasey@building-products.com

Alan Oakes www. building-products.com

Phone (949) 852-1990 Fax 949-852-0231 ajoakes@aol.com

CLASSIFIED David Koenig

Phone (949) 852-1 990 Fax 949-852-0231 dkoenig@building-products.com

How to Subscribe

SUBSCRIPTI0NS Heather Kelly

Phone (949) 852-1990 Fax 949-852-0231 hkelly@building-products.com or send a check to 4500 Campus Dr., Ste. 480, Newport Beach, CA 92660

U.S.A.: One year (12 issues), $22

Two years, $36

Three years, $50

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