NEWS

By R0SS KINCAID executive vice president

HETHER TIGHT MONEY or no, the lumber and building material dealer keeps busy. For those who cater to the consumer or home modernization market, there seems to be a growing activity according to reports in our office,

Should there be time to spare, the Western activities this Fall season will take up the slack. In other issues we have reported on our Dynamics of Selling System Conferences, the 2nd Annual All-Industry Marketing Conference, the current pilot industry training program association-coordinated with community colleges. (The latter is now off and running at Green River College in Auburn, !flashington).

Drawing sizeable attendance, are the 19 district meetings, now underway in three states. Nearly 100 members are participating as resource panelists in these meetings desigrrated as "Idea Exchange Sessions." From three to five dealers participate as panelists in each meeting with a brief kickofi on a topic that he selects. After the initial presentations, question and answer periods provide a good exchange of information for all.

The interesting part of this is that those dealers who participate as panelists at a district meeting are selected from outside that marketing area to assure that new ideas and methods are offered for consideration.

Suggested topics from which the panelists make their selection are:

FALL 1966 DISTRICT MEETINGS

Suggested ldea Exchange Topics

(1) Success stories and/or unsuccessful stories.

(2) Centralization vs. decentralization (1 large operation or several locations).

(3) Employee-employer relations (policies, recruiting, incentives).

(4) Materials handling, warehousing, yard layout.

(5) Credits, collections, discounts,

Weslern Lumbcr & Building lloicrlolr 'MERCHANI terms, legal problems, ldqho Code Chonges

(6) Procedures on referral of calls.

(7) Written company policies (employees, suppliers, customers, credit).

(8) Setting up and handling of prospect files.

(9) Job descriptions.

(10) The handling of returned merchandise.

(11) Market specialization.

WRLA President Ansel Hyland of Eugene, Oregon and his board of directors asked that this type of program be implemented on a 19 district basis, following three successful years of this activity on a three meeting state sharing of ideas.

Gains for fire retardant treated wood have been made in Idaho ,by the National Forest Products Association's Wally Kiger.

The Idaho Surveying and Rating Bureau has agreed to give the same fire insuratrce schedule rate treatment for an Underwriters' Laboratories-listed fire retardant impregnated wood roof deck as is given an all-metal roof deck in an otherwise allmetal building.

Ul-listed fire retardant impregnated treated wood now can be used as interior finish without changing the classification of an otherwise all-metal buildine.