November 2008 Table of Contents

Brian King divides LBM executives into two camps: those who buy software to improve their operations, and those who don't. He's an avid member of the first group. Read more

One way you can tell that the number of builders and customers interested in green construction is growing is the ever-rising number of requests dealers are hearing to explain what being green means. One of those dealers decided to address the issue through a Web site that's as colorful and innovative as it is informative. Read more

What do Toyota and building materials dealer TW Perry have in common? They both use the same philosophy to drive their manufacturing setups. Read more

When Peter Brnger sat down to develop a business plan for his company early in 2004, he decided to focus in part on continuing education for his core contractor customers. Read more

BM dealers are getting paid several days later this year than in 2007 despite working harder on collections, a new ProSales survey reveals. Dealers that took part in the online poll, conducted in September, reported their average days for accounts receivable rose to 48.9 days in August from an average of 45.4 days in all of 2007. This came despite the fact that 34% said they are spending significantly more time on collections now compared with autumn 2007, and another 39.6% said they were slightly more engaged. Read more

Imagine returning to your lumberyard after a vacation in Europe to find your headquarters had taken on six feet of water, storage sheds lost their roofs, lumber was scattered across neighbors' lots, and all your forklifts and pickup trucks were destroyed. That's what faced Miguel Pompa, co-owner of Ideal Lumber Co. in Galveston, Texas, and the "My Yardsticks" subject in ProSales' October issue. He came home several days after Hurricane Ike struck his barrier island community. Read more