NLA Membership Desk

Fuel Savings Program

2010-04-09T09:02:00.006-05:00

NLA Members Receive Discounts on Fuel
Now that the weather has finally turned and deliveries are picking up, trucks are on a continuous loop between lumber yards and job sites. So this is the perfect time of year to remind NLA members about the fuel savings program available through a partnership with Holiday Stationstores.

Many members are already taking advantage of this great benefit and save $.04 per gallon every time they use their Holiday Fleet Card. The NLA and Holiday Stationstores would like to encourage more members to enroll in this benefit and have created a special "Introductory" offer. All new Fleet Card sign-ups will be eligible for an additional $.03 off per gallon totaling a $.07 discount per gallon for the first 90 days. This comes just in time for the peak summertime delivery schedule. To take advantage of this offer, new enrollments must be submitted by Wednesday, June 30, 2010.

The Holiday Fleet Card is more than just "Cheap Gas". There are many other features that help member businesses save money and increase efficiency.

FUEL DISCOUNTS:
After the initial 90 day special offer (only available to new participants), participants will continue to receive a $.04 per gallon rebate on all gasoline and diesel fuel purchases. You must use your Holiday Fleet Card at the over 400 store locations to receive this rebate. In addition, for each gallon purchased by an association member, a half-cent is rebated to NLA, which helps keep your membership dues stable and ultimately keeps the lumber industry strong.

TRACKING:
The Holiday Fleet Card can track purchases by vehicle. It can also track mileage and show you your cost per mile to operate each vehicle. Simply input the odometer reading each time a vehicle is fueled and you will be able to track how efficient each driver or vehicle is on the road.

CAR WASH SAVINGS:
By using your Holiday Fleet Card you receive $2 off a car wash at any participating Holiday Stationstore without having to purchase fuel.

NO ANNUAL FEE:
There is no annual fee to carry the Holiday Fleet Card so you don't have to worry about inactivity fees. Just make sure you pay your Holiday Fleet Card balance in full each month.

Click HERE to Download a Flyer and Sign-up Form

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Scam Alert: Involving Credit Cards

2010-03-24T09:44:00.004-05:00

Credit Card Scam
NLA has received a fraud alert from our credit card processor, Elavon, which is part of U.S. Bank Corp. It applies to everyone who accepts credit cards.

Thieves are using stolen credit cards numbers to order materials usually via fax, email, or operator assisted (hearing impaired relay) call. Sometimes they will say that a shipping or trucking company, which is part of the scam, is picking up the material at your facility. At other times, they will ask you to deliver the items to an open or vacant lot, saying that the materials are for a "start-up" development; or they may ask you to ship smaller items via UPS or a similar service. Other "red flags" include (a) the customer requests for the merchant to process the transaction while on the phone, (b) the customer is in a geographical location that is out of the ordinary [in another state], (c)the customer asks for the authorization codes(s) or proof that the cards went through, and (d) they often use multiple card numbers which are almost identical except for the last few digits.

Even when an authorization code is obtained, Visa, MasterCard, and Discover will not guarantee payments for non-card swipe transactions. Therefore, if you don't know who's ordering material from you, it is prudent to have them come in and swipe their card. If they cannot, please contact your voice authorization department and perform a Code 10 authorization prior to processing the transactions. The telephone number for Voice Authorization may be located on the side of your credit card machine, or can be obtained by contacting customer service. It is recommended that you always use Code 10 procedures prior to shipping any product to an unknown customer.
As always, if something looks too good to be true, it probably is too good to be true.

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New Cost of Doing Business Survey

2010-03-24T09:20:00.009-05:00

Building Materials Operations Comparison
Online Survey Software

NLA is proud to announce a new online tool that combines the annual Cost of Doing Business Survey with the biyearly Wage & Salary Survey. NLA members can participate in the Building Materials Operations Comparison (BMOC) for $200 and the deadline to submit your data has been extended to April 30, 2010.

This web based survey tool will allow interested members to log in and enter their business information in an anonymous secure database. Once the survey period is over, participants will have access to about 90 charts and graphs comparing salaries and operational costs to regional and national averages.

We would like to encourage all NLA members to take advantage of this service as a great way to see how you compare to your peers. Those that have used similar tools in the past have learned more about the efficiencies and how to improve their bottom line. The charts help owners reveal the areas that can be improved upon as well as highlight the areas you do well. To date over 120 lumber yards across the nation have submitted data.

If you are an NLA Roundtable participant, your BMOC data can be used as your Roundtable financial information. Weather you participate as an individual or as a Roundtable, your data will be secure and anonymous. Please contact membership services director, Jay Breimhorst at (800) 896-5130 if you would like any additional information about the different ways to participate in this survey.

