Fall 2013 Hardlines Strategies

COMPANY NEWS

Go Paperless! Blish-Mize Offers e-Delivery Paperless Service For Blish-Mize customers who want to receive their packing lists, invoices and monthly statements faster, and for those who are tired of shuffling through large mounds of paper on their desks, there’s a solution. Starting now, Blish-Mize customers can choose to receive invoices, month-end statements and packing slips via email and/or fax rather than with their regular order or via U.S. mail. While any customer who wants to receive paper statements can continue to do so, this new e-delivery paperless optional service allows customers to cut down on paper stored or piled up around the office. Documents will be delivered to one or more email addresses and/or fax numbers of the customer’s choosing. Documents delivered by email will be in a PDF format, making them compatible for viewing on any type of computer. “Blish-Mize customers already have the option of paying their monthly invoices online, saving them postage and paper. Our new e-Delivery paperless service is just part of the next logical step,” says President and COO Jonathan Mize. “The real value for our customers in going paperless with us is that they will get information in a timely manner,” says Blish- Mize Information Technology Department Manager David Griffin. “For those custom- ers selecting to receive documents via email, it will make it easier for them to archive files on their own computers. The documents look identical to what they look like now, just in an electronic format,” Griffin says. As Blish-Mize enhances its e-delivery options for customers, it is also making improvements to its electronic Advanced been accustomed to seeing in the past, customers will now receive the ASN as a PDF, for email service only, with the ASN looking similar to a packing slip, but with less detail, making it easier to read. “The ASN tells customers exactly what is coming on the next shipment,” says Griffin. “When we pick and load an order Shipping Notice (ASN). Instead of the text document customers have

Starting this year, Short has a new way to share his wisdom as Blish-Mize’s vice president of marketing. In his new role, Short will tackle a variety of projects, including improving Blish-Mize’s current marketing strategy, developing the new Annual Review program to help customers get the statistical data they need to make smart business decisions, and coordinating the biannual customer buying markets. “Chuck has been one of our regional sales managers for the past three years, and before that was president of Amarillo Hardware Company for many years,” says Blish-Mize President and COO Jonathan Mize. “Chuck has many talents and has a passion for marketing and promotional concepts. He will be responsible for our marketing, retail services and catalog departments.” Short began working for the Amarillo Hardware Company when he was 19 and stayed for the next 41 years, working his way through the company. He started out in receiving in the warehouse and finished his time as the company’s president and CEO. He also served on numerous industry boards as well as contributed to his local community through his church. Today, he and his wife, Kela, have two daughters and four grandchildren. Anyone who talks with Short for very long is bound to hear a little about his hobbies: a 1926 Model “T” Ford, fly fishing, wood and metal working, and turtle rescue and breeding.

from the warehouse, we send the customer the notice via email that same day. The biggest difference customers will see on the new ASN is the easy-to-read format. Customers have the option to receive all these documents electronically, or just choose the ones they want. “For the majority of customers wanting to go paperless with us, most are choosing to receive their invoices and month- end statements electronically via email, but some are choosing to receive this information via fax as well. If I were the customer, I would still like to receive the packing list in hard copy/paper form when the order arrives at the store. Having the packing list in hand when the Blish-Mize order arrives makes check-in an easy and efficient process,” says Mize. By going to the Customer Login area of the Blish-Mize website, customers can now have an invoice emailed to them. Customers will find that option in the Account Info, Order History Inquiry area of the screen. From there, they will choose the desired invoice to view all the details of that invoice, but in the upper right hand corner of the screen, they should enter the email address where they want invoice to go to. “It’s that easy!” says Mize. To sign up for the paperless billing option, Blish-Mize customers should contact their sales representative or Blish- Mize customer service at 800-995-0525 or customerservice@blishmize.com. We’re Growing! Blish-Mize just added a new sales rep in a brand new territory for East and Central Texas. At the upcoming Fall Buying Market, Blish-Mize expects to have prospective customers visiting from that region. Look for a few new faces at the Buying Market! Blish-Mize Announces Chuck Short as New Vice President of Marketing Many Blish-Mize customers already know Chuck Short as their regional sales manager whose breadth of knowledge about the home improvement industry and enthusiasm for marketing has been invaluable in helping grow their business.

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