Why Does A Duck Need A Raincoat?

Because it keeps them dry when it rains. I bet you knew that all along.

You see, I bought my wife a duck with a raincoat to put in her collection of ducks in the bay window. (Of course, you, too, have such a collection, I'm sure.) It is adorable, silly, and we don't have another one like it.

I have been in thousands of glass shops, and every single one seems to have a duck in a raincoat.

Look around your shop. You will see pieces of this, cutoffs of that, samples galore and half finished jobs that will never be restarted because the customer's deposit check bounced. Look in your showroom for displays of products that you no longer sell. Search through your own display window to pull out the faded literature and signs. Look at your trucks, and throw away every rock-hard half used tube of silicone. If you throw away 500 pounds of broken glass and short metal pieces from the back of your truck, you will pick up two miles per gallon. Take that to the bank.

If we declare January to be "The National Glass Industry Fill Your Dumpster Month", your shops will be cleaner, your safety record will improve because you deep-sixed the clutter, and your crews will be more productive.

Update your show room with products you sell now, not what you sold three years ago. The items in your showroom or near your cash register should be the ones that you make the most profit on. Put your weakest profit items in the farthest part of the store.

As for the Ducks with Raincoats in your store, put 'em out in the rain, wish them good luck, and go back to work.

The Very Old Old Fruitcake

It was brown speckled with pieces of red and green fruit. It had been in our family for thirty five years, and must have been a lot older than that. I was sure. It was given to Elaine's Mom in 1974, and when she closed her apartment and moved into the assisted living center, we inherited her stuff, most especially the fruit cake.

Each year Elaine's Mom would put the fruit cake on the dining room table, but no one ever asked for a piece. We are all chicken--except for Jessie who is a vegetarian. But each year at the end of dinner, the fruit cake would go back into the red and green tin, and wait to see daylight again in 365 days.

We keep it in the attic in our house, along with the rest of Mom's stuff. We never named it, for you don't want a personal relationship with something that you may eat one day.

Year after year, not one of us had the courage to ask for a piece.

This year we gained a family member, Mollie, who is just about the world's greatest dog. She is a half yellow lab and half golden retriever. She seems to have the best qualities of both dogs. She listens like she understands english, she doesn't beg for people food, and she has never gone to the bathroom in the house. She hugs everyone who comes into the house, after thirty seconds of barking, and loves to have the top of her scratched. We limit the scratching to three hours per day, but she always asks for more.

We had our annual family holiday dinner last night. We set the table, cooked the turkey and had everything ready. Sitting in the living room, by the fireplace, we heard a strange noise from the dining room. It was a cross between a whimper and a laugh coming from Mollie. She had jumped up on a chair, and stretched out to the table. In her mouth was the very old fruitcake. As much as a dog can smile, Mollie was smiling. She had taken one large bite out of the fruit cake and it was miracle...she was still alive.

We talked about this for an hour. What to do with our tradition? What to do with Mollie when she went into convulsions? What to do next year?

We cut off the part that Mollie had started, and cut the remaining part into 14 pieces and gave everyone a taste of the fruit cake. It turned out to be pretty good, in fact it was downright great.

Mollie, old girl, thanks for showing us that we shouldn't be afraid of regifted fruit cake, that we should try new things, and that dogs can smile.

What does this have to do with the glass industry? Not a darn thing. Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah, Joyous Kwanzaa, and a healthy, prosperous and happy New Year to my readers.

The Top Ten Glass Shop Holiday Mistakes

The Holidays in December are festive and joyous, religious and solemn, and give many business owners, even glass company owners, great opportunities to really screw up. Here are the Top Ten Mistakes for you to avoid this Holiday season.

10. Know your holidays. Everyone does not celebrate Christmas. Kwanzaa goes from 12/26 to 1/1; Chanukah from 12/11 to 12/18. Many followers of Eastern religions and Muslims don't celebrate Christmas. Look at your customer base and plan accordingly. This doesn't mean do nothing..."Happy Holidays", or "Season's Greetings" work for all folks.

9. Don't stay open after noon on Thursday, 12/24 or Thursday, 12/31. Your employees minds are elsewhere, safety is an issue, and unless you sell holiday presents, you are not going to do any business.

8. Stop the tradition of giving booze to your customers and employees. If you can't think of something specific for a gift, give a generic gift card. You can always make a donation to a favored charity in honor of specific customers. Most charities will send an acknowledgement to your customer.

7. Don't confuse personality and performance when giving out holiday bonuses. The smiling kid is probably not more valuable than the grumpy foreman in the shop.

6. When giving a check under $25.00, you don't have to take out taxes. Giving a check for $21.37, after taxes, looks odd.

5. Never lay-off or fire an employee in the last two weeks of December. It makes you into "Scrooge". Even if the employee deserves it. If, for instance, he started a fight, suspend him without pay until January 1st, and then terminate him.

4. Don't buy yourself a new car or take a vacation, and then say there are no holiday checks because of the economy. Even when there are tax advantages to buying that truck or the new edger, wait until mid-January or beyond to take delivery.

3. At your holiday party, avoid touching or hugging employees in an unprofessional way. Do not allow mistletoe as that will make some people uncomfortable, and make some people into fools.

2. Don't give an employee a promised or scheduled raise and then call it a holiday gift.

1. Do not allow any alcohol to be consumed in your shop under any circumstances. There are too many chances for an injury to occur. If you want to have a drink with your employees, go to a restaurant or bar nearby.

Now I Can Tell The True Story

I had been sworn to secrecy years ago. When she first crashed the gate at the Glass Show on Long Island. But now, with it all over the news, and Congress investigating, the full story can be told.

The year---2007.

The place---The Wind Watch Hotel, on Long Island, NY

The event---The Glass Expo

The facts---I was the volunteer greeter at the front of the exhibition hall. Welcome everyone in, answer questions, and check their badges for counterfeits. It seems that some people from the plastics industry were trying to gain access to our glass show, with their evil plan to replace glass with plastic everywhere.

"Hi Jim, Hi Bob," I was saying, when she appeared from around the corner. Tall, slinky thin, long straight blond hair, a long black dress with a slit that never stopped going north, and a little too much make-up for the Glass Expo. I guessed right away she was not a windshield installer.

