Wolseley may put Stock Building Supply on sale block

Major also noted that Stock's decision during its Chapter 11 reorganization to focus on just 19 markets nationwide is keeping it out of some of the worst housing areas nationwide, including Florida, Nevada, Arizona, and the upper Midwest. Taken as a whole, the markets Stock is in are stronger in the long term than is the national average for housing, he said.

Major said Stock is operating on a positive cash flow today. He declined to say whether the company is turning a profit.

Also during the interview, chief operating officer Steve Short said a 12-member team of experts from inside the company are about one-fourth of their way through revamping sales and operations in the 19 markets. Among the efforts, he said, is the installation of dispatching software, an emphasis on improving delivery of goods on time and in full, and the purchase of display boards that make it clear to employees how their facility is doing on various key metrics.

Among other changes on the sales side, the company is hiring people in each market whose sole job is to generate leads for reps to pursue. Stock also is looking to increase its installed sales activitiy.

All of this, Short said, "is an executive-level decision to take the oppurtinity to transcend the culture and drive sales as we never have before."

Is this insane? What is really going on?

Oversite wrote:

Major also noted that Stock's decision during its Chapter 11 reorganization to focus on just 19 markets nationwide is keeping it out of some of the worst housing areas nationwide, including Florida, Nevada, Arizona, and the upper Midwest. Taken as a whole, the markets Stock is in are stronger in the long term than is the national average for housing, he said.
Major said Stock is operating on a positive cash flow today. He declined to say whether the company is turning a profit.
Also during the interview, chief operating officer Steve Short said a 12-member team of experts from inside the company are about one-fourth of their way through revamping sales and operations in the 19 markets. Among the efforts, he said, is the installation of dispatching software, an emphasis on improving delivery of goods on time and in full, and the purchase of display boards that make it clear to employees how their facility is doing on various key metrics.
Among other changes on the sales side, the company is hiring people in each market whose sole job is to generate leads for reps to pursue. Stock also is looking to increase its installed sales activitiy.
All of this, Short said, "is an executive-level decision to take the oppurtinity to transcend the culture and drive sales as we never have before."
Is this insane? What is really going on?

Stock is cash flow positve because it keeps selling off parts of its body to raise cash. Sooner or later, you run out of parts to sell and you have to do something with whatever part of the body is left. It will be interesting to see what that will be.

Steve S. is so full of crap. Didn't Stock go down this road before of having a select few form a committee to figure out how things are supposed to run. It was called NOVA at one time. I remember a time when stores seem to know exactly how to make money before these "committees" were formed to tell them how to make money. Same ole story, different time.

Ex Loyal Employee wrote:

<quoted text>
Stock is cash flow positve because it keeps selling off parts of its body to raise cash. Sooner or later, you run out of parts to sell and you have to do something with whatever part of the body is left. It will be interesting to see what that will be.
Steve S. is so full of crap. Didn't Stock go down this road before of having a select few form a committee to figure out how things are supposed to run. It was called NOVA at one time. I remember a time when stores seem to know exactly how to make money before these "committees" were formed to tell them how to make money. Same ole story, different time.

A friend of mine was on the NOVA team and once they made their recommendation to the executives, he promptly jumped ship to open his own business to compete! He saw the writing on the wall, as did countless others, and knew that this company was going to bloat like a dying carcass. They were very correct. I laughed on Short's comments of a "panel of experts from within the company"...really? THEY are considered EXPERTS? Laughable! They know better than to get advice from outside the company...Gitomer anyone? What "expert" made that choice?

Is STOCK matching 401K's again? I don't believe they are. Until they do so they are not back.

Still know to many of their "Former" customers that will never do business with them again.

BUT on a side note, if you want something dirt cheap you can get at STOCK since they still sell below cost.

FEP, it's not my intent to call you out or anything, but who is matching 401ks? That's a good times proposition, and probably should have been cut 2 years ago.

We're aware of the loss of some of our client base. Little do you know that this one of our key strategies. Think about it, the less we sell at a loss the less we lose. It's the next best thing to making a profit, and a whole lot less work. Best of all, the management team has less to look busy doing thus freeing us up for golf. The golf course is where the profits are made...pure genius!

