Fall 2013 Hardlines Strategies

STORE OPERATIONS

of the year, it can be better to pay once a month rather than twice. So while many other distributors require payment twice a month, Blish-Mize offers once-a-month payment terms. This allows you more control over your cash flow and flexibility with other expenses. Similar terms from other distributors typically come with added fees. In many cases, distributors charge a full 1 percent for these kinds of terms. Blish-Mize knows this value-added offering can help you stay competitive and remains committed to offering this service at no cost to you. 6. Blish-Mize has a professional sales team that visits you regularly. No doubt you know that having an outside perspective on your business can be a valuable part of keeping you successful. That’s the role of the sales team at Blish- Mize. Unlike some distributors where a sales representative will show up a couple of times a year, or less, and try to push programs or products you don’t want, each member of the Blish-Mize sales team is designed to be your partner in the business, your go-to person for any questions or concerns you may have. “My sales rep Janet Elias visits my store on a regular basis,” Chappelear says. “All of the help and suggestions she offers are exactly what I need. When it comes to any concerns I have, there’s never a question or a hassle; she takes care of it right away.” Your Blish-Mize sales representative visits you on a regular basis and draws on the arsenal of tools available from Blish- Mize to help you grow your business. “The role of our team is to bring new items and ideas to our customers’ attention to help them grow sales and profits,” says Long. “Our team has the advantage of seeing a number of stores during their travels. They take those great ideas they see and pass them on to make everyone a success.” 7. Blish-Mize has a regional sales management team. In addition to your own sales representative, Blish-Mize also offers a regional sales management team. These managers help the sales team utilize the many tools from Blish-Mize, and are your

Blish-Mize Distribution Team Members use RF scanners to ensure the accuracy of every order.

4. Blish-Mize has high order fill rates. One of the most important services Blish-Mize can provide to you is getting you the products you need, when you need them. As a result, the Blish-Mize team uses a sophisticated warehouse system to monitor delivery fill-rates daily so the online catalog is always accurate. After products from vendors come into the Blish-Mize warehouse, team members get to work. Items are spot checked and marked as being received. RF scanners are used to assign locations to inventory. Team members use those same scanners to pick and pack the products, moving them down the line for palletization. Orders are triple checked by the pallet builder, using the same scanners to check the order for accuracy. If there is any discrepancy, the RF gun will send a warning. The packing process cannot continue until the issue is resolved. The result is an average 96 percent fill rate. “We usually exceed that goal, too,” says Long. “When you can order and receive a product due to our high fill rate, it is a win-win for all of us.” 5. Blish-Mize has once-a- month payment terms. Blish-Mize knows that the best place to invest your money is in your inventory. It also knows that, during the slower months

ideas for improving your operations. “Blish- Mize doesn’t add on additional fees for your sales representative,” says Long. “All of the Blish-Mize programs in aggregate result in more profit for our customers.”

3. Blish-Mize has competitive prices.

One of Chappelear’s chief concerns as he looked for a hardware supplier was finding one that could allow him to find the prices that would keep him competitive in his market while still maximizing his profit. “I found Blish-Mize had good prices, especially on those price-sensitive items,” he says. “That allows me to price those items right for my customers and still make a good margin on them.” Through its Retail Pricing System (RPS), Blish-Mize helps you establish prices based on item sensitivity and on your competitor’s prices. Each item in the Blish-Mize catalog carries a sensitivity code from 1 to 8, with 1 being the most price sensitive and 8 being a blind item. With that knowledge in hand, you have complete freedom to price items as you choose and maintain a balance between competitive prices and high margins. “You have several ways to manage your individual store prices if you choose not to use our benchmark prices,” says Long. “The result is that you are perceived to be more competitive at retail. That means more sales and profits for you.”

6 Fall 2013 • Hardlines Strategies