Hearthlist Digest #169 - Saturday, July 18, 1998
 
Re: Less Territory, Etc
  by "Grant Darrow" <[email protected]>
Re: Computer Programs
  by "Polly Barnes" <[email protected]>
 

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Subject: Re: Less Territory, Etc
From: Grant Darrow <[email protected]>
Date: Sat, 18 Jul 1998 17:12:22 -0500
 
Interesting to see Jerry's post, as I'm up to my eyeballs in new dealers
with my product lines, letters of apologies from Reps stating I can still
sell the products etc. etc....
 
All the while I'm sitting on an unpaid for inventory and selling product
like crazy. This is proving to be the most interesting year in 21. 37,000
people and 8 hearth product dealers!  This is why I stay VERY liquid, as
well as very mobile. In this industry there is one thing you can count on,
shops come and shops go.
 
Reputation and a satisfied customer base is everything. Trick is being able
to weather these storms. Because in the end most customers focus on that
enity that is always there and keeps going and going.... I know one dealer
here in Oregon that had to hire a legal eagle to get his bought and paid for
early buy released because a bigger guy wanted his market area.
 
How to get big and still stay small is the trick. Co-op buying is one way.
For years the Oregon Chimney Sweeps Association, Inc has debated becoming a
corporation for profit or becoming a co-op which would make it the largest
hearth products shop in Oregon with 35-40 outlets and a staff that is fully
trained and certified. In fact this staff is currently servicing the vast
majority of products in this state which means that most anyday of the week,
we're in up to 320 homes, selling an intangible as well as tangible good.
 
My new competitor has 6 shops and plans to open two more, he doesn't sit in
any of them, install any of his stoves or service any of them. Someone else
does.  Theres no way I want to compete with this mentality. Sell the stove
and then find someone to install and service it.  One of my manufacturers
has told him if thier product line isn't out of his  new shop they'll pull
the entire product line from all his shops.. humbling but we'll see, because
theres always the backdoor and this is a very small community.
 
Pomeroys move from Copperfield to Travis is a sit up and take notice event
as any of us that service first and product last, can see.
 
 
 
 
 
 
willieweep last of the climbing sweeps
  'Lucky I am, lucky thats me, lucky to touch, lucky to see'
 
[email protected]
 
 
 
 
 
 

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Subject: Re: Computer Programs
From: "Polly Barnes" <[email protected]>
Date: Sat, 18 Jul 1998 17:13:19 -0500
 
I would like to hear from more people about what computer programs their are
using in their offices and day to day operations.
We are using the Ideal system and love it in the store, but I do not like
their accounting system so I am still using Quickbooks.
Thanks,
Polly Barnes
Ferguson's Fireplace and Stove Center
[email protected]