It's like the pope after one of the priests saw Christ's return and asked what to do. He replied "Stupid, look busy!!!"

I know things wrote:

<quoted text>
How about 11 dollars, and three ham and cheese sandwiches ?

I have you covered....sure you don't wanna go double or nothing?

P.S. Could you make it sharp cheddar? kthx

Oversite wrote:

Major also noted that Stock's decision during its Chapter 11 reorganization to focus on just 19 markets nationwide is keeping it out of some of the worst housing areas nationwide, including Florida, Nevada, Arizona, and the upper Midwest. Taken as a whole, the markets Stock is in are stronger in the long term than is the national average for housing, he said.
Major said Stock is operating on a positive cash flow today. He declined to say whether the company is turning a profit.
Also during the interview, chief operating officer Steve Short said a 12-member team of experts from inside the company are about one-fourth of their way through revamping sales and operations in the 19 markets. Among the efforts, he said, is the installation of dispatching software, an emphasis on improving delivery of goods on time and in full, and the purchase of display boards that make it clear to employees how their facility is doing on various key metrics.
Among other changes on the sales side, the company is hiring people in each market whose sole job is to generate leads for reps to pursue. Stock also is looking to increase its installed sales activitiy.
All of this, Short said, "is an executive-level decision to take the oppurtinity to transcend the culture and drive sales as we never have before."
Is this insane? What is really going on?

Among other changes on the sales side, the company is hiring people in each market whose sole job is to generate leads for reps to pursue.
WTF?
In other words we are admitting that our current outside sales force are nothing more than glorified order takers. So now the outside sales reps will have someone outside bringing in the business and a coordinator inside doing all of the actual work. I would be highly offended if I were an outside sales rep. Thus we have to add another layer by hiring some real sales people. Fantastic move, add another layer. Can never have too many layers right? Gores is so screwed by holding onto the management that just keeps making the same mistakes over and over again.

I think we should hire pre-coordinators to line the codes and quantities up for our coordinators. And and pre-managers to gather info so the managers can stay more productively occupied cooking the books and pre-deciders so the managers can be free of the stigma of bad decisions... oh wait, they already are.
It's like paying the defensive team bonuses for touchdowns allowed, and double for those allowed in the fourth quarter. Well, at least we have a good second team for the congress and senate. It would be hard to get elected as a successful businessman. Government is the only thing that operates worse than Stock, just barely.

spare a dime wrote:

<quoted text>
Among other changes on the sales side, the company is hiring people in each market whose sole job is to generate leads for reps to pursue.
WTF?
In other words we are admitting that our current outside sales force are nothing more than glorified order takers. So now the outside sales reps will have someone outside bringing in the business and a coordinator inside doing all of the actual work. I would be highly offended if I were an outside sales rep. Thus we have to add another layer by hiring some real sales people. Fantastic move, add another layer. Can never have too many layers right? Gores is so screwed by holding onto the management that just keeps making the same mistakes over and over again.

Is this by any chance a revelation from that idiot VP of Sales Shawn Smith? Here is a thought for the brilliant 12 member Executive Committe that Short Stop refered to; how about having the order takers get in the fucking truck and go out to call on someone that presently doesn't buy from you?

spare a dime wrote:

<quoted text>
Among other changes on the sales side, the company is hiring people in each market whose sole job is to generate leads for reps to pursue.
WTF?
In other words we are admitting that our current outside sales force are nothing more than glorified order takers. So now the outside sales reps will have someone outside bringing in the business and a coordinator inside doing all of the actual work. I would be highly offended if I were an outside sales rep. Thus we have to add another layer by hiring some real sales people. Fantastic move, add another layer. Can never have too many layers right? Gores is so screwed by holding onto the management that just keeps making the same mistakes over and over again.

