July, 2008

Start at the Top

Selling to remodelers requires commitment from the owner and top management.

By Bob Buck

So you say that you’ve made a commitment to embrace selling to remodelers, right?

Last month, we stressed how providing full service to your professional remodeler clients involves all the players in your company, and not just your sales force. This month we are going to “go graphic” to illustrate our point.

This chart illustrates where these participants reside in your company. It also gives us a venue to introduce them within their slice of the pie. We will be offering our “Slice of the Month” in each of our upcoming columns to concentrate on how each player on your team can most effectively work with your remodeler clients.

While the separations between departments in your company may not look exactly like this chart, the ingredients here are still universal. (One company may have a purchaser who also delivers materials. Another may be large enough to have a number of purchasers, and one who only deals with special orders. In both cases, they still will need to understand how to think and operate differently to better serve remodelers.)

This month, our special is a spotlight on owners and upper management.

As we mentioned last month, owners and top management of an LBM dealer have to be completely on board for a venture into remodeling sales to succeed. Employees look to owners and managers to provide the vision for their company and to be the first to put their shoulder to wheel. As with any new company endeavor, it is essential that the top leaders in your company clearly state what your goals are and develop strategies to achieve them.

Management needs to demonstrate their commitment to these goals to overcome the normal resistance to a change in priorities.

It’s only natural for company personnel to be invested in their standard procedures and established relationships, and to be wary if they think that this is simply the “newest big idea” from the front office.

By including key staff members in the planning phase, you will insure that they feel that their concerns and ideas are being heard. Budget time to educate existing staff on new techniques or procedures, and you can sow the seeds of building a remodeling team. New hires, if needed, should be done early in the transition to fit them into this rebuilding process.

As with any new direction, allocate financial resources to train personnel, to redesign space, and to market new directions. All of this will take time, and employees will need to know they have an adequate schedule to complete major tasks and reach goals. Clearly lay out the schedule and define measurable goals to keep team members focused and able to track their progress.

The very attributes that make a quality remodeler—patience, adaptability, resourcefulness— need to be instilled within your lumberyard. Upper management needs to model this behavior. Counsel patience as new programs are put in place. Encourage flexibility in assigning tasks as employees develop a better understanding of the new systems. Reevaluate company resources and promote innovative solutions to satisfy the different needs of the professional remodelers.

With clear goals and a strong commitment from the owners and top management, the rest of the company will share the belief in this new venture.