I guess I don’t understand the controversy surrounding the proposed 2014 Energy Star Version 6.0 requirements for Energy Star’s Northern Zone. Now, the whole concept of Energy Star out of the gate was to set energy-efficiency standards for window systems that set apart above average window systems and to educate consumers about window energy efficiency [...]
Last week I visited the vice president of a very successful Midwestern window company and among the things discussed was advertising and lead generation. “One of the first things I did when I came on board,” he said, “was pull out of television advertising.” It was a bold move on his part, I thought, because [...]
The recent events in Boston and Watertown remind us of how vulnerable we really are and how we take safety for granted. The whole idea behind domestic terrorism is to destroy that safe feeling that we have in our own neighborhoods and cities thereby instilling fear and paranoia among our society. Indeed, how terrifying it [...]
Recent events are pushing door and window security features into the spotlight, and concern over security is definitely on the rise. First there was the recent school shooting in Newtown, Conn., in which the gunman shot and broke through the glass of the front door to gain entry. This event brought renewed interest in increasing [...]
Just about every manufacturer I talk to these days is scrambling feverishly to analyze the thermal performance ratings of their various window product lines to make sure they have the most cost-effective solution available to be in compliance with the upcoming Energy Star requirements. The approach I most often see is to rank proposed changes [...]
I recently attended a sales meeting where survey results were presented showing how the company was rated by its customer base on a variety of key customer satisfaction factors. Actually several companies that I represent are conducting these surveys to see how they stack up. The results can be surprising sometimes especially so when the [...]
Given the shrinking marketplace that we have seen over the last few years, our industry has seen its fair share of company closures, corporate downsizings and acquisitions. Sometimes I hear of people in key positions losing their jobs and it takes a long time for them to find something new. Other times, they are back [...]
Cold and snowy Januarys are typically the slowest month of the year in the building related industries. However, spring will be here before we know it and the fenestration sales battles will begin. So now is the time to get the troops together for training. Even the most seasoned sales people need training to stay [...]
Sending Christmas cards or Holiday Greeting e-mails to customers is great but nothing beats a phone call. It is impossible to visit all of your customers during the month of December and this is why we have Christmas cards. However, I have found that nothing is better than a phone call to convey a special [...]
What is the best thing that a door and window company can offer to stand apart from the competition? Price? Somebody else can always match your price if they want the business bad enough! Service? In today’s demanding consumer market and fierce competitive environment, if you don’t have great service then you won’t be around [...]
