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What a great turnout for our Annual Clay Shoot at Tampa Bay Sporting Clays last month. The Chamber of Commerce could not have dialed better weather for members to have fun and do some networking. Is there a better organization that gives a vendor access to their customer base than FICAP? Thank you Natalie Martin and Bob Thomas for pitching in to help Michele at the registration desk, picture taking and keeping our shooters supplied with snacks and cold drinks.
A special note of thanks to the many Sponsors who help FICAP fund so many of the programs and activities FICAP does to strengthen, support and preserve the Florida Independent Concrete Producer. Our Sponsors for the Clay Shoot were:
Platinum Sponsors
American Cement Company, Quality Precast, Suwannee American Cement
Gold Sponsors
DE Dansco Engineering, Dobbs Equipment, E.R. Jahna, Maschmeyer Concrete
Silver Sponsors
B.E.T.-ER Mix, Cement Products & Supply
Station Sponsors
Argos, BASF, Bell Concrete Products, Boral Material Technologies, Command Alkon, CEME,
GCP Construction Products, FiberForce, FRC Resources, Jamieson Equipment, Kenworth, Power Kleen, Roebuck Consulting & Technologies, SCI Materials, SIKA,
Southwestern Suppliers, Stalite, Titan, White Rock Quarries
Hope to see you on Tuesday at our General Membership Meeting.
Michele will be sharing some new and exciting things we are doing for you, our members, along with reviewing threats/issues facing the Florida Concrete Producer.
Regards,
Wade Mullins
President of FICAP
Quality Precast Company
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ECONOMIC IMPACT OF CONCRETE PRODUCTS IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA:
JOBS REQUIRING VOCATIONAL TRAINING: 34,645
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Customer service joined the dinosaurs. So many folks who interact with the public need charm school, as they were apparently raised with cave men.
An attitude, smile, or kind gesture go so far and leave a lasting impression.
The VERY generic definition of customer service:
the assistance and advice provided by a company to those people who buy or use its products or services.
Excellent customer service
is the act of taking care of the customer's needs by providing and delivering professional, helpful, high quality service and assistance before, during, and after the customer's requirements are met. Customer service is meeting the needs and desires of any customer.
My favorite customer service encounters are those when the representative tried, genuinely tried, to help me. Even when they couldn't tell me yes, they gave it their best shot and with a positive attitude.
They tried. They cared. They left a lasting impression on me. They were positive and upbeat. They had a can-do attitude.
When I trust a company with my business, I expect to walk away with at least the same positive attitude I started with.
Can your customers say the same thing about your company and the people in which they interact?
"Customers are smarter than ever and looking for more value. More than customer service, they want a great customer experience. Make every interaction count, even the small ones. They are all relevant." - Shep Hyken
FICAP Executive Director
Member Happenings
Paul Hoben, Sales Manager for Carolina Stalite has been appointed
to the Railroad-Shipper Transportation Advisory Council (RSTAC).
Congratulations Paul!
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Online Ordering Could Revolutionize the Supply Chain
Educators' Workshop on Masonry at University of South Florida a Success
Cost comparison study shows concrete masonry is cost-effective
Concrete masonry construction is a cost-effective option compared to wood and other systems according to a new cost study analysis. The study investigated the construction cost of six different material systems in a four story multi-family residential building. The initial study included three cities across the US and costs were evaluated at three different time periods over the past year. In all cases, concrete masonry was either the most cost effective option or within a few percent of wood construction. These results show that concrete masonry is not only the best choice for resilience, fire safety, and occupant comfort but also the best choice for overall cost. Read more about this study, additional cities evaluated, and other building construction comparison studies at www.buildingstudies.org .
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Legislative Update
With the tragedy at Stoneman Douglas High School, the efforts and resources of this past legislative session quickly turned toward school safety and gun control and few bills outside of these areas made it to the governor's desk. One example of this is the Texting While Driving bills that were moving successfully through committees both in the house and senate but were never heard on the house or senate floors for a vote. If successful, the law would have made distracted driving utilizing a cellular device a primary offense instead of a secondary offense. There were several other bills that either directly or indirectly impacted our industry and with the help of the FICAP lobbyist, were closely monitored throughout session and worked to steer to a favorable outcome for all of our member companies.
This week the Florida Constitutional Revision Commission (CRC) has begun meeting in general sessions to take up and vote on the 36 proposals that have made it to their "calendar" for final consideration. Although none of the proposals would affect FICAP member companies directly, there are several items that will impact Florida citizens, including gun control. The CRC convenes every 20 years. Any proposals it approves to change the state constitution still must be approved by at least 60 percent of voters on this November's statewide ballot. There's even a proposal that would tweak that. The CRC's website is www.FloridaCRC.gov
The Florida Concrete and Products Association (FCPA) recently spear headed the organization of Region Groups representing the Concrete Coalition statewide. One responsibility of these Regions is to populate political teams to promote our industry's goals at the regional level. These legislative teams are currently being populated and industry legislative interests are being developed. The first task of these regional legislative teams is to have meetings with legislators over the summer in their local offices. Therefore, if an issue that affects our industry arises during the upcoming session, we are already ahead by establishing relationships with our state representatives and senators. Once again, these Regions were developed to include the entire industry. I would urge all FICAP members to plug into a Region that makes sense for you and your company and get involved.
- Adell Jahna, FICAP PC Chair
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February's CMI Carries Forth a Potentially Positive Trend
NACM's Credit Managers' Index (CMI) showed impressive gains in February after what NACM Economist Chris Kuehl, Ph.D., described as a "solid performance" for the second consecutive month, following a rebound in January. Although it's still too early to constitute a positive trend, Kuehl said the latest results are "gratifying" and highlighted ongoing redemptions in sales, new credit applications and the amount of credit extended to customers. Read More
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Credit Tip of the Month: The Art of Negotiation
Dealing with difficult customers who don't want to pay their full balance is always a challenge to those in the accounts receivable capacity. The question they must ask themselves:
When should I negotiate?
The hard reality is that your customer owes the amount due, but desires to negotiate a discount on the products or services that you have already delivered. Common practice dictates that when you purchase something, you will have to pay for this product or service. So why should you allow your customer to shirk this same principal? Many businesses face this reality on a frequent basis. So what do you do? Read More
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A GREAT PERSPECTIVE...
There are no traffic jams when you go the extra mile!
Customers will never love a company until the employees love it first.
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