We had been briefed by Deb Levy to watch out for this nefarious group. They tried to disrupt the Chicago Expo a couple of months earlier. But, I was all alone at the door. What if I was wrong, and insulted a real customer? What if I let her in, and she started talking about unbreakable glazing material? Once those seeds are planted, you could see the industry withering up. What should I do?

She approached me at the door. Her perfume announced her presence from eight paces. Some would have thought it was a little too much...I just breathed in and let my lungs have a party. Her smile said it all..."Here I am buddy, take a look, have a dream, and then get out of my way." I pulled my stare from her blue eyes to the name badge pinned on her rather large....

Belt, her large belt held her name tag. It said 'Lola', with no last name. The company was listed as "Lola's Consulting". I knew that you never trust a consultant. My antenna was twitching. Her husky voice called out to me, "Hi there, is the right place to enter the glass industry show? I would like to look around." I couldn't stop staring, her smile seemed painted on, her dress' slit still heading north. I didn't look at the badge close enough, and could only stammer, "Sure, go ahead."

Lola walked around the show, handing out her card, getting her picture taken with various owners of glass companies, spreading her story that one day soon, glass will be obsolete. Yet, no one heard her words.

The next day, on Lola's face book page, there was a picture of her along with the smiling owner of the largest contract glazier in the region. The glazier's wife, Marie, received an e-mailed copy from her sister. Marie took out her shotgun and asked her husband who the dame was who had her arm around him. He just couldn't speak. He didn't even remember meeting her at the show, all evidence to the contrary.

Lola had succeeded in causing grief to the glass industry. That was her job, and she did it well.

You know how they say that"......flows down hill". Well, I was the downhill. I let her in the show, on what now appeared to be a false name tag. I didn't do my job, and was told that I could not volunteer again. How could I tell my wife and kids that bad news. Maybe I could just forget about it. I tried, to no avail.

Now, I wonder what Lola said to Vice-President Biden and even to President Obama.

The results---Door-keepers of future Glass Expos, be warned: Lola is still out there.

What, Really, Does The Arch Bankruptcy Mean To A Glass Shop?

You've read the news, Arch Aluminum filed for bankruptcy. What does this mean to you? Odds are, not much. If anything, it will help the average glass company who is a customer of Arch.

Huh?

Yes, if you had your ear to the ground, this had been rumored for a while. Arch's management has spent a boatload of time worrying about this, setting it up, and preparing for the future. Now that the future is here, and well defined, they can get back to the glass business and Arch's employees can be assured their jobs are continuing. Your service should improve as everyone can let their breath out and go back to business as usual. Arch was a glass fabrication company, not one of these financial super markets. The bankruptcy won't interfere with their core business. Sure, the bankruptcy is going to hurt their vendors and the owning family, but the glass and metal customers will come out ahead.

If you were an Arch customer, continue to be one. They are not going anywhere. There is a temptation to shop around, and it is always a good idea to compare vendors, but don't switch just because of the bankruptcy. What brought Arch down was the debt that drove their growth, not their operations or their production. The skills of 1900 employees are not going anywhere.

Pilkington and PPG are going to take a hit. So are Guardian and Bonnell. They will all survive this. The glass industry as a whole will not be hurt by this. The biggest losers will be the banks. They knew the risks of loaning money, and got paid for their risks. I don't feel sorry for them. That is their business, no differently than folks in our industry bidding on a job, and finding extra costs associated with the job. If you don't do a proper takeoff, and really study the job, this will happen.

Some people already have said to me that the Silverstein family is making out like a banshee. I promise you this is not the case. I know that an event like this feels like a member of the family is severely sick, and then a magic medicine helps bring back the life. The only one who will be making a ton of money on this will be the attorneys. Nobody at Arch wanted this to happen, and everyone there is working to make the company healthy again. Ten years ago, filing for bankruptcy carried a stigma, totally negative. Unfortunately, today, it is thought to be 'good business' to rid yourself of debt.

I have owned four Chevy's in the past 14 years, and I will certainly buy another one when my current car gives up the ghost. The fact that GM went through bankruptcy actually makes me feel better about buying a car, because I am sure they are now healthy enough to stand behind it. You should feel the same way about Arch.

I read an interesting note on the US Glass News page today. One of the oldest and best known companies in the glass industry also filed for bankruptcy this week...The Fletcher Terry Company, the company that controlled the market by making the best glass cutters in America. What happened here? Can we blame the recession and its impact on the construction industry? Can we blame imports? We don't know. Events like this happen in all industries.

The Silversteins are smart people, and their staff is truly capable. They will make Arch Aluminum viable for their customers. Count on it.

PS. As many of you know, I am a consultant in the glass industry. I have never had any financial relation with Arch Aluminum or any of its companies. The above opinion is strictly my own.

Here is a little story that is appropriate(?) for this time of year.

John and Priscilla Hastings had a little glass shop in Plymouth, Massachusetts. They repaired broken picture frames, replaced IG, polished a few mirrors and repaired some screens. Their main goal in life was to plant a seed in their son, John Junior, to become a manager of their shop. One day, Priscilla sent Junior out to a job at 1620 Cranberry Lane, just off Pilgrim Highway. On the way out of Plymouth, Rock93, a local radio station had a contest: The ninth caller would win a long weekend on Cape Cod.

Junior didn't win.

He arrived at Sam and Mary Squanto's house at lunch time. As he was measuring the mirror to be replaced, Mary offered him a turkey sandwich. Junior, who stopped at Wendy's on the way, said he was stuffed, but was thankful for the offer. Mary then asked him if he would like a piece of pumpkin pie for desert. Junior was still full, so he asked if he could take a piece home for his family dinner. Just as Mary said, "You may", Flower, her cat jumped on the pie and left a permanent paw print in the last piece.

Junior left without his pie.

He fiddled on his radio, caught the baseball scores, where the Red Sox beat the Indians. It was the fourth Thursday in a row that the Red Sox won a game, but they were still out of the running for the fall classic. Junior was looking forward to football season anyway. Even though it's corny, Junior liked the tailgating and the feasts at the Patriot's games.

His next stop was at May and Mike Cees' house. The Cees had a hole in a screen, which Junior could fix right in his truck. It seems there was a parade of insects at May Cees' house, coming through the screen.

After he left the Cees' house, the sky started turning black. "Friday is a bad day for a thunderstorm", Junior thought. Since he didn't get his pie earlier, he stopped at the First Harvest Diner, for a piece of apple pie. He was working on a crossword puzzle, looking for a ten letter word meaning 'horn of plenty', when his cell phone rang. Priscilla wanted him to come home for a family dinner. He read the latest issue of US Glass Magazine at the table, spilling gravy all over it. Junior thought it was the best issue he ever made a mess of.

