Hardware Connection December 2015

MAKING

Publisher/Principal: Tom Chasteen tom@thehardwareconnection.com 305-852-6126

Editor/Principal: Chris Jensen chris@thehardwareconnection.com 317-514-8864

Marketing & Creative Director/Principal: Dan Akers dan@thehardwareconnection.com 317-797-6609

Associate Publisher: Craig Cope craig@thehardwareconnection.com 804-690-0666

By Chris Jensen

A Tribute to Women in Hardware

Every family-owned retail business has a story. Our industry is filled with entrepreneurs who have taken interesting paths on their way to becoming a retailer. Some grew up working in the family business, while others decided to change careers and become their own boss.

I’m particularly interested in learning the stories of women retailers who have made their mark in an industry that has long been male-dominated. For decades, many family hardware businesses were structured in a similar fashion with the husband out on the sales floor and the wife back in the office handling the bookkeeping. Now, you are just as likely to see the female members of the family taking care of customers, driving forklifts and cutting keys, which is a refreshing change.

See our profiles of successful women hardware retailers beginning on page 18, all part of a special annual issue devoted to Women in Hardware.

You can read about the female hardware store owner from Illinois who discovered early in life that she was a lousy waitress, so she took an entry-level job at a hardware store. Twenty-seven years later, she ended up buying the business. The restaurant industry’s loss is the hardware industry’s gain.

This issue also sheds light on an unfortunate truth of being a woman hardware retailer—some male customers are still stuck in the Dark Ages and don’t want a woman helping them in a hardware store or a lumberyard. Turn to page 41 for a look at what female owners and associates are doing to earn respect.

Many of the retailers profiled in this issue are members of Women in Hardware™, a program launched by The Hardware Connection last year to facilitate networking and information sharing, as well as promote leadership roles for women in the hardware industry. Men and women are invited to join, because good ideas are never exclusive to one gender.

We want to thank ECi Software Solutions for stepping up as a marquee founding sponsor of Women in Hardware™, while Ettore Products Company has joined in to sponsor WIH events held at several wholesaler shows. Take time to thank these companies for supporting this valuable industry program.

For more information on the Women in Hardware™ program, contact Diane Allen at 317-432-9177 or diane@thehardwareconnection.com or go to www. thehardwareconnection.com/womenhardware/. n

Athe way i see it

By Tom Chasteen

Are Your Employees Your Greatest Asset?

s a “Son of the Boss” I enjoyed many perks in our family hardware business—staying late to receive a shipment or making a delivery after work and, of course, coming in on my day off to cover for someone who called in sick.

I also got more than my share of the dirty jobs like being in charge of the pipe threading machine. Anyone who has every touched a pipe threading machine, particularly an older model, knows all too well you cannot get around these machines without getting oil on your clothes.

But being the “Son of the Boss” instilled in me a deep appreciation of the other employees who also worked in the business and how important it was that I gain their respect. It is funny how employees tend to take on many of the traits of the people they report to. If the boss or supervisor consistently comes in late to work or exhibits an indifferent attitude toward their responsibilities, then the people who report to them tend to act the same way.

If the boss doesn’t show a personal interest in the people they work with, then the employees tend to act accordingly. I always try to get to know the

people who work in our family business and take an interest in what is going on in their lives both inside and outside the store.

When I first took over hiring responsibilities almost 40 years ago my father gave me some good advice. He said “No one is going to do things like you do, no one is going to have the same level of commitment that you do, so if you are unwilling to accept that and work with that, then you better plan on working every shift of every day.”

He said the trick is to teach people how to do something and then allow them to do it. Obviously, accountability must come into play, but when you allow people the latitude to do something their way, they tend to take more ownership in the results and they may even develop a better way to achieve the same results.

I took a management seminar at one of the wholesaler shows many years ago and the presenter asked by a show of hands how many retailers had dumb employees. A few retailers sheepishly raised their hands.

So the presenter responded, “Oh, come on now, how many of you really have employees who do some stupid

■ Converts from Lineman’s Plier to Wire Stripper to save you time

■ Induction hardened cutting edges for clean cuts and long blade life

■ Dual-material handles for maximum comfort and control

■ Forged alloy steel heads for durability and strength

■ Strips and cuts 20 – 10 AWG and 0.8mm – 2.6mm wire sizes

■ Narrow plier nose on wire stripper allows gripping and twisting of wire

Click Here to View Our Profile

amount of patience, taught me a lot. I would also consider the previous owner of my store and the previous store manager as my mentors. Although they have retired, I worked with them both for a very long time. I can still sometimes hear them in my head telling me what to do. I carry many memories of how they handled situations, what worked and what didn’t.

How often do you encounter customers who are dismayed to have a woman helping them and how do you handle such situations?

There have been many, many times a male customer would ask, ‘Isn’t there a guy I can talk to about my repair?’ I can’t get upset, because here I am, a woman in a man’s business, so I see it as a challenge for me to win them over. Thirty-six years later I’ve gotten pretty good at handling these types of situations. Typically, a quick smile and a few questions later everybody is happy. And then they remember me. Next time I see them in the store they come right to me.

