Page 21 - Mar-Apr 21 - Reporter - web optimized
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"Their representatives no longer make physical calls on customers but respond to their

                                                 customers' inquiries regarding product and service in other ways."




        supply chain start to lessen.        narrowing.    Also,  prices  have  gone   solve supply and service issues.  Brian
           Moving into the spring and summer   up  with  the recycled product but  not   suggested  that the future will  bring
        season  we're  seeing  an  upsurge  in   at  the  same  level  of  increase  being   about  changes  in  the  sales  cycle  and
        the  virus  that  will  continue to  affect   experienced with lumber.    Supply  is   how sales personnel will communicate
        the  ability  of  the  economy  to  open.     tightening  with  the  composite/PVC   to  their  customer  base,  with  digital
        Critical  to moving  forward is  the   decking products but  again,  nowhere   and virtual  platforms  becoming  a
        ability to ensure that as many people   near  the demand  and shortage  of   normal function of the sales call.
        as  possible  receive  at  least  the  first   wood!                        We  are  weathering  the perfect
        shot of  the vaccine.    Unfortunately,   Brian  along  with Shawn Pilon,   storm in supply  management  and
        a  sizeable  cohort of  the population   Marketing  Manager  at Nicholson and   will  continue  to have challenges  in
        are  reluctant to take  the vaccine  for   Cates,  also  expressed  the  need  to   product procurement.  Challenging for
        various reasons which  will  slow the   change  their  tactics  on sales  calls.     sure but we are also blessed to be in
        recovery  and  keep  the regions  in   Their  representatives  no  longer  a  sector  that is  busy, providing  good
        various stages of lockdown.          make physical calls on customers but   jobs and profitability.  Get Vaccinated!
           Brendan Richards,  Commodities    respond  to their  customers'  inquiries   We all need to do our part!
        Sales/Purchasing    Manager      at  regarding product and service in other
        Nicholson  and  Cates,  expressed  his   ways.    Their  retail  customers  do not
        frustration  on  timing  the  market  on   have the  time to  answer calls  from
        commodities  and determining  how    sales  representatives but prefer to
        to price  incoming  product -  in  many   have  quick  access  to  them  to  help
        cases  the  fluctuation
        in  pricing  is  hourly!
        His  suppliers open
        for  sales  first  thing
        in  the  morning  and
        the  bidding  begins,
        with  truckloads  of
        commodity     lumber
        being  sold  out in
        a  matter of a  few
        minutes     if   not
        seconds!   So,  from
        the  supply  side the
        challenge  is  getting
        the  product  to  move
        through  to  the  retail
        side.  And from there,
        how  do  you  price  a
        house package,  deck
        package or  any other
        renovation  requiring
        wood products?
           Brian      Roger,
        Director  of   Sales
        and   Marketing   at
        Nicholson  and  Cates,
        suggested that their
        sales in composite/
        PVC decking products
        have       increased
        significantly  as  the
        price      difference
        between  wood  and
        composite/PVC     is     Digital and virtual platforms may become the norm for sales personnel to communicate with their customers

        www.lbmao.on.ca                                                           LBMAO Reporter - March-April 2021  21
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