Stocking Pressure-Treated Wood for the Growing Outdoor Living Market
Homeowners are investing more than ever in outdoor living spaces, and they are looking for materials that combine beauty, longevity, and affordability. Similarly, builders must have confidence in the products they are utilizing. The requirements include weather resistance, cost-effectiveness, low maintenance, and longevity. To meet this growing demand, many lumber dealers are turning to pressure-treated […]
8 Trends in Outdoor Living Projects
It’s no secret that outdoor living spaces remain one of the biggest must-have features for both new homes and remodels. The upward swing that began during the pandemic has continued, but also begun to evolve as homeowners seek elements that speak to their needs and lifestyles. They’re being thoughtful about planning the layouts of their […]
FIRING LINE: The Rock
If you need stock, call The Rock. When I first started at a large regional dealer as Sales Manager years ago, the SVP of Sales at the time split up the OSRs geographically between me and another Sales Manager hired about the same time. Since my area was Rhode Island, Southeastern Massachusetts, and Cape Cod, […]
Understanding and Preventing Zero-click Attacks
Many types of cyberattacks involve manipulating users into doing certain tasks—whether it’s sharing login credentials, downloading dangerous attachments or clicking on harmful links—to help hackers compromise their systems or data. However, some incidents can be launched without these exchanges. In particular, zero-click attacks entail hackers leveraging software flaws in users’ devices or applications to deploy […]
Protecting Your Business from AI Chatbot Errors
Operational efficiency and customer satisfaction are top priorities for organizations, and many are turning to artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots to support these goals. AI chatbots can perform a range of tasks, including handling customer service inquiries and troubleshooting technical issues, while delivering key benefits such as speed, scalability, and around-the-clock availability. In addition, AI chatbots […]
FIRING LINE: Cost Unconscious
“How Do You Make a Small Fortune? Start With a Big One and Develop Your Special-Order Business.” Like many dealers, a significant part of our sales volume came from special orders. To me, special orders are a huge component of what the lumber and building materials business is all about: adding indispensable value to customers. […]
Safeguarding Businesses From Tech Support and Internal Help Desk Scams
Cybercriminals employ various techniques to infiltrate networks and steal sensitive data. Technical support scams, where fraudsters pose as major tech vendors, and IT-help desk scams, where malicious actors impersonate internal IT staff, are two mechanisms they use to achieve their objectives. Small and midsize firms with limited IT oversight and resources often make for attractive […]
FIRING LINE: The Line Between “Invaluable” and “Irritating.” How a Simple Call Could’ve Saved the Day—and the Relationship
In today’s competitive world of servicing residential and commercial contractors, we constantly stress the importance of being efficient, responsive, and invaluable. But can you take it “too far?” Back when I was SVP of sales for a large regional independent dealer, we had 45 residential and 3 commercial outside salespeople. Our sales management team worked […]
Rising Star: Chris Stevenson
Location: Gloucester, Mass.Position: Operations Manager • Building Center How did you begin your career in the LBM industry? I started my career in the LBM industry doing construction with my father. After a few years, I took a position in the yard with Building Center. Over the past 13 years, I’ve worked my way up, […]
Mental Health in the Lumber Industry: The Tough Conversation We Can’t Afford to Ignore
In an industry built on tough, physically taxing work, it doesn’t always come naturally to talk about mental health. For too long, the lumber industry has perpetuated a “tough it out” mindset built around getting the job done and pushing forward. But there is a shift happening. Lumber dealers and operators recognize that to retain […]