Since this is a short work week, this is a short blog. Stick a fork in it--it's done. Just in case you didn't catch it---Happy Thanksgiving.

First, Fire Frank Foreman

You have made up your mind to replace your plant foreman. You have thought about it for a year now, some days Frank Foreman is good, and some days he acts like a lump on a log. You talked it over with your partner and yes, you are going to do it. Done deal. You'll do it after the first of year and start with a clean slate.

'Ding Ding Ding Ding'. There is the 'you just made a mistake bell' ringing, and it is ringing loudly!

When you decide to replace someone, do it ASAP. Do not wait, do not pass go, and do not wait for some artificial calendar date.

Here's why...

You will transmit your feelings about Frank to him, and he will become an even worse employee. You will hope that maybe he will quit, saving you the confrontation of the firing, and maybe the unemployment insurance cost. Frank will begin to realize his days are numbered, and get even more stubborn about resigning, and will become more of a pain-in-the-tail.

Other employees will begin to feel this tension, and they will question why Frank is still in charge since he is behaving like a horse's behind. Your leadership will then be questioned.

Frank, will unexpectedly throw out his back, real soon, after he realizes what your are doing. His worker's comp payout will last a long time, and cost you much more than unemployment.

What follows is a true story. I had decided to release a customer service person at one of our plants. He was a gentleman about 50 years old. I was worried about age discrimination problems and I spent time figuring out the best way to fire him. To make a long story short, the day I was going to meet with him, he called in sick. Three days later he asked for a meeting with me. It seems he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer and needed a couple of months off for treatment. I couldn't fire him now. He remained on our books for five months because I waited. Sure this is a one in a million, but really, I terminated about twenty CSR's in my time, so this is a one-in-twenty.

Now if you do the termination as soon as you make up your mind here is what happens...

You will feel better. You will not have this hanging over your head for a long period of time. Your employees will give you a ticker-tape parade. By the time you realize Frank has to leave, your employees have known this for a while. They really are wondering what took you so long to see the writing on the wall. Sure you will be shorthanded for the time you look for Frank's replacement. If Frank was that bad, you won't feel his leaving, because he didn't do anything. Your employees will work harder knowing that they have to pitch in with Frank gone, and they will be glad to do it.

If you keep Frank on while you are looking for a replacement, the fact you are searching will get out. It always does. It always will. You will get caught in an embarrassing moment, guaranteed.

If you want to pay someone through a certain date, then do it in the form of severance. Every manager wants to be kind to their employees; if you plan on giving Frank extra money, do that; but your best kindness will be getting Frank out of the business so the other employees can get their jobs done!

How Much Is That Doggie In The Window?

You know her, the one with the waggily tail. If one of the world's most sung songs is about looking into a store front and hoping to be able to spend money, does that tell you something? You can make money helping people to make their storefronts more attractive to customers.

Joe's Baseball Card Shop calls you and wants information about putting in a new storefront that will give his business a more modern look, and get rid of all the water dripping on his cards displayed in the window. So you visit Joe and see a wooden framed front, with single glazed, clear, 1/4" annealed glass. He is on a busy street, with lots of foot traffic, being near a popular coffee shop. Joe is concerned with his energy costs, and of course, with the payback to your project. What are you going to tell him?

You think for a few minutes and maybe come up with the following: The frame should be thermally broken aluminum. Your choice of manufacturers and detail. Help Joe with this one...what color? Clear, bronze, or what? Well, baseball is most associated with green, for the grass it is played on. I would recommend a green front, which, would increase your sale too! Explain that the thermally broken front will save him energy dollars and help reduce condensation in the winter. Maybe, if the sizing is right, you make the opening shaped like home plate. This makes his front a direct ad for his business. Sounds corny, but so what...if you suggest it, the customer can always so "no". If you don't suggest it, you have no chance of the possible 'YES'.

Now for the glass--baseball cards are very sensitive to fading, so you definitely want a light of lami as the inboard lite on an IG Unit. Explain this to Joe and he will respect your knowledge of the technical side of glass, and help him solve a problem that he has, but didn't think to ask you about. Don't be afraid to up sell a little bit. Next, show Joe Starphire (tm) and clear float, and let Joe decide. Show Joe how much better his cards will look in low-iron glass. Either one can come with high-performance low-e.

You have solved Joe's moisture problem, his fading problem, which he didn't know could be fixed, and gave him a whole new look to draw in customers. It is a larger sale, but well worth the customer's interests...and Joe will thank you for suggesting ways to help his business.

Walk down the main shopping streets in your business area. You will find many retailers who need upgraded storefronts. Explain to them that this investment is needed now for them to improve their business. I know most businesses are not going to be spending money now, but what the heck; you're not busy anyway and all you need is one or two to say they are interested. You have to go out and drum up the business for your company. Don't wait for it to come to you.

PS. If Joe says he will pay you in baseball cards instead of cash, take it.

It's Time To Think About Christmas/Holiday Bonuses

Yep, it is that time already. How much can you give, to who, and most importantly why? If the why is "because you did it last year and the year before that," it is time to think twice. The rules of business have changed in the last twelve months. Companies are changing; if they are not, they are going out of business.

Giving a bonus should not be based on tradition, unless presented in an employee manual as part of yearly compensation, or as part of a negotiated contract. Deciding to give a bonus should be based on three factors:

1. Was the overall business successful. If the company lost money over the last twelve months, or had negative cash flow, it is hard to justify funds to cover bonuses.


2. Did the specific employee do his job as requested, or did she/he stand out from the crowd, doing more than expected.


3. Do you, as the owner/manager, feel strongly about giving a gift at this time of the year to some or all employees.

Let's look at one. If you made money, then by all means thank your employees. Thank them with your words, and your checkbook. A business that was profitable in the last year is indeed rare. Share with your employees as much as you can, for along with your leadership, they brought you to this profitable point.

On the other hand, if you lost money, or your cash flow is negative, it is time to consider not giving a bonus. Even though you have paid one for many years, this year is different; most employees know the economy has hurt business. Meet with your employees as early in the holiday schedule as you can, so they can predict their income and adjust their spending patterns. Any employee who vocally or publicly complains about no gift, is not a team player. Do what you may with this thought.

