Flashings

Energy and fuel expenses affect small businesses

According to a nationwide poll of U.S. small-business owners and managers by the International Profit Associates Small Business Research Board (IPA SBRB), rising energy and fuel costs currently are the greatest issues affecting small businesses. The increasing cost of materials is cited as the second most significant issue.

The poll is part of a study being conducted by IPA SBRB, which tracks the views of small-business owners regarding economic and business issues.

The poll found energy and fuel costs most significantly affect 15 percent of small businesses, and material cost most significantly affects 13 percent. The poll also revealed small businesses are unprepared for disasters; have differing opinions about whether the minimum wage should increase; and are divided about the future of the estate tax.

"The most significant trends are those related to the effects of rising fuel and energy costs, whether the cause is actions in the Middle East or supplier problems at home," says Gregg Steinberg, president of International Profit Associates.

Dow Chemical increases prices

The Dow Chemical Co., Midland, Mich., has increased its prices in North America for all pure and polymeric methylene diphenyl diisocyanate by 10 cents per pound. The price increase applies to all polyurethane market segments and end-use applications in the U.S. and Canada.

The increase took effect Sept. 1.

"Rising energy and raw-material costs continue to have a dramatic impact on our production costs and margins," says Tom Feige, North American product manager for Dow Polyurethanes, a division of Dow Chemical.

Curb chatterboxes

Chatty co-workers can be difficult to talk to. Follow these tips to hold your own in a conversation with a talkaholic.

• Establish a time frame. As you begin a conversation, explain you have a limited amount of time to talk. For example, say, "I only have five minutes before I need to ... ."
• Interrupt when necessary. Break into the conversation firmly with statements such as "I have something to say" or "Let me respond to what you just said."
• Set limits. Tell the person exactly what you want to hear. For example, try, "I don't need all the details—just tell me the essentials."
• Escape. If nothing else works, excuse yourself.

Source: Adapted from Conversation and Compulsive Talkers as cited by Communication Briefings, September issue

Home Depot targets contractors

Home Depot Inc., Atlanta, has made a name for itself as a retail chain, targeting homeowners and independent carpenters, electricians and plumbers. But recently, to expand into the building-supply market, Home Depot has been targeting contractors, as well.

Home Depot Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Bob Nardelli plans to buy companies that sell building products, tools and other industrial supplies to contractors and municipalities.

Already, Nardelli has spent $6 billion during the past two years to acquire more than 25 wholesale suppliers, which serve a wide range of customers. In March, Home Depot bought Hughes Supply Inc., a distributor of building, electrical and plumbing supplies, for $3.2 billion—its biggest acquisition so far.

Because contractors often rely on established relationships with specific suppliers that offer specialized services and highly trained salesmen and because many contractors consider Home Depot's services amateur, establishing relationships with contractors is crucial. Nardelli plans to employ experienced and knowledgeable supply salesmen to address this challenge.

"We have reached a defining moment in the history of this company as we broaden our market view from the traditional $200 billion retail market," Nardelli says. "What we really are doing is repositioning our company so we can continue to have sustainable, predictable growth."

Chris Salazar

Vice president of sales and marketing for Karnak Corp., Clark, N.J.

What is the most unusual roofing project of which you have been a part?
The recoating of an Olympic stadium in the Dominican Republic. The scaffolding was made of 2 x 4s with rope holding the ends together. The roof was made of thousands of plywood mini pyramids that needed recoating, and the coating needed to be orange.

Why did you become involved in the roofing industry?
After landing a "temporary" job at Karnak while in college, roofing became my career.

What was your first roofing experience?
I was asked to inspect the roof at Bellevue Hospital in New York. The hospital's concrete roof was waterproofed with a Karnak Traffic Deck System.

What are your favorite items on your desk?
Pictures of my family.

What do you consider your most rewarding experiences?
Helping people solve problems. I have been blessed because I have had the opportunity to help a lot of people, and the payback is an abundance of great friends.

What was your first job?
I worked in the computer room at Wakefern Food Corp., Elizabeth, N.J.

What is your favorite vacation?
Spending time in Jekyll Island, Ga., with my family. It makes me feel as though I have stepped back in time, and I can concentrate on spending time with my family.

What do you consider a waste of time?
Any time spent in a shopping mall.

What are your best and worst habits?
My best habit is my love for getting a job done well. My worst habit is my desire to take on every job that needs to be done.

What is your biggest pet peeve?
Bad customer service—people who don't care about their customers' needs should not be in business.

If you could invite any three people to dinner (dead or alive), whom would you invite?
Samuel Clemens (also known as Mark Twain), Norman Schwarzkopf and Benjamin Franklin.

What is your favorite stress reliever?
Watching live music performances.

What are the most challenging aspects of your job?
Keeping track of changes to industry regulations.

What is your roofing industry involvement?
I handle national account relationships and oversee sales and marketing operations for Karnak. I also am president of the Roof Coatings Manufacturers Association, which leads to my involvement in just about every type of regulatory and industry association issue.

People would be surprised to know ...
I did not invent the martini.

Manage maddening customers

Customers' questions and complaints—however irritating they may be—provide valuable feedback for your business. But it can be difficult to deal with impolite customers. The following tips can help you and your employees avoid common mistakes when dealing with complaining customers.

• Allow a customer to make his point, holding your questions until he finishes. Then, direct your questions toward clarifying his point. This will show you truly are listening.
• Don't defend yourself by returning insults. Instead, ask about the customer's problem. Avoid implying it's the customer's fault your product doesn't work.
• Don't use your technical knowledge to intimidate a customer.
• Respect differences you may have with a customer. When you're angry, you may be intentionally careless when pronouncing a customer's name or understanding his accent or grammar; instead, learn a few common words and phrases in languages your customers speak.
• Refrain from using a sarcastic tone of voice, rolling your eyes, yawning or shaking your head.
• Be conscious of other people nearby—don't make remarks that will leave a bad impression in everyone's minds. Show respect for everyone present, including yourself.

Source: Adapted from The Manager's Intelligence Report, June issue

Business travel burnout

Frequent business travel can be exhausting, but that doesn't mean it can't be comfortable. Following are a few ways to make your business trips enjoyable.

• Try for first-class seats. You may not have enough frequent-flyer miles to qualify for an upgrade, but you could be eligible to reap rewards if you can commit to accruing a high number of points within a given time frame. Find out whether your carrier offers this benefit.
• Handle last-minute reservations wisely. When you book a hotel in advance, discounters such as Orbitz and Hotwire can help you save money. But if you're making a last-minute reservation, call the hotel directly.
• Earn red-carpet perks. If you frequently travel to the same city, forget about finding the best deal for the night. Choose one favorite hotel, and become friendly with the front-desk staff. Your patronage could result in room upgrades and other benefits.

Source: Adapted from 15 tips for a better business trip as cited by The Motivational Manager, March issue

Cease cell-phone distractions

Do you have a co-worker who talks nonstop on his cell phone? Obnoxious ring tones and noisy conversations can be distracting and lessen your productivity. So speak up—say something simple and to the point. Following are a few possibilities:

• "Can you please lower your voice? I can't help overhearing your conversation."
• "Will you please go outside? Your conversation is distracting everyone."
• "Can you set your phone to vibrate? The ringing is disturbing me."

Be firm and polite in your statement, and don't feel you need to apologize or offer an explanation. Just say "thanks" and leave it at that.

Source: Adapted from Three Ways to Silence Cell-Phone Jerks at Work as cited by Communication Briefings, March issue