ALLPRO Independent November/December 2018

Page 1

ALLPRO

INDEPENDENT N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R 2 018

Ring Leader

The secret behind Connecticut and New York-based Ring’s End’s success

* PLUS

• J O E ’s LE T T E R p.4

p.8

p.20

THE DUGAN DIFFERENCE

a digita l future

CYBER PROTECTION

How the Missouri chain became a one-stop shop.

How one ALLPRO member made e-commerce work.

3 steps that can save your store.

• MEMBER S P O T L I G H T • indu stry ne w s



FROM US TO YOU

The New Business As Usual By Joe Poliseo, VP Merchandising

M

ore than ever, the process of doing business presents new and varied challenges. Recent changes involving raw materials, tariffs and transportation have added to the tasks we all face in our normal business routine. The good news is that the economy is improving and demand for product is increasing. It is hoped that sales are trending up as well. But just as

Price adjustments can mean that margin dollars increase, and the level of service that sets apart independent businesses becomes more valuable than ever.

every cloud is said to have a silver lining, those clouds often have a dark side as well. Manufacturing delays due to unprecedented demand domestically and globally can greatly slow down the normal flow of business. Combine this with ongoing mergers and consolidations, and business as

usual may be a thing of the past, as some of these issues have resulted in price adjustments with little or no lead time from our supplier partners. Import tariffs have been a driving force for much of the recent activity. In order to properly account for increased rates, it is important for suppliers to adjust the pricing rather than add a bottom-line surcharge. A surcharge can and will get lost in the process, and suddenly margins shrink and problems arise. It is difficult to account for ancillary charges in daily operations, so we work with our suppliers to ensure that the increases come in a form that you can capture in your systems and pass along to your customers. Transportation issues have also become a major problem. With a universal shortage of drivers, the stress on terminal facilities results in more damaged shipments and, in some cases, shipping delays. Please take the time to inspect shipments for damage or rewrapping. If this is not noticed at the time of delivery, you will have little recourse afterward. However, it’s not all bad news. Price adjustments can mean that margin dollars increase, and the level of service that sets apart independent businesses becomes more valuable than ever.

ALLPRO Independent

Please be sure to review the twice-monthly ALLPRO purchasing updates, which include reminders of all price increases received from our supplier partners. We do all we can to stay on top of this information, asking suppliers to give us 60 days' notice of any price changes whenever it’s possible for them to do so. And when we learn changes are happening, we engage suppliers to make sure that ALLPRO is not losing its pricing advantage. To streamline business routines, pay close attention to ALLPRO and supplier communications on pricing and freight, promptly make pricing adjustments to your systems, account for increases in the form of surcharges, and take time to carefully inspect all deliveries. The time you devote to these things will be very worthwhile.

• Volume 1 • Issue 6

ALLPRO Leadership

About ALLPRO Independent

How to Reach Us

President Glen Morosohk

We are a bimonthly publication dedicated to

Write us at ALLPRO Corporation

Executive Vice President Mike Beaudoin

strengthening the ALLPRO community with

4946 Joanne Kearney Blvd., Tampa, FL 33619

Director of Marketing Scott Morath

relevant stories and news. Your suggestions,

Or contact us at 813-628-4800 or by email at allpro@allprocorp.com.

Marketing Coordinator Susie Fontana

opinions and feedback are encouraged.

All publishing services provided by Stevens Editorial.

November/December 2018 ALLPRO Independent

1


s

ent

d

ne

w

s

f

or

in

d

epen

CO RN E

R

All Pro

Spectrum Helps the Homeless “A lot less product and labor goes into these than a normal house, but way more love.”

M

ost ALLPRO customers visit their local store to pick up paint and supplies for renovating full-size homes. But every once in awhile, a unique project comes along that offers the store a chance to give back in a different way--such as when ALLPRO member Spectrum Paint Company was offered the opportunity to partner with Genesis House in Siloam Springs, Arizona, to build tiny homes for the homeless. The project was a bit of a departure for Spectrum and Genesis House, a safe haven for female victims of domestic violence and sexual assault, but that didn’t stop them from getting involved: Spectrum donated Benjamin

2

November/December 2018 ALLPRO Independent

Moore’s Ultra Spec 500 interior and exterior paint to the project. “We knew they would need something low maintenance with great durability and a 25-year warranty, so it was the perfect product for the job” said Gentry Stafford, Spectrum’s vice president of marketing and store development. While the project won’t require as much labor and volunteers than painting a full-size house, that doesn’t mean it’s any less fulfilling. “A lot less product and labor goes into these than a normal house, but way more love,” Stafford said. “Giving a family a chance to start over in life is just like a fresh coat of paint: It changes your everyday views, moods, and can even give you hope.”


