Spring 2014 Hardlines Strategies

RETAILER FEATURE

went right to work. They helped develop a new design for the store reset to improve customer traffic flow and sug- gest new fixtures and hooks with labels for ordering. They also replaced existing fixtures with taller six-foot fixtures. “It’s amazing how much better orga- nized the product is with just those extra two feet,” Johnson says. “We can more clearly see what needs to be ordered.” For improved customer traffic flow, Hassenstab and his staff moved fixtures 90 degrees and upgraded the sales coun- ter with a new point-of-sale system. Inventory management was also on the update list: to simplify that process, all products received new front tags. Once it was time to put plans into action, Blish-Mize sent approximately 10 people, including Helget and Uhrmacher, to assist with the reset. The team took a week to break down the store’s old

Inc. delivers to its customers, Hassenstab says it’s the reliable and personal customer service he receives from Blish-Mize that is one of his most valuable resources. “We do have other options for buying hardware, but we feel very comfortable with our relationship with the people at Blish-Mize, especially Chris and Brad,” he says. “They have both been instrumental in the growth of hardware sales for our store. Heinen says she also appreciates the customer service representatives who are on the other end of her phone calls at the Blish-Mize office. “The customer service team is very helpful, and I have met a lot of them face to face. It’s an ongoing relationship between them helping us with questions and new products.” “Without the team of sales people that came into our store from Blish-Mize, this reset would not have happened.”

fixtures, sort through existing product, update signage and incorporate new RMS assortments into the store. “The RMS assortments allowed us to bring product in and not have to spend a great deal of money,” sales manager Phyllis Heinen says. “We went through the RMS assortments and filled in the quantities of the most popular products. This gave a big boost to our product selection.” An Ongoing Relationship Customers are amazed at the store’s new look, Johnson says. “They walk in and if they hadn’t been in the store for a while, their reaction is always fun to see,” she says. “The custom- ers have been full of compliments about the transition and how much easier it is to find products they need.” Even though the reset is complete, the support from Blish-Mize continues. Just like the service A&H Building & Supply,

16 Spring 2014 • Hardlines Strategies