There have also been many occasions when women shoppers tell me it’s refreshing to see a woman in the store and that sometimes it’s easier to talk to a girl than some of the old men employees. That just makes me laugh.

Women in hardWare

What

is your retail philosophy?

My retail philosophy is pretty simple—just be helpful. People come to our store when they have a problem. The employees are given the freedom to do whatever they can to help solve the customer’s problem.

What makes your store unique?

This store has been in this physical location for over 40 years. I don’t think there are many mom and pop shops around these days that can make that claim to fame. But 40 years later it’s still an ever-changing retail environment. If you don’t change and evolve with the times it’s like an invitation to go out of business. We try new things and we listen to our customers’ suggestions. Our store is fun and the customers can feel that. Our employees make our store unique. We have a tight-knit group of older and younger people all working together. The old ones teach the young ones, and occasionally, the young ones teach the old ones a thing or two.

What advice do you have for other women who might be considering getting into the retail hardware business?

It’s retail. And it’s hardware. It can be physically demanding, and you have to be able to think on your feet. But if you surround yourself with good people it won’t feel like retail, it will feel like home.

The Hardware Ladies

Crescent Springs Hardware Crescent Springs, Ky.

Anyone who has been to a HouseHasson dealer market knows all about the four hardware ladies who dress in matching costumes. “We like to have fun at the markets,” explains Liz Hall, who is the one who comes up with the lastminute ideas for costumes that relate to the market theme. Whether they are all decked out in baseball uniforms or cowboy hats, they are hard to miss. Hall is one of three generations of family members who work at Crescent Springs Hardware in Crescent Springs, Ky., a business that was started by her grandparents in 1972.

The Hardware Ladies are known for coming up with creative costume ideas for each House-Hasson dealer market. From left to right: Cathy Croley, Pam Holstein, Rose Wilson and Liz Hall.

Wilson

Rose Wilson is the matriarch of the business that she operated with her husband, Bill, until he passed away in 2004. Wilson has kept the store going with a lot of help from four kids and three grandkids who are active in the business. She handles receivables but is also a fixture on the salesfloor, taking time to chat with long-time customers.

Daughter Cathy Croley handles screen and lamp repair, while daughter Pam Holstein oversees the sales and

Minwax® Wood Finishing Cloths are a great way to appeal to new and experienced DIYers!

• Easy to use – simply wipe on the stain & nish and wipe o excess with a clean rag

• Provides beautiful results in an h our

• Soap and water clean up

• Comes in 5 beautiful wood tone colors

Women in hardWare

service of residential outdoor power equipment and the daily paperwork. Hall can generally be found helping customers in the lawn and garden department or checking in outdoor power equipment.

The main salesfloor is handled by Wilson, Croley, Holstein, Hall and a female employee, which means customers are most likely to be waited on by a woman. “Some of our customers are impressed that five women work upfront. As women we aren’t afraid to get our hands dirty,” Hall says.

Adds Croley, “It’s not a big deal that the store is run almost entirely by women. A lot of guys come in and say you gals really know your stuff. We still have the occasional guy come in and ask for a man to help them.”

They all know how to provide expert service, which is why the store has so many loyal customers who are willing to pay a premium for that personal touch. “It’s very seldom that we don’t have what the customer wants,” Wilson says. “And we don’t get a lot of customers who say ‘I can get this somewhere else for less.’”

Croley notes that they have developed a unique niche selling, installing and repairing snowplows and salt spreaders. “It’s opened up another world for us. We don’t have to worry about competing with the big boxes on it and it gives us a way to keep our employees busy in the winter,” she says.

Holstein spent 18 years in a management role with a big company, but when they wanted her to transfer to California, she decided to return to the family business. That was 17 years ago. “I wanted to see family members, so that’s why I returned. We all get along so well,” she says.

She put her organizational skills to work in the outdoor power equipment department, assigning people to the right roles and making sure there was a proper paper trail to keep track of jobs. Everything runs smoothly now.

“We all have our niches in the business,” Croley points out. “This is all I’ve known since I was 13 and I consider myself lucky. I get to see my family members every day and we have a lot of fun working together.”

Hall started out doing warranties on power equipment and has been there 15 years. “I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I just fell in love with the business,” she says.

Greeting every customer that comes in is what separates Crescent Springs Hardware from other retailers, according to Hall. “Customers come back time after time. To them, it’s priceless to be able to get in and out quickly,” she says.

Women in hardWare

Holstein is especially proud that they have never had to lay off people, even as the economy slowed down. “Taking care of our employees is important to us. We have a unique business and are very proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish with it,” she says.

Ruth DeNault

DeNault’s True Value San Clemente, Calif.