The Newest Shade Of Gray (And Green) Benjamin Moore and PPG Reveal Colors of the Year for 2019

H

ome decorators in search of sophisticated, goes-with-everything colors for their space have a lot to get excited about in 2019: Benjamin Moore has named Metropolitan AF-690—a stylish, cool gray with cool undertones—as their color of the year, while PPG has chosen Night Watch as their go-to hue. “Comforting, composed and effortlessly sophisticated, Metropolitan AF-690 exudes beauty and balance,” said Ellen O’Neill, Benjamin Moore’s director of strategic design intelligence. “It’s a color in the neutral spectrum that references a contemplative state of mind and design.” Benjamin Moore’s color artisans revealed the color to leading architects, painting contractors, and influencers at a recent New York City event. The color of the year is part of a palate of 15 other colors also intended to evoke a soothing yet elegant feeling. Meanwhile, PPG turned to nature for inspiration for Night Watch, a striking green that is equal parts calming and invigorating. “The restorative power of nature is important in society now more than ever,” said Dee Schlotter, PPG’s senior color marketing manager. “The color is about bringing the healing power from the outdoors into your home through color.”

Benjamin Moore Metropolitan AF-690

PPG Night Watch

Colors of the year on the walls: (Left) Benjamin Moore's Metropolitan AF-690 and (right) PPG's Night Watch.

Boone Paint Gives Back

I Jen Pratt

Doug Pratt

t’s no secret that ALLPRO members love to give back to the community: Boone Paint and Interiors in Boone, North Carolina, is no exception. In addition to donating annual gifts to local fundraisers, including Kari’s Home, a transitional home for women struggling to overcome addictive behaviors, and SmileON ADG, a non-profit run by a local family dedicated to the memory of their son, Adam, who passed away suddenly from viral meningitis. “We are always happy to help out in any way we can,” said Jen Pratt, Boone’s general manager who runs the store alongside her father, Doug. “As a locally-owned and operated business, we are hopeful that others will get out there to support their community.” Involvement in the paint industry is a bit of a career change for Pratt, who stepped into her role as GM after thirteen years as a probation parole officer. “Growing up in a military family as the youngest daughter, I didn’t get to see my dad as

much as I would have liked as he was consistently deployed,” Pratt recalls. “Now that I have a child of my own, I realize even more the importance of family and working together to make something positive. It has been a pleasure to be on board with my father in this respect.” That work includes community outreach and involvement. Aside from annual gifts, the shop also donates to local organizations whenever they can, such as Theatre Arts Lauritsen, the theater department of Lees-McRae college: The store donated about nine boxes of paint to the school to use for stage props and other upcoming projects. It’s opportunities like this that make Pratt grateful for her new line of work. “It’s a totally different spectrum of work, that’s for sure,” she said. “It’s always fun to see people pick out colors and dream of projects, and helping them see those projects turn out exactly as they imagined. It’s a much more positive atmosphere, with no punitive results.”

November/December 2018 ALLPRO Independent

3


MEMBER PROFILE

Dugan’s Paint and Flooring This Midwestern company became a onestop renovating shop for Missourians.

W

hen the business that would one day be called Dugan’s Paint and Flooring opened in 1871, it didn’t sell flooring, but it did sell glass. “If you go back in history,” said Chuck Kempton, the store’s current owner, “paint stores started out with paint and glass. That combination seems odd to me, but a lot of them did.” The shop began to sell flooring in the late ’60s or early ’70s. While Kempton’s stepfather started operating the paint and flooring side in 1978, Chuck Kempton wasn’t always sure he would join the family business: It was a decision his mother ultimately made for him. “At one point, I hadn’t settled into any one thing yet, but I had asked a young lady to marry me,” he said. “And my mother said, ‘It’s probably time you made a decision, and I’m just going to make it for you.” That’s how Kempton got the job...and the girl. Dugan’s Paint and Flooring now has four locations in northwestern Missouri. The Osage Beach and Laurie stores are situated in a tourism region fueled by activities on a large