Click HERE for more information about BMOC.

Click HERE to download sign-up information.

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AmerAssist Collections Program

2010-03-23T16:41:00.008-05:00

New Benefit Available to NLA Members
NLA's newest endorsed partner, AmerAssist, has developed a full service cash flow management and collections program specifically for the lumber industry. This program is designed to help safeguard and recover your delinquent accounts receivable. With this partnership NLA members receive a 5% discount on all orders.

You should have already received a letter announcing this new partnership. The letter was approved and signed by Northwestern Lumber Association President, Paula Siewert. It introduces AmerAssist and offers more details about the program.

Contact NLA Membership Director Jay Breimhorst for more information (800) 896-5130.

Click HERE for more information about the Program.

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A Review of 2009

2010-01-19T13:48:00.002-06:00

Progress Report
Overall, the NLA has had a great year. Considering it has experienced the some of the same financial challenges as many other businesses, these difficulties have lead to setting some very important goals. Now as you submit your renewal dues payment for 2010, NLA would like to give you a progress report on some of the changes in store for members in the upcoming year.

Tradeshows
After a bit of a decline in the NLA Expo in 2009 the Association has accepted the challenge from attendees to make some changes. As a result, the 2010 show was being moved to Grand Casino Hinckley Conference Center in Hinckley, MN and this convention received very high praise. The Iowa and Nebraska Conventions both experienced moderate gains from the previous year and the goal is to build on this success with more of the same. As a benefit of membership, all renewing members will receive free admission into all shows.

Looking Toward the Future
The NLA Board has challenged the Association to reach out to the next generation of lumber industry leaders. Now, members are buzzing with the creation of three chapters of “Future Lumber Leaders” where up-and-coming leaders from member properties are getting together to learn from each other and such dynamic Speakers as John Gagliardi, Dan Fessler and Lynn Allendorf. The next generation of leaders are sure to come up with some great new perspectives and ideas about running lumber businesses in the future.

Services addressing Industry Needs
After numerous conversations with members and some very excited vendor partners, the NLA has formed partnerships to address some pressing needs in the areas of Accounts Receivable Collections (through AmerAssist) and in Electronic Data Back-up (through ITS). It is also close to being able to offer an Email Marketing service to members ready to communicate with customers electronically. These services will assist in the member generated goals of “Improving Cash-Flow” and “Utilizing Technology.”

We appreciate all of the conversations we have with members who help NLA develop these initiatives and look forward to many more discussions. If you would like to offer your input please do not hesitate to call me directly at (800) 896-5130 or any of our other great staff at (888) 544-6822.

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Money Saving Friendships

2009-12-08T14:46:00.001-06:00

As the year comes to a close and we are in the middle of the busy holiday season we would like to remind you to renew your Northwestern Lumber Association membership for 2010. Over the coming year, the NLA would like to help put members in touch with each other and maybe even save a little money in the process. To help jumpstart this initiative the Association will be offering all members that renew prior to January 31, 2010 a FREE classified advertisement on the NLA website.

We believe this simple offer will not only save members money by helping them find deals on items such as a used forklift or extra shelving units but will also help to stimulate conversation between members. As you call to ask about the product for sale, maybe you will strike up a conversation with “your new best friend from the state of …” or, you might share an operations problem with someone that offers you that “magical, why didn’t I think of that” moment?

Once your renewal payment has been processed, you will receive a coupon for your classified ad listing that can be redeemed anytime prior to December 31, 2010. These ads will be posted on www.nlassn.org, by date, and be active for 30 to 45 days. All you will have to do is send the ad description and contact information to the Association office.

As we move through the holiday season we are constantly reminded of the importance of helping others. A simple classified ad could help your neighbor and renewing your membership goes a long way in helping the entire lumber industry. Your small investment will contribute to the protection, education, and awareness within the retail lumber dealer community.

NLA.org

Intangible Value

2009-11-23T14:53:00.005-06:00

How Much Is Your Time Worth?

As I ask you to renew for the 2009 – 2010 membership year I will speak to the example of how saving time and frustration can be just as valuable as the more tangible savings you may receive from some of your most established vendors. There is no doubt that a new vendor (or existing one) can directly impact your bottom line by saving you a percentage on an order, which allows a greater sales margin. But I ask you to also consider the intangible savings an association membership has on your sanity and routine?

As much as we hate to admit it, every business is impacted by the decisions made at the capital. In just the past year the NLA has provided its members with the extreme luxury of identifying and translating the legal jargon that made it way through the legislative process. With a simple call to the office (or reading Paula’s legislative summaries) you can find out exactly what that legislation means and what you have to do to comply or take advantage of the changes. And what about that suspicious letter, email, fax or phone call you received telling you that you are not in compliance with… ? Again, put your membership dues to work by turning it over to the NLA staff and go on with running your business. Staff will investigate and follow-up with you in short order. It might be a scam, but members go on without losing any time or sleep over the issue.