The DeNault family owns and operates five True Value stores in south Orange County and north San Diego County that are well-known for their large selection and great customer service. In 1956, Jim and Ruth DeNault opened the first store in San Clemente, Calif. The store was a success and the business grew along with the DeNault family. All four of Jim and Ruth’s sons entered into the family business and continue to run the stores today. Now a third generation of DeNaults can be found helping customers and working in the family business.

What are your proudest accomplishments as a hardware store owner?

Building a family business with my husband, which now includes four sons and six grandchildren, starting with one store to the present five retail stores and a commercial sales company selling to large apartment and condominium

complexes while continuing to give personal and friendly service to the communities.

Has there been anyone you consider a mentor and what have you learned from them?

My parents ran a general store and I grew up working with them, serving the community with personalized service, managing with wisdom and integrity.

How often do you encounter customers who are dismayed to have a woman helping them and how do you handle such situations?

Never, because I specialize in buying housewares, gifts, appliances and seasonal items plus working with advertising and accounting. My husband and sons are the experts in hardware-related products and their use, and I always call in the experts for their best advice.

What is most important to female customers who are shopping for hardware products?

Women appreciate helpful advice in every department when it is given in a friendly and neighborly manner. They often live alone and rely on our staff for their needs. They appreciate being

able to browse through fresh and seasonal housewares and gift departments before tending to their basic needs.

What is your retail philosophy?

Know your community and your customers as friends and partners in building your business. Happy customers are repeat customers and will be your best advertising. Make shopping in your store not only a helpful experience but a pleasant one. Listen to your customers if they have questions or complaints, and continue to build a trusting and mutually beneficial relationship.

What advice do you have for other women who might be considering

getting into the retail hardware business?

Know your community, its needs and the opportunities for growth. Tailor your inventory and manage it carefully for turnover to be profitable. Make coming to your store a pleasurable experience, personal greetings, sincere thanks and a few surprises to keep the store interesting.

Caity Brunjes

Bay Do it Best Hardware | Seal Beach, Calif.

Caity Brunjes is assistant manager of Bay Do it Best Hardware in Seal Beach, Calif., a store purchased a few years ago by her parents, David and Cynthia

Caity Brunjes

Brunjes. Caity’s older sister, Diana, moved to California to revitalize that business and convinced her younger sister to come out and help. In 2013, the Brunjes family purchased Lunada Bay Hardware, about 45 minutes away. Diana and brother Dustin have focused on improving that location while Caity looks after the Seal Beach store.

Women in hardWare

How did you get your start in the hardware business?

I am 27 years old and I live and work in the city of Seal Beach, Calif. My parents own a hardware store in Highland Park, Ill., where I grew up and worked there until I graduated college in 2011. During college my parents bought Bay Hardware in Seal Beach, so after college I went to work there with my sister Diana, who is vice present of the company. Working in the hardware industry is in my blood. My parents believe that it is important to keep the ‘mom and pop’ stores around, and I would have to say I firmly believe that myself.

Women in hardWare

Who have your mentors been?

My parents and my sister have been huge influences in my life. I see them as role models and they have taught me so much throughout the years. I would consider my manager, Manny, as my ‘technical expertise’ mentor. He is an encyclopedia of knowledge, and I take any opportunity to learn as much as possible from him.

How often do you encounter customers who are dismayed to have a woman helping them and how do you handle such situations?

As a woman working in a predominately male industry, I have seen my fair share of customers not wanting my help since I am young and/ or I am a woman. But I also am very confi dent in my knowledge of the hardware business. There is a sense of accomplishment when I am able to help these people and help change the way they perceive someone like myself.

What is most important to female customers who are shopping for hardware products?

Customers come to our establishment because of the exceptional customer service we provide, and most importantly, we are all so knowledgeable and are willing to help with their projects big or small. As a woman in the industry, I think a lot of my female

customers enjoy and appreciate a woman who works in a hardware store and is knowledgeable. It can be reassuring to other females that we are more than capable.

What

makes your store in Seal Beach unique?

Our Seal Beach store is very unique within itself. We are the oldest business on Main Street—over 80 years. The town of Seal Beach prides itself as being seen as Mayberry by the beach. Bay Hardware has become a staple in this community. As October came to an end, Bay Hardware had one of its best months of the year. The business is growing, and that is always an accomplishment. We only have 3,000 square feet of retail space, so we are small but mighty.

What advice do you have for other women who might be considering getting into the retail hardware business?

My advice is to go for it. I love my job, I love my co-workers and I love my customers. I think it’s important to do something you love, and I am fortunate enough to say that I do. I have learned so much from my years working at a hardware store, and I have become very handy from that. There is something so empowering to know that I can do anything I set my mind to. ■

Designed for professional women and men in the two-step hardware industry to exchange ideas, educate, network and provide support and access to opportunities to further careers and help grow the independent channel.

Who’s Eligible to Join?

• Independent Hardware Store Owners and Managers

• Vendors Involved in the Two Step Hardware Industry

• Service Providers Involved in the Two Step Hardware Industry

• Wholesalers/Distributors

• Industry Professionals

Activities

• Membership benefits include up to six networking events per year held in conjunction with other industry events.