4

November/December 2018 ALLPRO Independent

reservoir called the Lake of the Ozarks. “The Lake of the Ozarks is a vacation-home community,” Kempton said. “So we’ve got a lot of transient folks coming and going throughout the spring, summer and fall.” This gives those stores a slightly different clientele than the others, but Kempton said the product mix doesn’t change much from store to store. “We kind of cherry-pick our suppliers based on the needs of the clients in those locations,” he said. The biggest competitor for Dugan’s is SherwinWilliams, followed by big-box outlets and independent flooring stores. While these other businesses do some things well, Dugan’s has a leg up on rivals with its design service. “The others are warehouse-type operations,” Kempton said. “Ours are the only stores that offer a real design service. We’re unique in that particular aspect; we’ve found a niche. That’s a home run, especially in this economy.” Kempton has six designers on staff: three in his Sedalia store, and one in each of the other stores in Osage Beach, Laurie and Warrensburg. While the designers mainly help customers choose flooring, they also assist with backsplash tile, custom showers and paint. “We will help coordinate paint colors for as little as one room to completely decorating an entire home,” he said. One of the advantages of using Dugan’s design service is that projects are shepherded from start to finish. “We’ll put together a package for them: We can measure it, order it and install it, and all the customer has to do is pack up their clothes while we do it,” Kempton said. This puts them ahead of the competition. “Rather than setting up the installation side, most stores hand you a list of three or four guys you can connect with,” Kempton said. “We don’t like to do that—we like to run the job ourselves. We just know the outcome will be better.”


Chuck Kempton's daughter, Tyler, reviews flooring options for customers.

November/December 2018 ALLPRO Independent

5


customers. They have a lot of ownership in what they do.” The difficulty of finding such highcaliber employees might keep Dugan’s from expanding in the future. “If the right opportunity came around, we’d certainly look at other locations,” Kempton said. “The problem with the unemployment rate being so low right now is that hiring good, quality people is very challenging.” Luckily, quality people is one aspect of ALLPRO that Kempton values. “The strength of that group is in its numbers,” he said. “If I were out here doing this all by myself or looking at smaller groups to be part of, I certainly wouldn’t be getting the pricing I am able to get. I get more attention when a rep The Dugan's team in 1997, celebrating the opening of the Sedalia location. knows I am part of ALLPRO.” This relationship makes ALLPRO members more than just a network of dealers: To Kempton, they are a The designers at Dugan’s aren’t the only ones who help network of friends. “I could pick up the phone and call five ensure the company’s success. All staffers try every day to guys and ask them a question today about anything they’re make customers feel grateful they chose Dugan’s over the doing, and they’re going to share their secrets with me,” he other options. “We’ve been very fortunate to bring people said. “Because we’re all doing the same thing. Likewise, I on board who are motivated, who are respectful,” Kempton am going to share my secrets with them.” said. “They want to do a great job, and they want to help

6

November/December 2018 ALLPRO Independent



SUPPLIER NEWS

Paint’s

DIGITAL Future E-commerce is changing the way people shop for paint. Here’s how one ALLPRO member incorporated it into their business plan.

I

f you’re an independent paint retailer, chances are one of the most important aspects of your business is creating a memorable in-store experience. Doing so entails everything from ordering quality supplies, products

and accessories to hiring a team that will guarantee positive customer feedback and name recognition in the local community. The next big challenge? Maintaining that level of service and authenticity as an online business.

8

November/December 2018 ALLPRO Independent

While most independent paint retailers generate a large percentage of sales in store, it’s no surprise that today’s consumers rely on a combination of internet and in-store advice when starting a new project. Old-school shoppers might love the process of visiting stores to pick up color swatches, discuss color palettes and gain inspiration for home decor needs, but more tech-savvy renovators do all this at home via sites like Pinterest, Google and Houzz. This dichotomy is something that Kelly Scott, general manager of Barrydowne Paint in Ontario, Canada, learned firsthand when


faced with the challenge of revamping the company’s website. “In the ’90s, customers would spend countless hours in our design centers,” Scott said. “Today, they march directly to the chip display—smartphone in hand—to pick out a handful of colors and then they either head for the door or place an order for paint. We knew we needed to be where our customers spend most of their

time, and that means online.” So how is an established business supposed to adapt to changing times and customer needs? Having a solid understanding of how they like to shop online is important, something Scott learned after relaunching Barrydowne’s site in September 2017. “We spent upwards of $20,000 on a brand-new site