With that I ask you to note the enclosed membership dues renewal form and return it with a payment. Also, please verify the contact information and make any changes directly on the statement before returning it to the office. The more members we have in NLA, the more questions our staff can research; which leads to a much more informed industry and a better bottom line for everyone!

Please feel free to submit your questions to me at (800) 896-5130 or any of our great staff at (888) 544-6822 as we look forward to serving you over the next year.

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Blogging For Business Tips

2009-09-23T16:09:00.019-05:00

I know, I know so everyone is telling you that you need to start blogging, but why?

I'll be the first to admit that I wasn't quite sure how blogging was relevant to my life and I will also say that I was a bit of a late comer when it comes to the Internet trend from five years ago. Now it's all about Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn, but before their "take-overs" blogging was all the rage.

I've always kept an eye on this trend but never really participated until about the last year or so. And for the record, "participation" doesn't necessarily mean you have to write. I got my start by reading and learning from the postings made by experts. I have found that to be the most valuable part of "Blogging". Where else can gain valuable realtime insight from the brains of experts in any area of YOUR choosing. I would not yet consider myself an expert, but I certainly feel I am a knowledgeable resource when it comes to NLA developments, so if you are interested in this, you should become a regular reader...

Over the last year I have found some experts on the blog-o-sphere that really seem to know their stuff. I now get tips from a leading "Non-Profit Adviser", a Small Business Consultant, an E-marketing Guru and a lawyer that comments on current events. All but the last of my subscriptions have directly helped me do my job better. I just happen to enjoy learning the legal implications of law suites and how they impact the rest of society- so I added that to my reading list.

The best part about it is that all of these subscriptions and tips are FREE and I can read them on my time. Plus I don't have the ever mounting piles of magazines in the corner of my office that I'm not quite sure if I can recycle. All of my favorite articles are neatly archived on my computer and I can even bookmark my favorites to reference later when I am ready to act! The one downside that I can think of is that my library of impressive half-finished business books is not quite as complete as it could be.

It is easy to go crazy and to get overwhelmed by the number of blogs that are out there, so my strategy is to find a couple of favorites and follow them regularly. Every once in a while they will refer me to another and I read the archives to see if it peaks my interest. If it does I add it to my list.If I find that I don't read it after a couple of weeks, I can cancel it, hassle free and I don't even have to tell them why.

So I encourage you to find an Internet reader and start clicking on those "Subscribe Here" buttons that are all over the Internet. See where they take you. I may be partial to "The NLA Membership Desk" but there are certainly greater experts out there. Find your own (other) favorites. My goal is just to keep you in the loop about the lumber industry and maybe introduce you to a few new things. Subscribe and find out...

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Optimism From the Accounts Receivable Survey

2009-09-23T12:42:00.019-05:00

The most recent edition of the Accounts Receivable Survey has been completed and that means that I have a new chart to share.

We are three-quarters of the way through the year I thought I would try to identify any developing patterns that may have emerged in 2009. Below you will see trend lines of the six revenue breakdowns measured each quarter by the survey.

I’ll grant that this is a relatively small “sample-size” and say that it is difficult to identify any real major trends in just three quarters. But on the other hand, it is also kind of nice to see how cash flow is changing throughout the year. And for the most part the news is good.

Gross Profit
Gross Profit hasn’t changed that much from the start of the year and looks to be on its way back up after a slight decline in the second quarter. The average gross profit margin in quarter three is just over 24 percent which seems to be pretty comparable to years past. Are these lean times helping us develop business practices that make us more effective sales operations? If that is the case, just wait until we can utilize our new skills in a booming economy …

Sales that are “Current”
The percentage of gross revenue budgets that are “Current”- with no outstanding payments for inventory purchased on credit- has gone up steadily throughout the year and currently sits just over 63 percent. Is this simply a matter of being “outstanding long enough” and customers are finally responding to collection notices or our subtle warnings as they come back into the store for more supplies? Or does this mean they are actually starting to see their cash flow improve and are finding it easier to make their payments on time? We can only hope that it is the latter, and if gross profit margins mentioned above are any indication, this is what I am going to believe.

Outstanding for 30, 60 or 90 Days
The last bit of good news is that outstanding amounts in the 30, 60 and 90+ days all have continued a downward trend from the beginning of the year. This makes perfect sense as “Current” amounts continue to rise. Are we are finally starting to close out some lingering accounts? Maybe the fact that we were so patient along the way has earned us clients for life!