• Each event will have a business focus offering direct and immediate benefits.

• Vendor and Service Providers will have the ability to interact with business owners and others in management positions sharing experience, concerns and solutions.

• While focus is on women and their opportunities, men are welcome and encouraged to participate to better understand and lend their perspective of the industry.

For more information: Diane Allen diane@thehardwareconnection.com • 317.432.9177

By Samantha Post

Improving Team Performance by Understanding Employee Strengths

Like any good business owner, you can probably tell me, on average, how much your customers spend in your store, who your best customers are and what they buy from you, what departments your customers frequently shop, and so on.

And if you are doing your marketing right, you are using your customers’ purchasing behavior to tailor the coupons, flyers, etc. you send them to capitalize on their spending habits to keep them investing in your business.

Just like your customers, your employees are spending their currency (time) in your store. But, you probably cannot tell me why they spend their time doing certain tasks and neglecting other responsibilities.

Just like your customers, your employees have patterns of behavior that you can use to tailor their responsibilities and the sales and management teams around them to make them be more productive and engaged, which will keep your employees investing in your business.

So why is it that we don’t put the same amount of effort into

understanding and leveraging our employee’s behavior as we do our customer’s behavior?

There are a variety of assessments (Myers-Briggs, DISC® and StrengthsFinder to name a few) that can tell you why things are happening in your store.

Why does it takes one employee five minutes to do a task and it takes another employee an hour to do the same exact task?

Why does your manager prioritize requests off over store coverage on the schedule?

Why do all your employees seem to be frustrated when they work with so-and-so?

Why do the managers, sales associates and cashiers all seem to be moving in different directions instead of working toward common sales goals?

Why does the sales associate always start remerchandising without a plan in place first?

These are just some of the questions we, as owners, ask ourselves on a regular basis. We talk to our employees about these issues to try to resolve them or understand their motivations, but sometimes our employees don’t have the answers either.

That’s because the answers lie in their behavioral patterns. Their leadership style, learning style, problem-solving approach and preferred work environment. How they make contributions to

the organization, influence people and work with others. Who works harder and who works smarter.

For my family’s business, T & M Hardware & Rental, we sought answers by assessing our employees’ strengths using Gallup Clifton’s StrengthsFinder, which generated personal profiles of our management team’s top five strengths.

In looking at our managers’ strengths individually, we were better able to understand why they behaved the way they did.

In looking at our managers’ strengths collectively, it painted a picture of the team dynamics—good and bad—at each of our locations.

Having this type of information about our employees allows us, as owners, to make better decisions for the business to help operate more efficiently. This may mean moving an employee to a different store or department where their strengths would be better utilized, hiring someone to complement and strengthen the existing team, or working with your employees to re-assign responsibilities to better leverage their strengths.

For us, it meant working with our managers to help them understand their strengths and suggesting minor behavior changes that would help them capitalize on their strengths and prevent them from becoming a weakness in their specific role.

In working with the managers, which I personally did, it was interesting

to watch them become more aware of themselves. While the assessment validated strengths they believed they had, it also—without fail—revealed a strength that they didn’t know they had.

For me, that strength was “Command.” According to StrengthsFinder, “People who are especially talented in Command theme have presence. They can take control of a situation and make decisions.” Me? I had no idea, but the people around me did. This is exactly what happened with the managers, too. Everyone else could see their diamond in the rough and gave them examples to help them realize it for themselves.

It was also fun to watch the “ah-ha” moments as they became more aware of their team dynamics. At one of our stores, two of the managers told me they butted heads and asked if I could tell them why. Indeed, I could.

One manager had “Consistency” as one of his top traits, the other had “Adaptability” as his top trait. One wants things to stay the same, the other wants things to change. One treats every situation the same, while the other wants to experiment with new ways of doing things.

Another Viewpoint

The team of associates at T & M Hardware’s store in Harmony, Pa.

My point is that each management team member seemed to already be aware of their teammate’s behavior, but not their own. Each management team member was aware of their team dynamics, but couldn’t see their role in that dynamic.

We now have names for what each person does, an understanding of why they do what they do, and how we can channel that strength into tasks and projects that are more engaging for them and will help us achieve our overall sales goals.

More importantly, we have answers to our questions.

Why does it takes one employee five minutes to do a task and it takes another employee an hour to do the same exact task? Because it is one employee’s strength and not the other’s.

Why does your manager prioritize requests off over store coverage on the schedule? Because one of their strengths is empathy, which means they put themselves in the employee’s shoes and don’t want them to miss time with family.

Why do all your employees seem to be frustrated when they work with so-and-so? Because their strength is contradictory to the rest of the team’s strengths.

Why is the manager not looking to bring in new products or services to help take the business to the next level? Because they draw their conclusions from past information, not future projections.