earlier that year and quickly realized it wasn’t going to realize our vision,” she said. “It was a beautiful site, but it might as well have been for clothes: It didn’t deliver an experience that matched the way consumers and contractors actually shop for paint.” Another hurdle: Barrydowne had just opened its third store, in Val Caron, Ontario. The expense of rent, signage and other equipment for the grand opening was a reminder of just how much of an investment it is to open a brick-and-mortar shop. With no budget left to allocate to further expansion, Scott decided to hire people with the right skills to revamp the site’s capabilities internally rather than working with outside vendors. “We believed strongly that digital commerce was going to make up a large part of our future, so we decided to develop our own site,” she said. Even though Barrydowne’s new website accounts for less than 1 percent of the company’s total sales, Scott believes the additional work and investment in new talent have been worthwhile. “We think of our online store as another location for our business, except instead of being on a specific street, this one is in everyone’s pocket on their smartphone, on their tablet at home, on their desktop at work. And we treat it just like another store, merchandising it daily with new content and staffing it with our team via live chat.” Social media has also played a huge part in the success of the revamped site. “If we make a post to social media about a specific product, we can see the online traffic and then watch as sales for that specific product spike over the next days,” Scott said. “The

November/December 2018 ALLPRO Independent

9


lion’s share of revenue will occur at the store level, but the customers making those buying decisions are influenced by digital touchpoints.” Most of Barrydowne’s daily online orders come from contractors who schedule product pickup in advance or

10

November/December 2018 ALLPRO Independent

opt to have it delivered directly to a jobsite for greater efficiency. Do-it-yourself customers can get leads on new sales via live chat. The store also generates awareness of its new online business through in-store signage and stickers on top of paint cans. So how does the store’s online clientele differ from in-store shoppers? This insight wasn’t immediately apparent, but Scott and her team reached out to their first 100 customers to learn more about them. “More than half of the customers were new to our brand, which was really exciting,” Scott said. “Overwhelmingly, they were habitual online shoppers, and most were between the ages of 35 and 45, and owned their own homes, a really important target for us at the moment.” Even though the Barrydowne team is grateful for making the leap into the digital age, they still experience the same issues as any independent retailer without an online presence: time, money and manpower. “Most days it feels like we’re triaging— putting out fires or jumping in to save the project or customer that is deemed critical,” Scott said. “With so much going on, it can be easy to ignore your digital assets and online presence. But if you think of every new site


visitor as an opportunity, it is easier to make it a priority.” An easy way to capitalize on new visitors is through social media. “More than 50 percent of time spent on a smartphone is spent on a social network, and we need to be where our customers are,” Scott said. “It gives us the upper hand over big-name brands because it lets us share our story, and there is an appetite among customers for authenticity at the moment. Social media lets us capitalize on that.” Maintaining that authenticity and raising engagement means shunning advertising, as well as avoiding looking too polished, a delicate dance that is easy to master once you get the hang of it. While social media novices might think the quickest route to online success is generating a huge amount of followers quickly, that’s not the case. Scott recommends connecting with every customer who visits your site and addressing their needs. “Users will engage with your social feeds if

Kelly Scott of Barrydowne Paint

they know you will engage back. Our goal is to respond to a like or a user’s engagement within five minutes, so they are still on the platform when they get the notification that our brand responded.” If that sounds like a lot of work, it is. To avoid burnout, the Barrydowne team follows “a pattern of being ‘on’ and then ‘off,’ in that we will blitz social media for a week to two weeks and then go dark,” Scott said. “The reasoning is that in order to do it well, you need to be online regularly to respond to any and all engagement from your audience.” While some ALLPRO members might worry that building an online presence will detract from retail sales, individual shops aren’t in any danger of becoming obsolete. “We are learning that many customers like to research products or companies online but still prefer to visit the store,” Scott said. That’s comforting news to home renovators who like to see their purchases before buying them and those who still want advice from real people instead of virtual ones.

