ligence f)avid vs. the Goliaths

By Carla Waldemar

A NDREW Taylor aimost qualifies lA.as an endangered species. No. no spotted owls in the family treeinstead, a lineage of lumberyard owners that goes back to his great-grandfather. And, while fourth-generation ownership is increasingly rare these days, Andy is shooting for five. He's the proud papa of sons seven months and l9 months of age, and he's hoping they'll take over the family business one day.

Not a slam dunk in this era when many an independent is in the crosshairs of the boxes' arsenal of weapons. Andy knows that. He learned it firsthand when a Depot pulled in on one side of him and a Lowe's on the other. So, to maintain a healthy business to pass on to his sons, he turned proactive and ramped up his focus on customer service-the best ammo to fend off the big boys' assault.

For the record, Andy himself was not all that certain he wanted to inherit the GM's office. "As a kid, did you love or hate the idea?" a reporter wondered. "A little bit of both," he confesses. "I graduated from college with a degree in criminal justice and planned to go into law enforcement," he relates. But the lure of the sawdust won out. "I got back into the business and I'm happy I did," he professes. the store also hosted Ladies Evenings-a series of classes in general carpentry and home repairs. "We served finger sandwiches and dressed up the place," says Andy, who met his goal. "The people who came through keep coming back."

That business -Taylor Lumber/ Ace Hardware, Marshfield, Ma., a coastal community south of Bostonhas been changing over the past l0 years, Andy reports. The town has morphed from one of seasonal vacation residences to a year-round community. And that means a whale of a lot of remodeling going on, the mainstay of Taylor's trade.

That growth is also what caught the eye of the boxes, which moved in a couple of years ago. "My employees got nervous, and," Andy relates, "we did take a little hit during that first year when people tried them out. But once they get it out of their systems, they settled back with us."

To help that happen, Taylor stepped up its advertising program as well as its community involvement, sponsoring everything worthy, from Eagle Scouts to school PTOs. It launched a program called Taylored to Non-Profits, which offers discounts to organizations, including Habitat for Humanity. Says Andy, "You don't get rich, but you make a lot of friends."

To woo customers more directlv.

He also launched a Trusted Contractors service that lists referrals for homeowners of contractors whom Taylor deems reputable: "licensed, insured, with high customer satisfaction ratings and returned phone callsa service for d-i-yers in over their heads or those with no time. The program doesn't benefit us directly [in revenue]," he says-but those contractors are mighty wise about where to shop. (In the past, Taylor has hosted contractor events, but Andy has found that their impact diminishes upon annual repetition, drawing those looking for free drinks rather than info from vendors.)

Instead, he provides what they truly treasure: free delivery ("and timely: when we say we will" he adds) and top-notch service, backed by in-depth knowledge. To assure that strength continues, Taylor conducts frequent staff training sessions in everything from product knowledge and safety to sales courses, underwritten by Ace.

His staff ol' l4 full-tinrers alc lieLe lbr thc long haul. Whr tkr thel stick arounrl .' \'ar.icty is a key I'uctrtr. "Thelc's somethin.u difl'crcnt fbl thcnt cverv tlav. Wc cross-trurin thcnr. so thcv can rrork in thc yaril, in the landscapinu clcpartnlcnt. or bchincl thc counter. [ivery.' clar therc's a clifle'rcnt |1r' jerl. ntlr-\ hc th.. ()|PrrttUnit) l(l lork n,itlt a d-i ycr and thc satisl'ac tirlrr of secirrg his rreccls nrcl. Or clcirl ing ri'ith contractors in thc 1'ard ancl lh(' llr'r'Ullll)lirlttttcttl ol sCeirrs lle\\ ()t' rcnlrdelccl houses contplctctl.

"Bc.ttttre ol'tltir r'u)lontel rttir. oru' *cckctrcl husiness is strrlns." ltc reporls. Anrl ntarqins'.) "Stlong. t<to. We knu*' \\c'rc not thc chclpcst. but u.'e scll our scrvice."

Arrother l'acct o1'that scrvicc is Taylor's rcntul clcpartnrcltt. luunclte-d u vear antl a hall'ago "cvcrything ffom floor sandcrs 1o small cxcavalof s." Andy savs. "Oul aint is onc-stop sltoppin-c-t(x)ls. advicc and ltr'oduct. -fhcy lcecl o1'l cacl.r otltcr. lt ntakes u nice additiorr to our lanclscapirtr aucl colttractor busincss."

Yet thcrc arc scrviccs Taylor has clccidecl to stary awar' front. "Wc clorr't Itrtre lrttr,rttlsidt' \itle\ntr'n: \\c'\e r()ltcn a\\'a\ lront tllrt. We tcnc'l to bc nrorc picky atrd ckrn't chasc altcr cus tolncrs." hc slt s.

ACE'S Andy Tay or takes pride in the experience and product knowledge that come from his slore's high employee retenlion rate.

Nor clocs 'l'aylol go ovelboarcl otr frcc cstirnatcs. As Antlr sces it. "Nlor-e ancl nrore. contrilctors brin-r rrr u big stack ol plans. bLtt thcy havcn't stucl icd tlrcrn. Thcr''re Iooking fol lou pliccs n ithout slrcnrlinu tl-rc trnc on their crrcl levicl ing thc ltlans. antl that rnakcs rrrc ltcr\,oLls. So rrot. I cllrrqc thcm. I tcll thcrtr. 'Therc's a f'ec lssociatccl u ith that.' ()1'coulsc. the lcc is lcbatecl u,'hen thcv actuallv ntakc ltur c hases. "

With an c\e to thc futr.tr.c. Andl' Itas cstlblishcd an intcrnshi1t/1talt-tirnc crrrployrncnt prognrnl 1bl hish scltool ancl collcqc stuclcnts sccking not'k exlrcriencc. "What I like to do." lrc cxplains. "is Itilc kids in their solthonlore \cur of high school to rvork in the yarcl and s(ocking shclves utter scl-tool ancl surtrntcr'\'acations f()r a couplc of 1ears. 'l'hey go off to col, lcgc. and norv thcl're 19. 10. r I irncl conrc back to us. ancl thct'r'c just as vlluablc us n'r1' lirll-tirne crlltloyecs all thc abilitics ctf a lirll-tintcr. but no1 at that salulr'. TItct knon thc s)'stcln. krtow the cLlstonters."

And indccd. scvcral. rr ho r-rcr cr clrcanrcd ol'this inclLrstrr as lr cilrccr goal. har r-' stat cd rtn.

Yct. as \\'c're sccing all across thc coLlntry. thc I'uture's not irs ros\ as tltc glolv ilats of' r'ccent rcrrs. To cornbat a bit o1 a sluntp, Andv has turtrccl his tbcus to incrcasing his tul'ns b1 buy inu itt .ntlrllel t;rrrrnlilic. rrrlr) i',.' rr.,t lr tull curloacl of lurnbcr arryrnorc. "-fhat \\il). )otl llit) t'loscr ntl\'ttli()lt t,r inrcrtlorv anrl tLrrn it ovcr quickcr. t() gclter ate prolit." he cxltlains.

Put it lll togcthcr ancl rou colnc up ivith a clcar rrcssuge: Borcs. look oLrtl Ancll 's sot \ oltr nuntber. ancl thcrc irrc [\\o )our)s Tayl<trs rvaiting in tlierv i ngs.

.\.lrtrntcr ttvunl r,irtuirt,g Ll)M tnrtlc trttr,qtt:ittt, ttlitot', ('ttrltt Wultlutttt r ritts lit'tltrtrttlt orr !lta itttlrr.stt.t. ('orttttr't lttt ttl