Why do the managers, sales associates and cashiers all seem to be moving in different directions instead of working toward common sales goals? Because they all have adaptability as a strength, which means they “go with the flow” each day instead of setting common goals.

Admittedly, the majority of our managers thought this exercise was silly when I first introduced it. But, in the end, they all saw the value in better understanding themselves and their teams and want to assess the rest of their staff as well as future hires so they could make more informed decisions about their stores.

This is exactly what we plan to do in 2016. n

Samantha Post is the marketing and human resources manager for her family’s business, T & M Hardware & Rental, a Do it Best member with six stores in Pennsylvania and Ohio. She is a member of Women in Hardware™.

Helping Female Associates Earn Respect

Melissa Brett of Welden Hardware in Simsbury, Conn., was wondering if other retailers encountered the same experience she has had as a woman in a male-dominated industry. “My husband and I own and operate a small hardware store. I’m the only female employee, and although I do all the office work, I have learned all aspects of the business: working the floor, giving product advice from paint to plumbing, fixing power equipment and doing our weekly order. We have a lot of older male customers that are either shocked that I even know a nut from a bolt (never mind how to fix a leaky toilet), or don’t even want to ask me a technical question on a lawn mower and tell me they want to talk to someone who ‘knows what they’re doing.’ Some of the older gentlemen are just that, gentlemen, while I have told my staff that I won’t wait on others because of their rude, demeaning or overly flirtatious behavior. Would like to know if that’s just our area or a constant in our business,” she posted.

By John Fix III

personal and just let one of the guys help them. I always get a good laugh when I try to help a guy that clearly wants another guy to help them, and our male employee has to come ask me the question. We have a female that was on our front counter and now is doing dispatch and inside sales. She is smart, funny and gets along with a lot of our contractors. She has some customers that specifically want to talk to her and were mad when she was moved to the dispatch position because she knows her stuff.”

Whitney McKellar of M&M Lumber in Tulsa, Okla., responded, “We have a few of ‘those’ guys, too, that only want to be helped by a male. I try not to take it

McKellar adds, “She too periodically gets the male customer that wants nothing to do with her, so we are able to exchange ‘hey baby doll/sweetie pie, you’re just not going to cut it for me’ stories. We thankfully don’t get very many flirtatious men. When we do, the rest of our male employees swarm the customer in order to help them before they can

hardlines digest

find whoever they are trying to flirt with, kind of a big brother watching out for little sister, though we can both take care of ourselves. In our area, the male customer wanting to be helped by a male is somewhat generational for the older customers, but on the other hand, it may be knowledge intimidation. Some guys don’t want to show that they don’t know something a female knows in the building/hardware store.”

Randy Patzer, owner of Garden City Ace in Michigan, shared his perspective. “Basically, everyone has this issue. I am a 49-year-old male veteran of the hardware industry, but since I started at 12 years old I had to earn my stripes. I still remember the day a customer asked about wiring a three-way switch but did not want me to tell him. My dad walked the customer back to me and he was forced to listen to my explanation. My daughter is 22 and literally grew up in the store. She is an encyclopedia of hardware knowledge. But she has to ‘earn’ her respect, one customer at a time. I can’t tell you how much I love it when a customer comes up to me and raves about how much she knows. It is hand-to-hand combat, one customer at a time. Just win them over and smile behind their back when they won’t listen,” he posted.

John Kidd of C&S Supply in Mankato, Minn., added, “We have a woman that runs our repair shop and she is an encyclopedia of small engine related equipment knowledge. She can look at a part

Women retailers say that elderly male customers are the ones most likely to balk at getting help from a woman.

and tell the customer what it came off of and what they need without looking at the computer. However, there are still guys that want to ‘talk to a guy that knows something.’ She then blows them away with her extensive knowledge. After that she is the only one they want to talk to. It’s comical really.”

Karla Robson of Slavens True Value in Cortez, Colo., agreed with Randy. “One customer at a time. I have been here 29 years and this behavior happens nearly every week. Sometimes I can ignore it without taking it personal, some days it really gets to me.”

Pat Maahs of Beisswenger’s Do it Best Hardware in Minnesota, posted, “I believe this is a situation that has happened throughout the industry. I have worked in hardware for 35 years. It used to be worse than it has been over the last few years. Maybe it is only better because I’m getting older or because I have proven myself so many times over the years. I have found that not only is it the customers, but fellow employees as well. I love it when they ask ‘Can you get

hardlines digest

one of the guys to help me?’ I respond that I am one of the guys. If they don’t want me to help, I have no problem turning them over to someone else. I love it when that employee has to come back to me to ask me questions because they don’t know how to help them.”

Maahs added, “I have become good friends with a woman who is a sales rep for a popular line of merchandise that is sold in hardware stores. When she is working away, she says sometimes that it is good she is a woman because she doesn’t get interrupted very frequently. But on the other hand, she can’t believe how many men have put their hands on her body in questionable ways. Sometimes it is the owners/managers of the stores she is in, and other times it is the customers. During the time I have worked in hardware I have slapped a customer (this was about 30 years ago) because of the nasty words that came out of his mouth, slapped a ‘gentleman’ that worked as a department rep at the wholesaler we were purchasing from, who grabbed me and ground me into his body while at a show (about 18 years ago), and recently had a fellow employee prosecuted for his behavior.”