November/December 2018 ALLPRO Independent

11


MEMBER PROFILE

Ring’s End N

amed after a commercial section of Darien, Connecticut, called Ring’s End Landing, the Ring’s End homeimprovement centers got their start in 1902 as a coal and feed store. Building supplies were gradually added into the product mix, and by the 1950s, the company was mostly selling building materials, according to Scott Herling, the store’s manager of sales and operations. In its long history, the business has been owned by just two families: the Keils and the Campbells. Herling is related to the Campbells. While only a small fraction of Ring’s End’s 493 employees are also related to the Campbells, Herling said everyone is treated like family. With 19 retail locations in two states, Ring’s End offers two types of stores: nine full-service locations with a lumber yard, hardware and paint store, and showrooms for kitchens, architectural hardware, windows and doors, plus 10 stand-alone paint centers. While the customer mix runs 70 percent contractor and 30 percent homeowner, homeowners appreciate the fullservice stores for a one-stop shopping experience. “You can buy everything from mulch for a garden to a unit of two-by-fours to frame a house,” Herling said. Whether professional or greenhorn, every customer is treated the same. “There’s clearly a focus on the pro,” Herling said, “but our business was founded on customer service, so we don’t discriminate. Whoever walks through the door is going to get a good experience and is going to walk out with what they were looking for.” Ring’s End is that rare independently owned chain that closely resembles corporate home-improvement centers in terms of size and stock, but one thing that sets it apart from competitors is the quality of its products: Ring’s End doesn’t stock any bargain brands. “We only carry premium products,” Herling said. “Every line we have is considered a premium or better product. Every grade of lumber is the highest grade of lumber you can buy. We don’t carry cheap anything.” The employees are also a valuable asset. “We invest a lot in our people,” Herling said. “We hire people based on attitude, and we teach them about our industry through a pretty extensive training program.” One draw for Ring’s End employees is a unique workplace culture. “From the top down and bottom up, we’re open to new ideas,” Herling said. “We want everybody’s input on what works and what doesn’t work. It’s not a dictatorship.” Employee retention is a high priority for the owners of Ring’s

12

November/December 2018 ALLPRO Independent

How this Connecticut and New York–based chain provides first-rate customer service and takes care of its employees.


End: One perk is an annual VIP dinner. “It’s for employees who have been with us 10 years or longer,” Herling said. “This year, we have 220 employees attending that dinner out of 490.” Another bonus: After a year of employment, every staffer qualifies for profit sharing. “We give 15 percent of the profits, on average, to the employees who work for us,” Herling said. So important is fostering a family feeling among employees that Herling believes he could name 450 of the business’s 490 employees, if put on the spot. “That closeness creates a sense of pride,” he said. “You see the ownership, you see

the management, all the time. They’re always stopping to talk about your day and listen to your ideas.” Having a strong stable of especially skilled employees was one of the factors that helped Ring’s End survive the recession. Another strategy during that period was to focus on selling paint. “We figured that people weren’t going to do their remodeling projects or their large-scale renovations when the economy was that bad,” Herling said. “But they might want to spruce up their house, and they were more apt to want to paint it themselves than hire a contractor.”

The Ring's End team treats customers (and employees) like family.

November/December 2018 ALLPRO Independent

13


Rings End Darien in 1931 and today

The business has topped its pre-recession numbers two years in a row, Herling said, but the market never fully rebounded. In good times and bad, ALLPRO has helped Ring’s End stay competitive. “You get the ability to purchase products through the group and at the shows at a price point that allows you to be truly competitive with the national chains,” he said. ALLPRO’s membership also offers an unbeatable network of expertise. “You get to talk to other retailers around the

14

November/December 2018 ALLPRO Independent

country and hear about what they’re facing and what kind of challenges they have in their business,” Herling said. “Whether it’s a guy with one store or a 42-store paint outlet, you have some shared experiences and shared challenges.” When Herling joined the business six years ago after stints with various ad agencies, ALLPRO was instrumental in getting him up to speed on the paint business. “The ALLPRO business development team has really helped me,” he said. “They’ve been a great resource.”



SPOTLIGHT

R E TA I L E R

R E TA I L E R

West Coast Paint & Design

Vienna Paint & Decorating

T

F

California Co-founder April Greenhill westcoastpaintdesign.com

he team at Sacramento-based West Coast Paint & Design takes pride in meeting new customers and turning them into old friends. And the positive relationship the shop has with its clients goes beyond the store, thanks to a staff who believes in supporting the local community. West Coast Paint & Design offers special services including brush-outs and color consulting, as well as tips on the best tools and finishes for every type of project. Paint connoisseurs will appreciate the wide selection of brands the shop carries, such as Aura, Natura, Corotech, Regal Select and Ultra Spec.

Virginia Co-founder and President Carole Wolfand viennapaint.biz amily owned and operated, Vienna Paint & Decorating has been supplying Virginia homeowners and interior/exterior contractors with Benjamin Moore paints, stains and wood finishes for more than 40 years. Customers can visit any of the seven locations statewide—including the company’s newest store in Chantilly—and receive the same high level of service from experienced staff members. One of its most convenient services for home decorators doing touchups is a free computerized color-matching service that matches any new can of paint to a home’s existing colors. SUPPLIER

R E TA I L E R

Drive In Paint-Mart

Horizons Window Fashions

F

C

Massachusetts President David Solomon driveinpaint.com

ounded in 1957, Drive In Paint-Mart prides itself on providing personalized service, premium products and expert advice to home decorators of all levels. Unlike megastores that measure their success by the size of the store and the volume of products sold, this shop distinguishes itself by offering customers tailored advice on everything from anti-mold bathroom paint to the most weather-resilient exterior finishes. Visit one of its two locations (in Boston and Dorchester) to browse paints by Benjamin Moore, C2, Fine Paints of Europe and Pittsburgh Paint, as well as stains by Minwax, Sikkens and Old Masters.