It is easy for me, sitting in my office to tell you not to pay a holiday bonus. Sure is. My only employee is my wife, Elaine. But, if you made little or no profit, you have to change the rules this year. Yes, it will hurt. But it will hurt less than going out of business in March when your cash is completely gone.

Tell your employees now there will be no bonus next month. Explain to them the facts of your business, and that you are equally upset as they are.

Make sure you didn't just buy a new truck or a car for yourself. Don't take a winter vacation this year either. Two weeks on a tropical island, even if it is your 25th anniversary blows all credibility you had. Don't take advantage of year-end planning by buying a ton of inventory.

Two. You have a couple of employees who worked their tails off, far and above what you would have expected. They were leaders and motivators of others and contributed heavily to holding the company together. You want to give them something to say thank you, and make a point of it to the others that those who worked hard will get a bonus. Sounds like a good idea....until you answer this question--"Do you have a valid employee review system that details the excellent work of some and the substandard work of others?" If not you really should not make this payment. Here is one possible scenario. The two great employees have green skin and brown hair, and the two weaker employees both happen to have blue skin with brown hair. Bet you a dollar to a donut, that the blue skin employees will file a discrimination complaint, and they will probably win. Even if they don't win, you will spend time and precious money defending what you thought was a nice gesture on your part.

If you still want to take care of your key people, understand that it will get out to the rest...it always does. The quietest way that I know is to give a VISA gift card, that the employee can use just as cash. Impress upon the employee not to mention this, and hope that works. At year-end, be sure to include the value of the card in their gross wages.

By far, the best system of giving bonuses is based on the actual work each employee does, not seniority. You will get a much bigger bank for the buck if you reward the people who deserve it. You MUST have an employee evaluation system in place to do this well, and to avoid problems. Start this now, so it is in place for next year. You will be well ahead of the game.

Have questions on employee review systems? Feel free to give me a phone call at 603-242-3521 and I will gladly answer your questions.

Three. If you want to give a gift at this time of the year, then do it. It is your money to distribute, and if it makes you feel good, then go ahead. Give it based on seniority, or equal amounts to various departments. Remember, if you give different amounts to similar employees, you should have a review program.

US Glass News---Oct. 27, 2019

Here is the what the glass news for, October 27, 2019, would look like if written by a blogger that has way too much time on his hands and a mind that wanders.

Singapore. CR Laurence, the sprawling Los Angeles based supplier of everything for the glass industry opened their 265th distribution center, located in Singapore. Don Friese, Chairman of CRL Worldwide, was on hand for the ribbon cutting. The famous CRL catalog is now available in 35 languages, serving the 54 different countries where CRL has a warehouse.

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. PPG denied the rumor, again, that the glass division is up for sale. The offer from the government of China was made public this week on the glass channel, a large industry-specific cable/satellite channel, available in over two billion homes across the world. PPG, the innovator of bio-luminescent paint has seen glass sales slip to 1% of their company's two and half trillion dollars of sales. The Chairman of PPG said, "Now that PPG Bio Paint is used in every home in the world, glass has slipped a little in focus, but we will not forget our past." Most outsiders agree that if the price were right, the glass division would be sold.

New York City, New York. The Freedom Tower has been given it's building permit by the City of New York. The Tower, clad in standard three-inch IG, made with Blast-Resistant, ninth generation Low-E, should be ready for occupancy by 2021, in time for the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attack.

Owatonna, Minnesota. ViraArch has announced the purchase of the Grayson Glass Company from Cleveland. The new company will be called ViArGra. The officers of the new company have promised a hard effort to please their customers and stockholders.

Cleveland, Ohio. Speaking of Cleveland, the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame is still made of glass, and that is the only news from Cleveland.

Toledo, Ohio. The Mayor of Toledo wants to know why we are speaking of Cleveland; isn't Toledo the glass capital of Ohio?

Midland, Michigan. Dow Corning has announced their newest silicone product. Each tube of Dow 34567 has three colors in each tube, so you never have the wrong silicone with you on the truck. Dow is working on a new name for the tri-colored silicone. VanChocStraw Silicone has already been passed over.

Dublin, Ireland. Oldcastle has announced that the glass division now makes up over 50% of the company's revenue. The purchase of the entire glass production of Japan has been credited with helping the glass division's growth.

Somewhere in New Mexico. The giant (249 sq mile) solar collector which will supply electricity to the Southwest US has continued its construction on schedule. With the glass front plate being delivered from Viet Nam, about 10,000 sq ft per day is being assembled. At this rate, it will only take 1,902 years to complete the installation. The owner's rep has commented that with the low costs of labor, the Vietnamese glass is cost effective for this type of job.

Garisonville, Virginia. US Glass Magazine has announced their participation in the ear chip program. This allows US Glass readers to have a computer chip embedded in their scalp to continuously receive the US Glass News, and highlights from the glass channel 24 hours a day, with limited commercial interruption. The chip will be free to qualified readers.

Miami, Florida. Max Perilstein's two hour, daily, show on the glass channel has received the award for excellence from the Florida ASPCA, for Max's in-depth story on how some Florida Marlins lived through a vicious attack by some Pirates from the Pittsburgh area. We know Max's love of fish stories.

Fitzwilliam, New Hampshire. Paul Bieber's glass blog continues to hit new lows with bad jokes and weird columns. This has been an ongoing trend for many years, and looks likely to continue.

Why Did Bieber the Blogger Go To Cooperstown?

Why did Bieber the Blogger go to Cooperstown?

I am here to tell the glass universe that there is indeed glass in the Baseball Hall Of Fame. This is a pure research mission in my quest to learn more about the uses of our great product.

And, if you believe that....

My wonderful wife, Elaine, gave me a three day trip here as a gift for a recent birthday. I feel like a kid in a candy shop. Just about everyone who know me knows that I enjoy baseball, and since Cooperstown is the center of the universe, here we are.

Elaine and I arrived here this morning, spent the day looking at old baseballs and uniforms, and I can tell you, it just doesn't get better than this.

So, since this is supposed to be a glass blog, here is what I have to report:

• Not a darn thing!

I'll catch you next week with a real column about glass; until then, Elaine and I are on vacation. See you soon.

Lyle Hill Should Have Won The Nobel Peace Prize

He's from Chicago; people read what he writes; he has negotiated a peaceful settlement with the all the union trades in the glass industry; he was disappointed when the Olympics went south; who is this super man?

