At Sashco, our foundation, all we do and decide, every bit of our direction, is built around five foundational values: truth, trust, care, forgiveness, and respect. We’ve been operating by these core values for more than 85 years.
When we were developing our values, the subject of care came up. Do we care about each other? Who do we need to care about? As we looked back at our discussions, we realized that, in a way, we were debating over who we didn’t have to care about! That realization made our answer crystal clear: yes, we do need to care, and care must be all-inclusive.
Sure, that’s easy to say, but what does that look like on a practical level? Let’s be honest. No one always likes everyone they work with. Does that mean we can’t still care about them? Absolutely not. Does all-inclusive care mean there’s never conflict? Negative ghost-rider. Conflict is often a necessary part of progress. Without contrasting ideas, it’s almost impossible to truly drive innovation. Can you engage in caring conflict? You bet!
Living and working by values like care mean you assume, look for, and point out the best in your team. Care means working together for the company’s and the customer’s greater good, rather than stepping on heads to get ahead. Showing care demonstrates the values we hold. It tells the truth, it trusts and respects others and their ideas, and it’s quick to forgive.
To be a company driven by care, though, you must go beyond just the team’s inner workings. You must demonstrate and extend all-inclusive care to everyone with whom you interact. Our shipping team cares about the UPS and FedEx guys who pick up from us each day. Our customer service team cares about the stressed-out homeowner on the phone who desperately needs a little guidance. Our sales team cares equally about the buying manager and the sales floor clerk.
Kindness is a bit of a buzzword. It’s simple to talk about being kind. Care, though…care requires putting kindness into action, even when it’s not easy. And when care isn’t shown, it means making it right. The right thing is often the hard thing, but the worthy thing.
Macro trends we’re seeing right now
We are all experiencing product shortages caused by disruptions to the supply chain and a lack of labor in the workplace.
The result is empty shelf space.
How do you navigate this?
- Instead of calendar-driven resets, be nimble around your supply flow. Consider quarterly resets or just allocating a portion of shelf space to in and out products that you place as you secure.
- Bring in off-shelf products to fill gaps in your assortment temporarily.
- Offer store associate and shopper education on products that can be substituted, via email, website, and in-store communication.
Sashco is here to help!
- See this webinar and tech bulletin explaining sealant technology swaps pros can make as they navigate shortages.
- Print this Sealant Technology Swap Cheat Sheet for in aisle.
Ah, summer. The moneymaker! You’re in the thick of the busy season. It’s easy to get caught up and put off planning for leaner times. Don’t make that mistake! One of the wisest ways to prepare for the slower season is to build value-added services into your business now. These four “all-season” money-making services keep your bottom-line consistent and strong all year long.
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Most of you have more work than you can handle, so why bother marketing your business? Here are two good reasons:
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As a contractor, pricing your services is one of the most important keys to business survival…and one of the most difficult to master. Charge too little and your business won’t make it; charge too much and you risk losing business to competitors. We’ve all been there, and we feel your pain.
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What exactly is inbound marketing?
Inbound marketing is more of a methodology than a list of strategies and campaigns. Inbound marketing aims to attract prospective clients to your business versus going out to find them with traditional marketing like email lists, cold-calling, advertisements, and direct mail. Inbound marketing entices your audience to “opt-in” to your marketing. The best news of all? Modern inbound marketing is much more affordable than traditional marketing, making it the best approach for small to mid-sized businesses. The following three inbound marketing techniques are realistic and effective.
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We devote a lot of time sharing what to do to make your business more successful. This month, we’re sharing four things smart business owners should avoid doing!
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Every month we feature a contractor, business, or success story. Learning from others in the biz is the best kind of learning. This month, we’re featuring Jason Benge with WoodTeks, LLC out of Jonesville, NC.
Summer busy-ness is in full swing, so we’re grateful for the time that Jason with WoodTeks, LLC spent with us, sharing more about his business in North Carolina.
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Running a family-owned business successfully can be a challenge. After 84 years in business, experience has taught the Sashco family how to do it well! We sat down with Sashco President, Les Burch and asked him, “Les, if you could only give one piece of advice to someone running a family-owned business, what would it be?” Here’s what he had to say.
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