How to fix what aintt broke

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AZEK@ means you'll never have to paint.

AZEK@ Trim has the look and feel of wood, without the downside of wood. lt's impervious to moisture and insects. lt doesn't crack or split. ln fact, AZEK Trim has a 25-year warranty. This means you can spend your time enjoying your home. Not workrng on it.

Why not? Let's analyze the situation. As is almost always the case. thc solution becomes really obvious when we have done a good.job of analyzin-r1 thc problem. So. let's considcr the reasons why the customet' won't budgc. Here are the big thrcc:

1 . rnt perceived bene.fit from switching the product is not worth the time and effort the customer must invest in the change process.

Okay. so your LAGS (latest and gfeatest scllution) will save him -5%. But. he must work off his old inventory. notify thc curcnt supplier, switch all the numbcrs in his purchasing and inventory systcms, perhaps rcwrite protocols. maybe train staff in the new thing. comrnunicate thc change so that everyone intcrnally knows about it, etc. See the problem'l It takcs time. effort and money to change a procluct. And most of your customers. if they are like most of the business world these days. have too rnuch to do iind not enough time in which to do it. They dcln't nced another prtlcct. So. while your LAGS is an irnprovcmcnt. the improvement just isn't worth thc timc and effort.

2. fnn potential change infringes on a well-established relatiortship.

It may be that the current product is being purchased as part of at comntittcd relationship with the competition. And it mly he that the conrpelittrr pcrforms other serviccs lbr this customer that would bc jcopardized if thc customer didn't buy this product frttm thenr. For example. the compctitor may invite this customer to an annual outing to his condo on the bcach in Florida. lf the customer switches this item, he ntay believe that it will .ieopaldizc that. Or. the e()mpetitor inventories the product for thcm, provides special dating, packa-ues it specially, ctc.

The issue here is that switching the product harms an existing relationship. and the relationship is more impoftant to the customer than thc savings or benefit o1' your prtrduct.

This relationship issue carr alsi'r cxtend to the individual. In other words. the customer has a lon-e-standing excellent relationship with the competing salespcrson. And thc customer doesn't want k) do anything that nright be secn as jeopardizing that relationship. In eithcr case, the relationship trumps the benefits of your product.

3.fnt risk isn't worth it. E,very dccision to buy carrics with it a perception of risk. Risk is defined by the perccived cost to the individual customer if he/she makes a mistake. Think of it this way: What happens to the individr-ral decision rlaker if he decides to switch to your product and it doesn'l work out thc way you portlay it'/ Maybe the product doesn't u olk rluitc rrs srnoolhll us it seents. or your ability to deliver isn't what yctu promiscd. What grief does that cause thc customer'l What cmotional turmoil. job stress. and pcrsonal pain does it cause?

Nou I know that you re sul ing none of that will happen because you really do havc a great product, and you renlly are a wondcrful company, and you won't let anything bad happen. You may believe that. but your customer docsn't.

If thc customer perceives great risk in the dccision. the status quo is (Cotttirtuctt on ne.\t puge)

GEO. M. HUFF LUMBER

COMPANY;

o premier distributor of wholesole building producls; hos ieomed with Roseburg Engineered Wood Producis in the Southern Colifornio morkei. Huff Lumber offers the complele line of Roseburg EWP coupled with full technicol copobilities including loke-off, conversion, plocement drowings ond engineering services. EWP moteriols ore ovoiloble in mill direci bulk shipments, locql unils ond cut piece iob pockoges.

ROSEBURG FRAMI NG SYSTEM@

The Roseburg Froming System'a consisis of: RFPI@ Joisls used in {loor ond roof consiruciion; Rigidlom@ LVL which is used {or heoders, beoms, studs ond columns; ond RigidRimo Rimboord. All of the componenis ore engineered to the industry's highesl siondords fo help coniroctors build solid, duroble, ond betfer performing froming systems compored to ordinory dimension lumber.

RigidLom@ IVL

Rigidlom@ LVL Sfuds

RigidLom@ LVL Columns

RigidRim@ Rimboord