It is really Lyle Hill who should have won the Nobel Prize.

The comments after the announcement could fit either man to a "T":

"Why Him?"
"Maybe he will do more in the future."
"It was done with smoke and mirrors."

I have learned that Lyle's cadre of fiendish friends stuffed the ballot box in Oslo. You know who they are--led by the Mooch. They went by the hundreds to vote for Lyle. They even had his name written down on their shirt sleeves so they wouldn't forget it. They sneaked into the room with the ballot box and opened the ballots. That's when the panic ensued. Lyle's name was not on the ballot, and there was no room for a write-in. They looked at each other and said that since President Obama was from Chicago, that would be close enough. Everyone would know that if someone from Chicago won, people would know it really would be Lyle. So they voted for President Obama.

The right-wingers have all complained about the President getting the prize, but not a one of them has suggested an alternative. We have to start a "Substitute Lyle For Oslo" campaign. We need to put this on billboards along Lake Michigan, and shout it from the top of the Ferris wheel at Navy Pier. Every email you send should include the "Substitute Lyle" mantra.

If you rearrange the letters in Rush Limbaugh's name, it spells: "Lyle Hill is the best guy to ever come out of Chicago and he deserves the prize." (Rush has a long middle name that not many know!)

During the last century, at a Cubs game, Lyle bought some Cracker Jacks, and pulled a prize with two parts. It was his first 2-piece prize, and ever since then, he knew this Oslo based thing was his destiny.

Let us all come together to support a peaceful man, in our peaceful industry, from the non-partisan city of Chicago.

P.S. If Lyle does win, he gets $1,400,000 as a gift from the Nobel Institute. I hope that Lyle will donate this to the new owners of the Chicago Cubs to help them sign pitching. Thanks, Lyle.

Author's Note: I am very proud that our American President was honored by the Nobel Committee. The world hopes that President Obama will lead us to a more peaceful earth.

There Is Always Next Year

I am a Mets fan. I have been a Mets fan. I will continue to be a Mets fan. "There is always next year" is my mantra. With the season ending on Sunday, I have spoken these words yet again. It's easy to speak these five words for a baseball fan; a glass shop owner can't say them. You don't get an off season to regroup and practice. Next year starts when the alarm clock goes off tomorrow morning. So, let's look at some easy and quick ideas to start turning things around.

Scenario: Your accountant just told you that you lost money during the last quarter.

Buck up and say thank you to the accountant. You can't recapture the money, so moping around won't do any good. Have the accountant tell you where you lost the money...was it selling too low, was labor too high, was your overhead climbing too fast? A good accountant will be able to see this easily. Then, sit down that evening and look at why the problem area occurred and make a list of ten or more possible solutions to the problem. Now, go to sleep. In the morning, look back at your list with a fresh focus, and you will see that three or four ideas are just plain silly, one or two will cost more than they save, and one or two may just work. That's your target.

If you don't have any ideas, reach out to your second in command at the shop, sharing the problem and asking for solutions. Ask your accountant, your lawyer or any business advisor you have. Maybe another glass shop across town will be glad to talk with you.

Write a program that fixes your problem, based on the two ideas that you kept. Sleep on it again, and if it still looks good, then you start to implement.

Great words, Paul, but what are the possible fixes if you lost money last quarter? Most of the people I have been talking with have their payroll as low as it can go. People have time to shop around, so you are probably buying at good prices. The most common thing I hear is that selling prices are so low that no one is making any money. How then, can you raise prices when the market is soft?

Bid on work that can go to any bidder, not jobs that are required by law to go to the lowest bidder. This may cause a change in your business plan, and that is OK, the economy has changed, and you can change with it.

Give your potential customer, Sam Geecee, greater value. When you give a bid, list all of the extra points your company will include:

• Washing every window you install;
• Do the work on the evenings in an office building so they won't be displaced from their normal work effort;
• Eat any small extras, up to a preset value, telling Sam that you are a service company;
• Stress all of the warranties you are passing through from your vendors, give a warranty of a year or two on all of your work;
• Stress the high quality of the materials you use for sealants, piggyback on the good will of the name brands, avoiding the bargain stuff;
• Explain how your glass and metal is energy efficient, assist Sam with understanding LEED points, show how much Sam will save in energy costs;
• Build a small mock-up, when Sam didn't ask for one, to make sure everyone is on the same page;
• Always look clean and neat in every contact with your potential customer, sure you have work clothes on but your shirt is tucked in, your hair neat, and your paperwork doesn't have coffee stains;
• Take them on a tour of your glass fabricator's plant, if nearby, showing the quality of the product you will be installing;
• Promise Sam his punch list will be done promptly, and then do it promptly--this is what you will be remembered by;
• Offer to take Sam around to other similar installations you have done to verify your skills;
• Promise that your employees will always look presentable on the customer's job site

OK, here are a few great ideas, and a few that are a real stretch---that is exactly the point. Some you throw out, some you implement.

This can help raise your selling prices by maybe a point or two, so, let's try it.

Glass Show Seminars I Would Like To See

The big show is coming to Atlanta. I was looking over the list of seminars, and while they looked very interesting and informative, there were some I thought were missing. Since I can see the future, here are some seminars from a glass show of the future:

• How To Read The Calendar (Section I)--For Glass Shops---learn how to smudge dates on purchase orders; how to prove your fabricator was late and can be back charged; discover why your vendor's payment terms of 30 days really equals 75.

