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IN II F\V/\V/SU\IL5 tJLJ I:-/ CHUCK LINK executive director

AUn 25th all industry marketing Vmanasement conference will be held May 1O-ZZ utCoeur d'Alene Resort, Coeur d'Alene, Id.

The registration desk will open at 3 on Saturday (May20) afternoonwith a no host reception from 6 to 7 p.m.

The all day program on Sunday will bekicked off by Bill Lee's seminar on "Make Negotiating Fun By Learning the Rules." Luncheon will feature dealer/ supplier discussion round tables.

The first afternoon session. "What Every Employer Should Know About Section 89 of the Tax Reform Act of 1986," will have Jim McKinney, vice president/regional director, Godwin/ Frank B. Hall Consulting Co., as speaker. A second session by Bill Lee, "Customer Care." will follow. The concluding speaker will be John Anderson, underground storage tank coordinator, Environmental Protection Agency Region X, discussing "EPA Regulations On Petroleum Underground Tanks."

Round table discussion groups will be held on Monday morning followed by golf tournamentsatthe Coeur d'Alene golf course for both men and women.

Problems ol operating and managing building material businesses profitably and efficiently will be covered by the conference which will be geared to building material retailers. wholesalers and manulacturers.

An Employer Polygraph Protection Act poster is being sent to employers by the U.S. f)epartment of Labor Employment Standards Administration. This official poster must be displayed where employees and job applicants can readily see it.

On Dec. 7, PresidentReagan announced modification ofthe Red Cedar Shakes & Shingles Tariff. The tariff will be reduced by 200/o through Dec. 6, 1989; 100/o from Dec. 7, 1989 through Dec.6, 1990, and 5oh from Dec. 7, 1990 through June 6, 1991.

Coastal Lumber To Chino, Ca.

Coastal Lumber Co.'s California branch has moved from the City of Industry to Chino, joining more than a dozen lumber oriented firms that have made the move in the last few years.

The change meanslarger quarters for the hardwood firm. "lt will allow us to carry a far broader inventory, offering our customers more products and better service," according to branch manager Walter L. Ralston, Jr.

The move was completed May 1.

WAYN E GARDNER executive vice president

TfHERE used to be a term in the inI dustry whereby a facility was designated as a full service lumber yard.

Full service denotes a wholeness, whereby a lot of parts go together to make up an entire unit. Each part is as important as another. In this business, a place where you can get all your home building andhome repair and remodeling needs under one rooi hence a full service unit.

Full service isn't a thing of the past. We find it in some service stations. We still find it in some restaurants. We find it in some department stores and in some men's and women's wear locations.

The trend has moved in another direction. The less-than-f,ull service establishment came into being with not less than a full line of products but less in ser- vice. They sold the concept based on price. Well, not exactly price, but on the philosophy that the customer was smart enough to know what they needed, how much they needed and why they needed it and if all those services were eliminated, money was saved and the buyer got a better deal.

If we cease to learn, we in effect cease tolive. What a wonderful feeling it is to learn something new. It may take a little longer at age 50 or 60 thanit does at 20, but the ability is still there, as long as the desire is.

It should be a part of the education of each person who is employed by a full service retail establishment to visit some of the mass merchandisers or warehouse outlets, whatever they are called. To enter with an open mind to learn. To learn lrom their good parts and to learn from their not so good parts. To learn what they call service and compare it with what his firm calls service. To become a better sales oer- son by knowing the competition as well as his own products.

To recognize that price differentials do exist and that many times the full service operation price is lower. In the event that a price is lower at the mass merchandiser, to figure out why. Chances are it's quality and service that are lacking.

We are always going to be challenged by price competition, be it from the guy down the street, a firm in another town or wherever. Rather than give in to the customer who talks price, giveout with some sound selling techniques on uniqueness of product, service, qualtiy of product, all those things that go to make up full service.

People still want service. Our job is to convince them that our service and products are worthy ofthe price.

We can't if we have no desire to learn) if we stagnate inourthought processes. We can't if we only see price and not all the elements. All the parts of the business make up the whole.

Strive for wholeness. Learn to sell, learn the business. Information sources are allaround. Just ask. lt's imperative to be knowledgeable if you're going to be successful. Don't strive for mediocrity. Be the best that you can be. Be a whole person.

Be full service.