HOME GENTER MERGHANT

BILL FISHMAN

Bill Fishman & Alfiliates 11650 lberia Place San Diego, Ca.92128

I nECENfl-Y read where 66-year-old r Sol Price. founder and chairman of the skyrocketing Price Club, was conspicuously absent from the annual stockholder's meeting. He explained away his absence by saying, "I'm trying to let the people who do the work get the credit." Good for you, Price. There's a lesson there for all of us. I learned mine the hard way.

As a consultant, I had as one of my earlier retailing clients a large chain of building material centers headquartered in the North Central United States. I was on monthly retainer to this client for more than five years, transforming the chain's merchandising and operational procedures from a contractor operation to a retail store. Although there were the typical (and valuable) differences of opi- nion at the executive, management and firing line levels, I maintained the respect and cooperation of all involved. Everyone looked forward to my bimonthly visits and the followup reports.

Then, inadvertently, Jack, the company president and c.e.o., shot my legs out from under me. In his effort to give me credit and praise, he issued storewide memos referring to "Fishman's concepts" and "Fishman's programs." You can guess the rest of the scenerio. The concepts and programs were not all mine. Many were redeveloped and repackaged concepts and programs that came from the company's own staff.

So it ended. The communication and the cooperation from the field, the merchandise office and the management team dried up. Who can blame them? Nobody wants to labor five or six days a week all year long and have the credit showered upon someguy from over2,000 miles away who shows up for only two or three days every other month.

Today, I'm very careful not to take title to programs that I bring with me and leave behind. I'll take the continuity of the retainer. As Sol Price said, "Let the people who do the work take the credit. "

You might want to check your operation and see if you, or your management team, aren't blocking some of the limelight-it could cast a devastating shadow!

ldentifying Delivery Costs

"Management Surveys the Black Hole of Delivery, " divided into three separate dollar volume manuals, under $2 million, $2-5 million and over $5 million, is available for $45 from The National Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association, 40 Ivy St. S.E., Washington, D.C. 2m03.