• How To Read The Calendar (Section II)--For Fabricators---learn how to easily add a week for delivery and keep most of your customers happy; Why does saying Monday really mean Tuesday, in English and Spanish; How to blame: a) the fax machine b) the clerk you fired yesterday; 10 surefire excuses for missing delivery dates

• How To Order Chinese Glass--It Is Easier Than You Think---Pick a building owner planning to sell the building within six months, eliminating concern with impossible re-orders; prepare a press release saying you believe in the international economy for all peoples; Have the glass delivered at night in plain, unmarked crates

• A Seminar On The Many Uses For Failed IG Units---Our speaker told us he had nothing to discuss...we will reschedule this for next year

• A First Timer's Look At Tempered Shower Doors---They are so easy that any glazier can do them; Why the phrase "out-of-square" means nothing; How to measure doors to a 1/4" tolerance; How to order a Mickey Mouse notch without out the need for the Goofy drawings; 5 ways to place your own tempered logo on annealed glass

• A Presentation on Sexist and Racist Jokes That Are Acceptable In Every Glass Shop---Our presenter will tell you how to offend everyone without breaking the law; Why sexist jokes work better with props; Telling racist jokes in multiple languages

• How Smoking Pot On The Job Will Help You Lift Those Heavy IG Units---(There is an additional $20 fee for the hands-on section of this seminar) Smoking pot gives you super-human feelings...How to channel this energy to productive work; Sharing the good stuff so every one can work at the same pace; The timing of giving pot to your customers...before the final inspection or with the presentation of the invoice; Discover the list of employers who don't drug test

• Fashions Of The Glass Worker---10 different blue jean styles that will show the top of your butt; Wearing T-shirts with foul language and obscene pictures actually makes you feel better; Why changing your clothes at least once a week will be good for business

• Why The Wage And Hour Laws Don't Apply To You---Paying taxes restricts your rights; Overtime laws are for sissies; The proper amounts to offer as bribes for various situations

A Eulogy for Cheshire

This is an odd blog. I lost an old friend this past week. The passing was quite unexpected, but then again, I hadn't seen the reports prior to the death announcment. Oldcastle Glass announced the closing of their plant in Cheshire, CT., which was one of the plants I was involved with for twenty years at Floral Glass, and then with Oldcastle Glass.


This one hit home with me. This is not some statistic. I hired or promoted many of the people there, worked with them, praised them, and when necessary, took them to the wood shed. It was a simple plant, back in the day. Our parent plant provided a lot of their material, and they did a good job redistributing tempered and making IG. They were a dominent force in southern New England, more based on the personality of the players than on the glass pricing and service levels. This was a plant based on people's interactions with customers.


And yet, things must change, must move on. Oldcastle Glass invested heavily in this plant, placing a modern tempering line and handling equipment there. They upgraded the computers, and trained folks in the Oldcastle Glass systems. So, with great people, and new equipment, what happened?


Damned if I know. Oldcastle Glass does not have me on their speed dial list any more. They didn't ask my permission to close this plant. In fact, they probably blamed me somehow. Such is life. The scuttlebut I heard was that the profitablitly of the plant just wasn't there, and the number crunchers had to make a tough decision.


I hope this was a tough decision. I hope they considered the forty or so families that this impacted. I hope they debated this for quite a while in the home office, maybe came up with ideas to hold on somehow. I guess, in the long run, they didn't come up with that magic idea that would change the economy around Cheshire, CT. There was on going conversations with a local union and this might have had some impact. Who knows. We are not supposed to know. America is based on private enterprise, and Oldcastle Glass has to do what is in the best interest of their stockholders. It is just that I knew these people who lost their jobs.


If you are in the glass industry in central Connecticut, keep your eyes open for a lot of good employees who are looking for work. Dig around, they are there, and are really good people.

Are You Ready For The End Of The Recession?

"Hey, Bieber, what are you talking about...I'm not worried about the end of the recession...I just want to survive during the recession." So I said to Negative Norman, "You have to look ahead, and here is what you can do."

First, accept the fact that the recession will end. They always do. Your job is to decide when it will end for your business. You want to be taking actions three to six months before the business turns around. When will it turn around? Look at the leading indicators in your business area. Are there building permits being pulled? Are the drafting services starting to get busy? Are the architects calling for specs? Is there a new Dunkin Donuts or Starbucks going in the area, or being renovated? Watch the big companies, and you don't need your own economist to advise you.

Once a month, call the human resources office at the biggest company in your area and ask if they are hiring. If they say no for the next two months, and in the third month, they say yes, that can be your signal.

OK, you feel the economy may start growing again, what do you do?

• Get all vacations out of the way now. You don't want people taking time off when you want to respond to business.
• Get your trucks fixed up, painted, cleaned, and ready to roll each day.
• Finish painting and decorating your showroom; people will be coming in. Replace the burned out light bulbs and update your displays!
• Finish the computerization you have been working on. You don't want any distractions.
• Meet with your vendors to get current pricing on your main products, with the intent of increasing volume. Most glass fabricators are hungry and will respond well to this.
• Look at a few new items to carry in your showroom...maybe a wood or vinyl window, how about a sandblasted shower door.
• The hottest thing I keep seeing is color infused glass. Lear more about this from your fabricators.
• Get current literature and specs on the products you currently work with. Be ready to quickly respond to architects and builders about the energy-efficiency numbers of low-e.
• Spend a couple of bucks and get your crew new T-shirts. Nothing spells success like a sharp looking installation team, and nothing is worse than a poor looking team when someone walks into your shop.
• Get rid of the trash around your building. Customers don't want to buy from a junk dealer, and if they do, they are not the customers who will be spending the big bucks.

The single most important thing you can do? Set your attitude to positive. Let your employees know how you feel, and make it infectious.

You may be off by a month or so; so what. The economy will turn, I personally guarantee it. I just don't know when for your area.

Yes, Labor Day Is Important

Labor unions are declining to their lowest membership . Economic realities of this year say, "you are lucky to have a job...don't complain, don't ask for more money, and you had better be a team player." So, why is labor day, when we pay people not to work, important to us in the glass industry?

Because we are not an assembly-line industry. Just about every piece of customer glass has to be measured, cut, fabricated, delivered and installed by people. People who have skills; people who have relationships.

As glass shop owners, plant managers and foremen, we need to remember that machinery does not build a plant. Bricks and mortar only keep the rain out. It is people that make things happen...it is people that create revenue which leads to profit which leads to reinvestment and growth.

Just as it is not a good time for an employee to complain, an employer should never complain openly. Your job for Labor Day is to thank each and every employee for working up to their capacity and helping your organization stay afloat. Wait-a-minute...you have a couple of people who don't work up to their capacity and you don't want to thank them? Go hit yourself with a baseball bat! By now, you should have changed your workforce so that every employee is working at their best level. It is an employer's market. Git rid of your malingerers, and hire rising stars. There are millions of people looking for work, most who will work very hard for a new employer.

How do you get the best out of your employees? Simple.

1. Have an employee manual which states the goals and obligations of the company and of the workforce.


2. Have simple job descriptions for each employee, to measure if the employee is meeting the needs of the job.


3. Have an annual review system that gives feedback to and from the employee so that management and the workers have a solid understanding of what to do.