16

November/December 2018 ALLPRO Independent

Illinois General Manager Russell Voelz horizonshades.com

urrently operating out of three buildings in Waukegan and Gurnee, Horizons Window Fashions is a fabricator of custom soft treatments, natural woven window shades and roller shades that has been in business for 124 years. The secret to three generations of success? Producing premium-quality, fashionforward styles not often found at big-box stores and mass merchants. General manager Russell Voelz pushes the entire company to streamline and simplify its processes, which has resulted in quick lead times that keep customers coming back. “I want our customers to walk away from the experience and say ‘That was easy!’” says Voelz.


Hey, ALLPRO members!

What’s Your Story?

Everybody’s got one. Or ten. So let’s hear ‘em.

C

alling all ALLPRO members: Have you overcome tremendous obstacles to succeed? Do you have a strong opinion about a new trend? Has your job taught you important lessons? Are you well-informed about something important to the industry? Do you have a incredible employee? Have you had an emotional or uplifting experience with a customer? If you can answer yes to any (or all) of these questions, you might have a story we can bring to life in the pages of ALLPRO Independent. Don’t wait. Let’s get started now.

Contact Susie Fontana at susie@allprocorp.com and tell her your story.


M arketplace

Thank you for supporting your ALLPRO Distribution Centers!

18

November/December 2018 ALLPRO Independent


M arketplace

November/December ALLPRO Independent

19


INDUSTRY NEWS

Small Business Lending Remains High

T

hink the demand for retail has slowed down? According to a study by Biz2Credit, small banks granted 49.8 percent of loan requests received in August, up one-tenth from July 2018 (and the highest figure since 2014). Institutional lenders were also up one-tenth of percent from July, at 64.9 percent. Alternative lenders have also turned into a source of quick capital. Innovations in financial technology have given these lenders greater flexibility than banks, allowing them to adjust to rates and covenants. Nontraditional sources of collateral are real estate and outstanding invoices. Credit unions approved 40.2 percent of loan applications in August, a drop of one-tenth of a percent from July, and a large drop from an all-time high of 57.9 percent in March 2012.

60

Percentage of small business owners who plan to grow their business over the next five years - Source: Biz2Credit Figures

Cyber-Criminal Protection

L

ess than a decade ago, small business owners didn’t have much reason to worry about cyberattacks; in 2011, they represented less than a fifth of reported cases. Today, that number is just under 50 percent, which is alarming considering these shops are responsible for more than 50 percent of all sales and 21 percent of exports, and employ 57 percent of the private workforce in the United States. Hackers now see small businesses as more attractive than larger ones due to minimal budgets (which, though smaller, are still valuable financial data) and because successfully hacking one business often leads to access to larger, more lucrative ones. Small shops often lack full-time employees dedicated to cyber defense, leaving their systems open to threats. So what’s the owner of a small biz to do? First, assess the current level of security and decide if it could be better. If improvements are needed, hire a cybersecurity consultant to determine what technology should be implemented to protect against phishing, ransomware and denial-of-service attacks. Finally, don’t overlook employees, as disgruntled ones are often behind hacks.

20

November/December 2018 ALLPRO Independent

Make Your Business Disaster-Proof

S

mall business owners in the path of hurricanes Florence, Isaac or Olivia without a disaster recovery plan aren’t alone: According to a survey by Nationwide’s Small Business Indicator, 68 percent of owners don’t have a disaster recovery plan, which is scary since 49 percent of owners said it would take their shop at least three months to recover. While duplicating company records, identifying access to alternative suppliers and instilling a work-from-home policy are three essential preparedness measures, don’t overlook insurance as a necessary precaution: It can help you avoid becoming one of the 25 percent of shops that never reopen following a major disaster.



4946 Joanne Kearney Blvd. Tampa, FL 33619

T ank y u... ‌ to our 2018 advertising partners who helped make the ALLPRO Independent's first year such a big success. Here's to more of the same in 2019, as we continue our shared mission of serving the amazing community of independent paint and decorating retailers. - Your friends at ALLPRO


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.