Susan Harlan of Vickery Do it Best in Smyrna, Ga., posted, “This year marks 40 years that I have been working full time at the hardware store, not to mention the fact that I grew up here. I still get men who don’t think I know what I am talking about. Most of the time I can

Whitney McKellar doesn’t take it personal when male customers refuse to be helped by her.

win them over, some you never do. I have heard on more than one occasion: ‘Hey, you’re pretty smart for a girl.’ I’m always amazed that men feel like this is a compliment.”

Steve Oberholtzer of Stauffers of Kissel Hill in Lititz, Pa., responded, “I think this is a universal problem. But does it go both ways? When you shop for items that are typically sold by female staff do you look for someone else when the male employee asks if you need help? As a customer I am as susceptible to stereotypes as anyone, but I value knowledge or experience more than gender. If I need assistance with paint I will look for the person who looks like they know the answer. Given the choice between the man with the latest hip clothes and perfect hair and fingernails versus the woman wearing painter pants and splattered with paint, I will go to her every time.” n

John Fix started the Hardlines Digest in 1996. The list was run for many years using servers in John’s hardware store, but recently the list migrated to Google Groups. There are currently more than 1,500 subscribers reading Hardlines Digest. To read more or subscribe, go to www.hardlinesdigest.com.

coMplete Stone care SySteM

• Rock Doctor Granite Cleaner is all-purpose cleaner gentle enough for everyday use and safe for kitchen and bath.

• Rock Doctor Granite Polish enhances the vibrant colors of your rock and leaves a waterresistant protective coating that helps safeguard against glass rings, spills and etching.

• Rock Doctor Granite Sealer is water-based and penetrates deeply to bond with natural stone and provides a long-lasting barrier against moisture and other elements.

• Natural Granite Cleaner uses plant-based biodegradable cleaners and formula contains no ammonia, bleach, phosphorus or dyes.

• BG 50 is STIHL’s lightest gas-powered handheld blower. At only 7.9 pounds, the compact yet powerful (27.2 cc) blower has the power to complete clean-up jobs quickly and easily.

• Boasts the highest power-to-weight ratio in the STIHL gas-powered line. Fuel-effi cient engine can take on residential landscapes at a low cost of operation, making it the perfect choice for performance and value.

• Lightweight, compact design of the BG 50 makes it easy to maneuver and operate. Starting is simple with an improved choke system.

• Basic maintenance is a breeze with tool-less air fi lter access for easy fi lter cleaning and replacement, and a translucent upright fuel tank making it easy to see when it is time to refi ll.

“Where Relationships Are Formed”

HeRe today!

3 Days of Networking, Relaxing and Learning

Meet colleagues and new friends at the industry’s largest conference for independent hardware retailers. Share ideas with top retailers on how to grow your business, interact with key vendors on how to increase sales in your store and attend educational seminars, all-industry cocktail receptions and dinners in an exclusive 5-star resort setting.

Learn More About Your POS System at the Hardware Technology Forum

Epicor, ECi Advantage/ECi RockSolid and J-3 POS will offer full-day, hands-on training sessions for their retailers. Bring your tablet or laptop so you can log right into your store as you learn new “tips and tricks” to make your POS software more productive in your store.

Honor

the

Industry’s Best Retailers at the 2016 Beacon Awards

The Beacon Awards are an important recognition program that honors the best of the best dealers who represent the future of the industry.

Sponsors:

Co-Sponsors: FoR moRe inFoRmation about attending tHe beacon awaRds along witH all otHeR educational seminaRs, open FlooR discussions and social activities at tHe HaRdwaRe conFeRence, visit www.tHeHaRdwaReconFeRence.com

Quick convert nut Driver Set

• Provides the speed of a straight handle driver with the torque of a T-handle driver, all in one tool.

• Users can easily convert the Crescent® Quick Convert Nut Drivers by pulling on the shaft, rotating the handle and pushing it to lock in place. The set includes seven drivers, color-coded for easy identification.

• The universal socket design fits six fastener types—hex, square, 12-point, E-Torx® , partially rounded hex and spline—in both SAE and metric sizes.

• The hollow shaft works over long threaded rod where standard nut drivers won’t fit. The comfortable, dualmaterial cushioned handle provides a non-slip grip and resists oil and grease.

GreaSe Monkey® Gorilla Grip™ Glove

• The touchscreen-compatible, disposable Grease Monkey® Gorilla Grip™ glove is twice as thick as standard black nitrile and features a patented embossing on the inside and outside of each glove.

• Features a patented fish-scale traction grip that is ergonomically designed to improve grip in wet and oily conditions.

• With embossing on the front and back of each glove, each pair is ambidextrous and versatile. Now a single glove can be replaced without splitting a pair.

