Tagged, You're It
For the past three years, building products distributor BlueLinx has relied on onboard computers to track the whereabouts of two-fifths of its 850 delivery vehicles that handle 70% of its shipments. At first, the purpose of the Qualcomm-supplied GPS devices was to improve driver safety by monitoring speeds and using that information to help train its drivers. But Atlanta-based BlueLinx, which operates from 70-plus locations nationwide, soon realized that this fleet management system also can be a valuable customer service tool. "It allows our salespeople to respond to customers' questions about their deliveries quickly," says Kim Goodrich, BlueLinx's director of supply chain. In about a year it will be even easier for customers to learn about shipments, when BlueLinx opens an Internet portal through which customers will be able to see for themselves the status of their orders. Read more
Web of Knowledge
Click on the "Mold and Moisture Management" link on Stock Building Supply's Web site and you'll find the Raleigh, N.C.?based dealer's Online Training Academy, where employees and builders can view 16 video modules covering various aspects of the topic. On the Web site of Jeld-Wen, a window and door manufacturer in Klamath Falls, Ore., you can take in a computer-animated video on proper vinyl window installation. At the Internet site of Builders FirstSource (BFS) in Dallas, visitors can view a video showcasing BFS' product, manufacturing, and installed sales capabilities. Read more
Operations
Send a high-quality promotional product to a client in recognition of a first or large order. Include a handwritten note. The personalization and genuine appreciation of your customer's business is the important thing here. Read more
The nation's largest pro suppliers are reorganizing and pondering growth opportunities as they anticipate a rebound in residential construction. Read more
Hot finds from the 2007 International Builders' Show Read more
