Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/101356
4 ��� JANUARY 2013 ��� WORLD FENCE NEWS Contents Editor���s Corner Providing quality customer service is important key to business success Success in business, whether it is the fence business or any other, depends on a number of factors all coming together at the right time. But most owners and managers of successful firms would have to place customer service near the top of their list of good business practices. Keeping your existing customers happy and locating as many new ones as possible is critical in today���s marketplace. Here are a few tips that we have been able to compile from various sources on how to improve your company���s customer service and sharpen your image. ��� Really listen to your customers, whether they are complaining or complimenting. If they are complaining, don���t brush them off; make them feel like you really care, and address the situation as soon as possible. No one likes to feel like they are being ignored. If you don���t care, they will find someone who does. ��� At the completion of a job, don���t be afraid to ask for feedback. ��� This could be treading in a sensitive area, but be sure that the people who represent you on the ���front line��� (receptionists, inside and outside salespeople, installers who deal with the customers) are friendly and present themselves well. Not everyone is a ���people person��� and there is no shame in that. Just be sure that those employees who deal with new or existing customers are. ��� Don���t allow your company to come across as being impersonal. We realize that many fence companies use telephone recorders and automated answering systems and that is OK for after hours. But, unless you absolutely cannot afford it, have a real person answer your phone during normal business hours. A telephone receptionist service is a little better than a recorder, (continued on page 64) so go that route if you have to. �� News from the World of Fencing, Access Control and Security ISSUE NO. 357 ��� JANUARY 2013 Publisher Rodger D. Duke Comptroller Barbara Jo Duke Managing Editor, Advertising Director & Webmaster Rick Henderson Veteran tubing manufacturer elected CLFMI president ........................ 6 Jackpot 2013 trade show date nears ..................................................... 6 Albuquerque to host NOMMA���s 2013 METALfab ................................. 9 Session on RFID technology added to Fence Industry Week educational program ........................................... 10 North American Fence Contractors Association elects new officers at first biennial Fence Expo .................................................................... 22 HySecurity hosts tech training for dealers and distributors ................... 24 Encon Electronics to host Certified Automated Gate Operator Installer exam in January ........................................................................ 26 Fence Industry Week provides unique education and certification opportunities ...................................................................... 28 Fence Industry Calendar of Events ..................... 8 Fencer���s Field Report by Jim Lucci ................................ 14 Fence ordinances from around the U.S. .......................... 54 The Dodge Report: Drop in volatile electric and gas plant category drags October construction numbers down ...... 58 Through the years with WFN .... 64 ��������������� Fence installer world championships ..................................................... 35 Monthly Columns Phenomenal fence man Walt Easter ...................................................... 38 Fencer���s Memoriam 2012 ...................................................................... 46 ASTM publishes updated edition of fence standards ............................. 50 Texas MedClinic shares preventative measures to help ensure workplace safety ............................................................ 52 FENCETECH 2013: What, Where, When ............................................ 56 If you love what you do you���ll never work a day in your life by Tom Luby .............................. 29 Let your fence pride show ..................................................................... 62 FENCETECH offers super opportunity to network, learn and grow, by Jim Lucci ............... 34 ��������������� ��������������� Classified Advertising Special Features This fence job is for the birds��� cats��� dogs��� whatever by Jim Hart ............................................................................................. 72 Fencer���s Marketplace National Classified Advertising .................. 76 INDEX OF ADVERTISERS World Fence News Regular Features News General Manager Mary Hummon Contributing Editor Jim Lucci Production Manager Darlene Woehnker Contributing Editors In Memoriam Herb Borner ��� Jim Hart World Fence News (ISSN#1054-5185) is published monthly by World Fencing Data Center, Inc. U.S. subscriptions: one year, $40, two years, $65. Canada and Mexico: $75 per year. Paid subscription includes annual Fencer���s Almanac. Presorted standard postage paid at Beaver Dam, Wis., Permit No. 415. Unsolicited materials not accepted. Opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the editors, publishers or advertisers. Any resemblance between images created in cartoons and persons or objects in real life is coincidental. Advertisers and advertising agencies assume liability for all content ��� text, representations and illustrations ��� of advertisements printed, and also assume responsibility for any claim arising therefrom made against the publisher. All advertisements, including classifieds, are accepted on the premise that the product or service is properly described in the advertisement, is available at the advertised address, will be willingly sold to buyer at the price and conditions stated, and conforms to all legal and regulatory standards. Any advertisement not in compliance with those standards will not intentionally be displayed in this publication. ��2013. Contents of this publication may not be reproduced in whole or part by any means without the expressed written consent of the publisher. All correspondence should be sent to 6101 W. Courtyard Dr., Bldg. 3, Suite 115, Austin, Texas 78730. Telephone (800) 231-0275 (U.S. & Canada), (512) 349-2536, fax (512) 349-2567. E-mail editor@worldfencenews.com. ACOUSTIBLOK ..................................................... 