• The disposable glove is ideal for a variety of applications including automotive, assembly and cleaning.

Getting Up to Speed with Chip and TechnologySignature

The drama of chip and signature (PIN) continues. The October 1, 2015 deadline is in the past and the shift in liability is in place. There are a few ground rules that are the foundation of all that is going on in the U.S.

We have adopted chip and signature, not chip and pin. This means that when a customer uses a chip card, they will only sign for the purchase, not use a pin number. We are the only country not using PIN. The FBI and retail groups have said using only signature is not as secure. Not all consumers have chip cards. Estimates are that over a billion cards still need to be issued and will most likely take through all of 2016 to issue. In addition, debit cards will not have chips and will continue to be processed using the old mag strip.

For a while some chip cards may not process as chip authorization because the merchant, the network or the bank may not be certified. This will be an ongoing process over the next year. Keep in mind that mag strips will be around for several years as the petroleum industry has until October 2017 to convert to chip and signature (PIN).

By Fred Fischer

How is it going so far? Not smooth. October was not the greatest choice of times to implement a major change in the customer payment world. We are coming into the biggest retail selling window (the holidays) with a half-baked program.

Some major chains that are processing chip and pin have seen their checkout lines back up, because it is adding about nine seconds per transaction. Customers are confused. Some retailers had “swipe anytime,” which does not work with chip and pin. In fact, the card needs to be inserted toward the end of the transaction and needs to stay in the card reader until the receipt prints. If the customer pulls out the card too early, even more delays.

To add to customers’ confusion, some chip cards may work at some merchants and not at others, depending on where each processor is in the certification process. The drama and confusion continues for both the retailer and the customer.

As we approach 2016 where are we going? There is no clear path. What looks most concrete is that chip and signature will continue to roll out. Not all retailers are making the change. Many restaurants are passing on meeting the requirements. To process chip and signature at a restaurant they would have to bring a wireless device to each customer’s table. They are willing to take the risk and continue processing the way they are currently processing (walking off with your card).

There is an equipment shortage. The new card readers are in high demand and short supply. This adds to the rolling out of the new technology for card processing. And there is still the argument of signature versus pin.

A couple of weeks ago there was a big announcement. Chase Bank is going to be offering a virtual wallet that works with CurrentCTM , a virtual wallet that was packaged through a group of merchants that belong to MCX. Those merchants include Walmart, Sam’s Club, Wendy’s, CVS, Kohl’s, Shell, Southwest Airlines and many others. This process will roll out in the summer of 2016.

The virtual wallet has been out for several years. With Chase Bank having about 94 million credit, debit and prepaid accounts linked to Chase Pay and the wallet working on both Android and iOS devices, this could be a tipping point for the widespread acceptance of virtual wallets. This technology uses QR codes instead of NFC.

A virtual wallet is by far more secure than chip and signature, as it does not require any credit card data to go over the internet. It does require a smartphone. The card data is not stored on the smartphone, but instead in the wallet and is linked to the transaction using a token that is the QR code.

Once virtual wallets are more widely accepted that could open the door for ACH payment processing. This could be a flat rate of 10 or 15 cents per

transaction. There are a couple of processors doing this, but it is in the future.

Keep in mind that some retailers are processing as much as 70 percent of their transactions using plastic. That percentage is going to continue to grow for those retailers that have a lower percentage. Be sure to be aware of the trends as payment processing is an ever-changing industry. Make sure whatever you choose to do, that you are future proofed as best you can. Waiting to change is not a sound strategy.

Ransomware is not going away. If you do not understand or know about ransomware, Google it and learn more about what it can do to your business data. The latest version of Cryptowall 3.0 may have generated over $325 million in revenue for the bad guys. The most recent threat in Europe is that if you don’t pay the ransom, they will publish the data in your files on websites. They are also encrypting file names, which makes it even more difficult to recover data. It could be a no-win situation for you.

If your POS provider does not offer a true firewall with a subscription service, you are at more risk. If you are not doing daily backups, both on-site and off-site, you have no way to recover lost data. Without either it can be really expensive to you. Keep abreast of the industry changes for your protection. n

Fred Fischer is president of J3 Point-of-Sale –Ganymede Technologies Corp. Contact him at fred@j3pos.biz.

HARDWARE PROGRAM Ambassador

The Hardware Ambassador ProgramTM was created to bring the hardware industry together to promote the independent hardware retail channel as the most efficient and profitable channel to distribute hardware and home improvement products and services.

• View Vendor Product Listings by Wholesaler

• Ability to Download Product Listings by Wholesaler Directly into Retailers’ Point-of-Sale Computer Systems

• Check Out Vendor Profiles, Informational Videos & Product Reviews

Click Here to Learn More and View Vendor Product Listings by Wholesaler

IN THE NEWS

NEW STORES:

• Houchens Industries is opening an Ace Hardware store in Hodgenville, Ky.