As a former manager, I can tell you that when times were good, a lot of guys made a name for themselves as great salesmen. In fact, though, they were having orders thrown at them - there was no "salesmanship" involved. Now, what's left are the people who clearly can sell to the customers they have dealt with for years (the ones left in business) and they don't know how to prospect or open doors. In 2006, no one had to open a door. No one had the time to prospect.

The OSR's are great guys (and gals), but they need to be able to get back to basics or become counter sales people. Adding a layer of people who will prospect for them is yet another example of the "Short" sitedness of Stock's leadership. The sales team will become weaker - not stronger. More wasted money. The Gores group clearly do not understand this industry any more than this "executive" panel blazing a repeat of prior misteps from Stock leadership.

PLEASE FLUSH THE TOILET GORES! It stinks in Raleigh!

the problem is it's been flushed too many times already, they just keep digging a bigger hole but dont' worry, they'll make it up in volume.

spare a dime wrote:

<quoted text>
Among other changes on the sales side, the company is hiring people in each market whose sole job is to generate leads for reps to pursue.
WTF?
In other words we are admitting that our current outside sales force are nothing more than glorified order takers. So now the outside sales reps will have someone outside bringing in the business and a coordinator inside doing all of the actual work. I would be highly offended if I were an outside sales rep. Thus we have to add another layer by hiring some real sales people. Fantastic move, add another layer. Can never have too many layers right? Gores is so screwed by holding onto the management that just keeps making the same mistakes over and over again.

How dare you Sir ( or madam) we once employed the greatest sales person to grace the face of this or any other planet, Steve kennedy. That guy ate sawdust and s h i t 2X4's, he could sell long term health insurance to suicide bombers, that guy was AWESOME !!!!!!!!!! now all you had to do was let him have his way, upset him in any way and tears would flow. Yep Steve its me, you know who I am you crybaby M O T H E R F U C K E R, I hope you and Pro BUild go down in flames you worthless piece of human excrement.......... hmmm that sounded a tad bit negative, guess I better reread my copy of the little golden book of yes attitude.

Damn,, calling SK out like that harsh. I worked with SK at another lumberyard He's pretty good, maybe your bitter because he was telling you the way it is and you wanted to live in your alternate reality. The guys on the street who sell (like Steve) know WTF is going on, Maybe you should have listened to him.

:)

http://www.prosalesonline.com/industry-news.a...
Everyone at store management on up at Stock should read this article. By the way it does not say add another layer of expense.

Just an observer wrote:

Damn,, calling SK out like that harsh. I worked with SK at another lumberyard He's pretty good, maybe your bitter because he was telling you the way it is and you wanted to live in your alternate reality. The guys on the street who sell (like Steve) know WTF is going on, Maybe you should have listened to him.

Was that during his ill fated ship jumping experience at 84 ? That was when he cried wolf one too many times about packin up and leaving with HIS customers, only thing he forgot was Stock was the only company desperate enough to extend credit to those jacklegs. I remember the day he came crawling back to Stock like a beaten puppy, trying to play it off like "it was the best move for me" HA HA HA you two bit horse toothed jackass. I loved the way he built that house in the polo fields with all the material he jacked from Stock..... he laughed all the to the bank on that one. Ahhhh I do miss the old days, I have moved on to another lumber yard and yes things arent what they use to be but one things for sure I dont have to look at that no good piece of crap anymore. Lets see if he can run ProBuild in the ground as good as he did Stock.

84? I feel insulted. Stay classy, spare a dime. Love your posts.

spare a dime wrote:

http://www.prosalesonline.com/ industry-news.asp?sectionID=42 1&articleID=1116646
Everyone at store management on up at Stock should read this article. By the way it does not say add another layer of expense.

HELL AT MACOMB,WE WERE GOING TO CLOSE UP every other lumber yard with the low margin/high volume, that's what napolean claimed, he was trading paper with the truss company's to get more business, it was great lot's of buiness, but we always seemed to loose money, how the hell could that happen? Well guess who closed first, jokes on us! Napolean did a fine job listening and blowing smoke up the great yazoo, he has been rewarded with another general managers job, WHAT A JOKE!!!!!!!!!!

Charlotte had layoffs today. Anyone know who got hit?