24 ADC MANUFACTURING ....................................... 6 ALAMO FENCE, DIV. ATLAS FENCE CO., INC. ... 32 ALLIED TUBE & CONDUIT ��� A PART OF ATKORE INTERNATIONAL ........... 80 ALL-O-MATIC, INC. ............................................... 71 AMERICAN ACCESS SYSTEMS, INC. ��� A DIVISION OF SECURITY BRANDS, INC. ..... 24 AMERICAN FENCE ASSOCIATION FENCETECH 2013 ........................................... 60 AMERISTAR FENCE PRODUCTS ........................ 13 APOLLO GATE OPERATORS (NICE/APOLLO GATE OPERATORS) .............. 31 BD LOOPS ............................................................. 35 BFT U.S., INC. ....................................................... 59 BERGANDI MACHINERY CO. .............................. 16 C. PALMER DIE CASTING, INC. ........................... 48 CI-FABRICS ........................................................... 45 COLLINS LTD. (THE ROOK) ................................. 76 CONTROLLED PRODUCTS SYSTEMS GROUP .... 37 D&D TECHNOLOGIES .................................... 7,9,11 DAC INDUSTRIES, INC. ........................................ 10 DANDY DIGGER & SUPPLY, INC. ........................ 17 DIGGER SPECIALTIES, INC. ................................ 66 DIGI-CODE, INC. ................................................... 12 DOORKING, INC. .................................................. 49 DYNA PRODUCTS ................................................ 68 EZ GROUT CORPORATION ................................. 57 EAST COAST GATE OPERATORS, INC. ............. 38 ELITE FENCE PRODUCTS, INC. ......................... 29 ENCON ELECTRONICS ....................................... 35 EVERSTRONG PROFILES ................................... 64 FAAC USA ............................................................. 61 FENCER���S MEMORIAM ........................................ 46 FENCESPACE.COM ............................................. 56 FORTRESS FENCE PRODUCTS, A DIVISION OF THE FORTRESS COMPANY ...................... 39 FUH INDUSTRIAL, INC. ........................................ 44 GTO / ACCESS SYSTEMS ................................... 51 GARDEN STATE AFA JACKPOT SHOW ............... 72 GATEKEEPERS, INC. ........................................... 22 GATES & CONTROLS, INC. ................................. 30 GLOBAL HARDWARE SYSTEMS, INC. ............... 28 GROUND HOG, INC. ............................................. 69 HAMPDEN FENCE SUPPLY, INC. ........................ 12 HEARNE STEEL CO. ............................................ 8 HOMELAND VINYL PRODUCTS, INC. ................. 68 HUTCHISON, INC. ................................................ 16 HYSECURITY ................................. 8,18,34,36,53,69 IDEAL MFG., INC. / TILT-A-WAY ........................... 28 ILLUSIONS VINYL FENCE .............................. 40���41 IRON WORLD MANUFACTURING .... FRONT PAGE J.C. GURY CO., INC. ............................................. 6 JAMIESON FENCE SUPPLY ................................. 19 KEENER DUPONT WIRE, INC. ............................ 54 KROY BUILDING PRODUCTS .............................. 43 L&C ENTERPRISES���USA, INC. ................. 58,65,67 LMT PRODUCTS CORP. ....................................... 79 LIFTMASTER ......................................................... 33 LITTLE BEAVER, INC. ........................................... 14 LOCKEY USA ........................................................ 42 LOG CABIN FENCE ��� PRO DRIVER .................... 66 LOGICAL DECISIONS, INC. ............................. 26,62 MVP WEATHERWISE ........................................... 63 MALCO PRODUCTS, INC. .................................... 27 MANAGEMENT MOTIVATIONAL ASSOCIATES ... 52 MASTER HALCO ................................................... 2 MERCHANTS METALS ......................................... 23 MILLER EDGE ....................................................... 26 NATIONAL METAL INDUSTRIES .......................... 56 NATIONWIDE INDUSTRIES ................................. 3 PERMALATT PRODUCTS, INC. ........................... 52 PEXCO�� LLC (EAST) PDS�� FENCE PRODUCTS ............................... 25 PEXCO�� LLC (WEST) PDS�� FENCE PRODUCTS ............................... 25 POLY VINYL CREATIONS, INC. ............................ 77 PRIVACYLINK .................................................. 30,74 PRO-DEC.COM ..................................................... 54 PRUDENTIAL INDUSTRIES, INC. ........................ 10 PULJAK COMPANY, LLC ...................................... 48 QUALITY LINEALS USA, INC. .............................. 76 RAMSET AUTOMATIC GATE SYSTEMS, INC. .... 73 REDI DRIVER, INC. ............................................... 48 RHINO TOOL CO. ................................................. 22 RICHARD���S FENCE .............................................. 36 SEA-USA INC. ....................................................... 75 SECO-LARM USA, INC. ........................................ 55 SECURE GATE SYSTEMS, INC. .......................... 62 SKIDRIL ................................................................. 32 SOUTHWESTERN WIRE, INC. ............................. 70 STANDARD PAINTS, INC. ..................................... 70 SWAN FENCE, INC. .............................................. 50 TEI ROCK DRILLS ................................................ 44 TRI CUSTOM MANUFACTURING ................... 38,54 ULTRA-DRIVER BY SKIDRIL ................................ 28 UNIVERSAL VINYL EXTRUDERS ................... 16,76 USAUTOMATIC ..................................................... 47 VIKING ACCESS SYSTEMS ........................... 20���21 WAYMARK PRODUCTS LLC ��� WAYMARK FENCE AND RAIL ACCESSORIES .................. 34 WESTECH BUILDING PRODUCTS ...................... 15 WESTERN TUBE & CONDUIT CORP. .................. 18 WHEATLAND TUBE CO. ....................................... 5 WILLIAMS LOWBUCK TOOLS, INC. .................... 24 WORLD FENCE NEWS ......................................... 78 XCEL STEEL & ALUMINUM FENCE SYSTEMS ... 8 Scan with your Smartphone! World Fence News is a proud member of these trade associations: VINYL FENCE, DECK AND RAILING MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION MEMBER A Division of the American Fence Association