4. If you follow one, two and three, then four is easy...your business will be profitable, and you will have less headaches, so....be happy coming to work.

I hope you enjoyed the long weekend. Now, enjoy the short week.

The Final Steps in Hiring

You have decided to hire Richard Newguy. He fits the job to a T. You interviewed him twice, checked his last job reference, and you are ready to call Richard and offer him the job. The next couple of days determine whether Richard will be a success at your shop, and Richard has nothing to do with it. It is up to you!

Two different processes here. One is getting Mr. Newguy ready, and the other is preparing your current people to accept him and make him feel part of the team.

Let's work on Mr. Newguy. After he says "'YES", plan one short meeting with him to give him your employee manual and insurance sign-up paperwork. (If you don't have an employee manual, start now planning to create one) Have Richard read the employee manual front cover-to-cover.
Send Richard for his drug-testing at this point. (If you are not drug testing, what are you waiting for--more on this another day.) Make a copy of his driver's license to send to your insurance company for a motor vehicle department background check. (We'll cover this another time, too.)

You are giving Richard a "conditional" offer of employment, that is he is hired if he passes his drug test and driving background search. You cannot withdraw your offer if he does pass. Call him as soon as these tests come back and congratulate him on officially becoming an employee.

If he is working out a two-week notice at a previous employer, contact him every couple of days. If Richard is as good as you hope, his current boss will be attempting to retain him with offers of more money or responsibility. This will turn heads if the offers are enough. By keeping in touch, he is reminded of his commitment to you. Tell him, if an offer comes up, where was the current employer before this? Why did it require Richard giving notice in order to get his long overdue raise? This is a critical time in Richard's mind. He is weighing the devil he knows, versus your unknown.

Have his new supervisor call during this period also. You want to start to develop the relationship that will be so important. If Richard asks you questions, tell him his supervisor will call back with the answers. This helps cement the line of authority. Make sure the supervisor has briefed Richard on your dress codes, parking spaces, lunch options, and an overview of what his first couple of days will be like. Emphasize that he will get plenty of help and training so he can be successful.

On the evening before his last day at the current job, make one last phone call. Tomorrow he will probably have a small party and say good-bye to his friends. They will all say how much they will miss Richard and this will tug on him. Fortify him with the knowledge that he is joining a new family and a new career with your company. Also, remind him what he needs to bring with him for Monday morning, things like driver's license, immigration paperwork if relevant, and a signed copy of the receipt for the employee manual.

At your company, tell people that Richard Newguy will be joining you and what his responsibilities will be, who his supervisor is, and who may be reporting to him. Have your personnel office, or your secretary, or whomever handles this ready for him on Monday morning. Have his payroll created so that there is no running around. Get the paperwork out of the way as quickly as possible. Have his supervisor give Richard a tour of the whole place, introducing Richard as they walk through. Everyone should be expecting him and should greet him by name.

Changing jobs is traumatic for the individual. They always say: "Should I have done this? " There is Monday-morning quarterbacking for the first couple of days, until they settle in. Assign a buddy to work with Richard and show him the ropes. Have the buddy go to lunch with Richard for a day or two and generally be his guide to the area.


Check in with Richard after his first day and answer any questions. Do this again on his third or fourth day, and at the end of that session, declare him ready to go to work!

Follow-up on Cash for Glass

OK, it was a radical idea. Having our major floaters and fabricators all go bankrupt so the government would buy them, just like the car companies. But, I heard from many readers who suggested which glass companies should go down the tubes.


No one company led the race to the bottom. It seemed that just about everybody had someone willing to volunteer them for bankruptcy.


The disappointing part is that I didn't hear from any floaters or fabricators stepping up and doing the volunteer thing. Not one patriotic company out there, willing to give it all up for the good of the industry. I had the letter ready to go, the one to Congress urging that the US government buy___________Glass Company (just waiting to fill in the blank), and start the rebate program.


Such is life, another good idea from your friendly blogger goes down the drain. This year I have been cheering for the Mets, predicting a strong economy by the 3rd quarter, and now, hoping for a major bankruptcy.


I hope your summer has been better.



Next week we'll get serious again, going back to our series on interviewing.

Cash For Clunkers--The Glass Option

You have heard the news...everyone is getting their rebate from Uncle Sam for their old cars. What about us? Uncle is helping the car dealers. I demand a program for consumers who want to turn in their old, ineffecient insulating glass from the 70's and 80's.

I want a government handout program for each clear annealed unit replaced with sputter coated low-e on hurricane resistant lami. And then rebate a higher price for every unit with argon. Fair is fair. The government bought GM and is now putting together a sale to sell more GM cars. I want the government to buy some glass companies, and then start a Cash for Glass program.

Write your Congressman. Write your fabricators and insisit that they go bankrupt so the government can bail them out. It will be good for the economy if one of these big fancy fabricators voluntarily lost enough money to cause bankruptcy. Who will be the first to volunteer? Oldcastle, step up for the good of America. Arch, stick your neck out. Vitro, you almost did this last month...come on, due it now and you will help Mexico and the USA.


Energy savings with low-e is better than getting an extra mile per gallon, of course it is. Come on Barack, buy a fabricator or two, and then let's see the rebate program!

The Art of Interviewing

1. Meet a total stranger.


2. Spend 15-30 minutes with them.


3. Decide if you want to employ her/him for the next ten years, or longer.


4. Beat your head against the wall.


5. Waste just a ton of money and time.


6. Start over at 1.

In my book there is no more important decision than hiring someone to work in your company. If you don't agree with this, close this page and go play solitaire.

This will be part of a multi-part blog---first, thoughts related to all interviews, then thoughts related to a blue collar job, and then to a white collar position.

So, let's discuss points that relate to all types of interviews.