• Bill Hagan is opening Hagan’s Ace Hardware in Green Cove Springs, Fla.

• Niemann Foods has acquired Petersburg Ace Hardware in Petersburg, Ill., from Robert and Wanda Anderson.

• The Young family has opened its fourth Ace Hardware store in Mills River, N.C.

• Seright’s Ace Hardware is opening its third store in Rathdrum, Idaho.

• Steven Burggraf is opening his fifth Burggraf’s Ace Hardware in Fargo, N.D.

KUDOS TO:

• Joel Lulloff is celebrating the 95th anniversary of Lulloff’s True Value Hardware in Kiel, Wis.

• Vickie Davison is celebrating the 30th anniversary of Bloomington True Value Hardware in Bloomington, Ind.

• STIHL President Fred Whyte received the 2015 Frank Armstrong III Service Award from the Virginia Manufacturers Association.

ON THE MOVE

• John Maiuri has been named president of ECI Software Solutions’ LBMH division.

• Leviton Mfg. Co. has named COO Daryoush Larizadeh as president.

WHOLESALERS IN THE NEWS:

• Orgill has announced plans to build a new, larger headquarters building in Collierville, Tenn.

• Ace Hardware Corp. reported record sales and profits for the third quarter. Revenues rose 13.2% to $1.3 billion while net income increased 45.3% to $54.2 million.

• True Value Co. reported revenue rose 4.2% in the third quarter to $365.5 million, with a net margin of $3.3 million.

OTHER NEWS:

• STIHL dealers raised $67,000 for the Resurrecting Lives Foundation, a nonprofit that supports veterans with traumatic brain injuries. The company has also broken ground for a new distribution center in Oxford, Conn.

IN MEMORY:

Trey Kiper

• Trey Kiper, president of Kiper Hardware and Lumber in Winnsboro, La., passed away Oct. 29 at the age of 53 after battling cancer. He is survived by his wife, Lisa; daughters Shelby and Kelly; parents Ernest and Mary Kiper; brother Myles; sisters Kim Kimbrough and Cristi Naff; and two grandchildren.

a growing community of thousands of

“I created Hardlines Digest in 1996 as a way for my fellow retailers to swap tips about the nitty-gritty of running an independent hardware store. Today, it’s grown to a community of thousands of independent hardware store owners just like you. I hope you’ll join today and start sharing your own expertise.”

John Fix Owner, Cornell’s

Hardware Eastchester, NY

UPCOMING EVENTS

JANUARY 2016

Do it Best Corp. Winter Conference

January 15-16, Hotel Del Coronado, San Diego

Handy Hardware Market

January 21-23, George R. Brown Convention Center, Houston

HDW Spring Market

January 29-31, Shreveport Convention Center, Shreveport, La.

House-Hasson Hardware Dealer Market

January 21-23, Gaylord Opryland Hotel, Nashville, Tenn.

International Builders’ Show

January 19-21, Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nev.

United Hardware Spring & Summer Buying Market

January 8-10, Minneapolis Convention Center, Minneapolis

FEBRUARY 2016

Florida Hardware Spring Dealer Market

February 13-14, Double Tree Convention Center, Orlando, Fla.

Monroe Hardware Spring Dealer Market

February 20-21, Myrtle Beach Convention Center, Myrtle Beach, S.C.

Northeastern Retail Lumber Association LBM Expo

February 10-12, Rhode Island Convention Center, Providence, R.I.

True Value Spring Reunion

February 19-20, George R. Brown Convention Center, Houston

Orgill Spring Market

February 25-27, Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, Fla.

MARCH 2016

Ace Hardware Corp. Spring Convention

March 3-5, Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nev.

Blish-Mize Spring Dealer Market

March 18-19, Overland Park Convention Center, Overland Park, Kan.

Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Expo

March 16-19, Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, New Orleans

International Hardware Fair Cologne 2016

March 6-8, Koelnmesse, Cologne, Germany

International Home + Housewares Show

March 5-8, McCormick Place, Chicago

LMC 2015 Annual Meeting

March 9-11, Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, Fla.

Reliable Distributors Management and Marketing Conference

March 10-12, Embassy Suites Lake Buena Vista Resort, Orlando, Fla.

Send calendar dates to chris@thehardwareconnection.com

Behind the Numbers

92%

Percentage of women who pass along information about deals or finds to others, according to Mindshare/Ogilvy & Mather.

58%

33%

Percentage of millennial women (ages 18-34) who said they would buy everything online if they could, according to eMarketer.

29%

Percentage of U.S. small businesses owned by women, up from 26% in 1997, according to the Institute of Women’s Policy Research.

Percentage of women who share both good and bad experiences online, according to Harbinger Women and Word of Mouth Study.

70%

Percentage of millennial women (ages 18-34) who consider shopping a form of entertainment and something to share with family and friends, according to Urban Land Institute.

78%

Percentage of women email users who are more likely to engage with email content if it is labeled as “on sale” compared to 33% for email content around new products, according to recent study by Listrak.