Outstanding for 120+ Days
The only bit of bad news that I can glean from this chart is that the percentage of outstanding revenue, over 120+ days, has gone up. Are the same accounts that were outstanding in the first quarter still outstanding in Q3? I see this as a likely possibility, in which case we may have already written these off in our minds. Although this 16 percent is a bit higher than in years past, there may be some reason for optimism if cash flow is truly starting to pick up. Maybe we will be pleasantly surprised when the final numbers are tallied up.

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Computers & Technology

2009-08-17T13:44:00.007-05:00

The Northwestern Lumber Association Board of Directors has recently set a goal of identifying the needs and next steps in the area of technology and leading the industry towards efficient usage of available tools. The NLA has called on marketing research students at Winona State University for assistance in this effort.

Leon Tyler, Assistant Professor in Marketing, along with his research students, developed a survey to find out how computers are used in the daily operations of lumber dealers and how satisfied members are with their processes. The research consisted of in-depth phone interviews and an online survey. Fifty-six members completed the survey which revealed that many members are less than satisfied with one or more aspects of their technology experience.

Along with the overall satisfaction level some other basics findings that were revealed included:

Windows XP is the preferred operating system among dealers
Computers are primarily used for accounting functions
Many members utilize third party vendors to assist in computer training and maintenance
Computer networking is the most frustrating technological issue among dealers

After all the results were compiled, it was discovered that 80% of dealers using third party professionals were more likely to be satisfied with their resources than those not using professionals.

Those participating in the survey also indicated that a resource to generate and distribute “upgrade” information would be helpful as it is hard to know what and when upgraded technology will improve operations. Acknowledged along with that was the need for training when the upgrades occur.

The researches did draw one interesting conclusion from the in-depth telephone interviews. “We observed that none of the dealers interviewed were experiencing real pain around computer and software issues. But the longer they talked about their computer and technology the more likely they were to express frustration with the current solutions and resources. It appears that computer issues are not a major problem, but rather a minor, persistent irritation- like a stone in one’s shoe.”

From the conversations I have had, I would believe this to be true. But the contrary argument might be that members don’t experience pain because they are doing their best to ignore the problem. Maybe technology issues are just too big to tackle alone. But I bet we may be able to say the very same thing about any number of issues within our businesses?

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Non-Residential Construction

2009-08-12T12:46:00.015-05:00

With the economic times being what they are, some members have been wondering if it is time to explore additional markets. One of these potential sectors is Non-Residential Construction (NRC). The NLA has recently completed a survey to find out exactly how prominent NRC is within the membership.

The survey was completed by 33 Retail Dealers and 8 Wholesalers/Distributors. Some key numbers are summarized below…

90% of those responding say they currently work/supply for some NRC projects.
40% of those responding say have seen an increase in NRC projects the past year (2009).
74% of those responding report that NRC projects are between 6 and 25% of their total sales.

At least 70% of those responding report working

Education/Academic Buildings
Worship Facilities
Office Buildings
Retail Commercial Buildings
Housing projects

Some of those responding submitted their experiences and theories about NRC projects:

“Most commercial construction projects deal with items beyond the normal ‘retail lumber dealer's’ inventory (ie concrete, block, steel, etc.) and some commercial contractors have direct means to purchase some items (ie foam insulation, interior millwork, trim, etc.).”
“We mainly supply commercial contractors with lumber only. We work hard to get business from our City, schools, and others. But it seems they have other suppliers that are easily accessible and lower priced on most products...I believe most of their suppliers are specialized.”
“We have decided to go after this typically lower margin business for the volume and have made it work well for us. We have even tried some “new ideas”; working with customers on a “cost plus” basis.”

It is clear the vast majority of NLA members contribute in some way to Non-Residential Construction projects (90%). It is also important to note that some members have made a conscious effort to target this segment with success.

However, the initial graphic would indicate that even though some members are experiencing an increase in NRC projects the majority of members have seen no change or a decrease in the area over the past year. I think we can safely say that this market segment is a viable option to consider, but it may be too early to consider it a trend.

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Welcome NLA

2009-08-07T11:18:00.004-05:00

I have started this blog as a way to quickly distribute information and gather feedback from members about new or possible programs.

Periodically, the NLA office takes calls in which we answer questions or find answers to an issue that would have otherwise cost members valuable time. A blog is the perfect way to answer these questions for all to see.

It is like my 5th grade teacher, Mrs. O'Neil, always use to say. "If you have a question, don't be afraid to ask it, chances are someone else has the same question."

Don't worry, your privacy will be maintained at all times and we will not use your name unless permission is granted.