• The number one rule---Don't Rush This Process!!
• If you make a mistake in the interviewing process, you may have a problem employee, a rabble rouser, a worker's comp maven, and a time-waster for the whole company. The costs to get rid of a poor employee are huge; investing a half hour now saves you tons of money in the future. Better yet, you want to hire great people, not just avoid the bad ones. In the current economic times, it is an employer's market. Take advantage of it.
• Have a cheat sheet prepared with a description of the job you are interviewing for, the duties and responsibilities, shift requirements, if OT is available or mandatory, if tools are needed, and if special skills are required. Your second cheat sheet has the pay range of the job, a detailed list of your benefits, vacation programs, sick days, and pension/401/k program. Using these sheets, you should be able to go through your presentation in six or seven minutes. Practice this in front of your mirror until you get it down pat.
• When the applicant comes in for the interview hand them an employment application. You can get standard ones at your office supply company, or if you are large enough, you'll have company specific forms created. Why do they have to fill out another paper if they have sent a resume or email? Simple. To see if they can. Is their writing legible? Do they understand the directions to fill the form out completely? Did someone else write their resume? If the application is poorly filled out, that is a good indicator that they will be a poor employee. If they see "see resume", they are taking short cuts, which you don't want to have on jobs. If they fail to read the questions on the application correctly, will they do the same with takeoffs and purchase orders? Give each applicant a clipboard and the application, telling them to fill it out completely. No exceptions. A good application is a sure sign of a good candidate. Count on it.
• If you are hiring for a position, and Spanish will be the accepted language for the position, get a Spanish application and have a Spanish-speaking Supervisor do the interview. There are many great employees who don't speak English. If your company can operate in a bi-lingual environment, do your hiring with the same guidelines.
• Review the employment application for a minute or two prior to the start of the interview. Prepare the questions you want to ask this person, maybe about gaps in the work history, why they left a certain position, or what they thought of their supervisor at their last job.
• Greet the person at your reception desk and walk them into the interviewing room. See how they react on first meeting you. Are they nervous? It is your job to calm them in the first thirty seconds of the interview with a greeting and explaining that this interview is a way for them to know about your company, as well as a way for you to meet them. Tell them to relax so they can have a comfortable interview. Does the applicant come across strong? Comment on that, saying you are glad to meet him/her, and you look forward to telling them about your company.
• Generally, I would speak first for about three or four minutes, explaining some company history for one minute, and then a couple of minutes on the job itself. After you have established yourself, it is time to for the candidate tell their story. Ask a couple of open-ended questions, and sit back and listen. The more you let the candidate talk, the better your decision making will be.
• Whether a factory or office job, everything should be the same up to here.

There are many of you who are saying this is too much time and effort for a clerk's or a factory job. WRONG. Every time you hire, you want to hire the best person for the job and to fit into your company. Spend the time; you will save big dollars by hiring once instead of twice. You will reduce your unemployment insurance costs, your training and, you know. After your interview, if you like the person, have their direct supervisor do the second interview. By letting them pick their own team member you will greatly improve the hiring process!

Back to your interview. Don't ask questions that try to get into the mind of the candidate, such as: What is your favorite color and why? Or, Who would you rather be, Captain Kirk or Mr. Spock? You can describe a situation and ask the candidate what they would do as the next step. Do ask in depth about their last job, what they did on a regular day, how about a day that was frantic, and why they are looking for a new job. If they have been laid off, ask if they will go back if they are called back? This is an important one for you to get a straight answer.

Phrase your questions as simply as possible. You are not trying to impress an applicant with your language skills. Let the applicant's speak. Even if they speak slowly, don't finish their sentences for them.

Never make hiring decision on your own if at all possible. Get a second opinion from someone in your company, preferably someone who has worked in the job being filled, or supervises the job. Even if you are in a rush, hold the second interview the next day, not the same day. Give the applicant a night to sleep on your job, and you should do the same. People look and act very different on second interviews. This will help you make the right decisions.

That's enough for today, more next week.

When the applicant asks questions, answer them unless they don't relate to the job at hand. Some topics you may want to cover in a second interview, so give a brief overview answer, and then tell them you can go into more detail on the subject at the next interview.

If the conversation lags or stops, feel free to end the interview. You don't have to run the full thirty minutes. You will probably know after five minutes of their questions if you want a second interview. To close out the interview, thank them for coming in and explain that you will be calling back selected candidates for a second interview.

Resume, Resume, Where Fore Art Thou?

Reading resumes is just like working in your garden. There are a lot of weeds, be careful not to step in the fertilizer, and yet...there are beautiful flowers coming up here and there.

You have a hundred resumes. Now what? How do you separate the weeds from the flowers?

What is the purpose of the resume? It should be to whet your appetite to have a phone conversation or a face-to-face meeting. It is like reading Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Too much information will bore you and hide the relevant details. Too little will leaving you wanting. 'Just right' is a one page cover letter, and a one page resume.

Here is what I look for when wanting 'just right'. Remember, you want someone who wants to work for you as a career.

• The cover letter is specifically addressed to you. If there is no personal greeting, I don't read it and the resume goes to the maybe pile without getting read.


• The cover letter is well created, about two or three paragraphs, telling something about the applicant that you find interesting. It should mention relevant experience to your job opportunity.


• There should be no more than one typo or grammar miscue. If there are more, it speaks to their ability to proofread. How are they going to do on estimates and quotes if they can't proofread their own letter?


• The cover letter should look like a business letter, not something scribbled on a piece of scrap paper. Professionalism counts.

Let's look at the resume next. After your first look, you will separate the resumes into three categories:

1. Worth a second read
2. Maybe
3. No Way

Most will go into 'no way'.

Things that I look for in a resume are:

• It is current in its dating. No hand-filled in recent employment or hand changed data.


• Most of the resume focuses on work history, not personal goals or accomplishments. (Except if they are a Mets fan.)


• Check dating to make sure there are no unexplained gaps in school or work history. These can often have unpleasant consequences, such as a job history skipped, or jail-time. If a person is unemployed for a period of time, in this economy, that is not a problem. It should be noted on the resume.


• I look at how many jobs the applicant has held. If they are young, I look to no more than a job a year. If they are into middle age, I like an average of a job change no more often then every three years. The era of long-term employment is over. Sorry.


• Many people place salary levels on their resume. If they currently make more than 20% over what you can pay, don't bother. Even though people say they are willing to take a pay cut, they will still be looking for a job that pays what they want and may leave you very quickly. If their background is strong, place in the maybe pile; if not put in the 'no' pile.


• Look for a one page resume. A long resume tells me that the person is unsure of them self, and they have to send a ton of information. The only time a long resume is required is for technical/scientific/advanced education jobs. For an office/staff position in our industry, one page should do. It also tells me if a person is able to communicate easily with brevity, which is an important point in sales and customer service.


• Look for relevant experience, of course. If your job is service or phone heavy, and you are willing to train, then look for complimentary type jobs. Many times it is better to train someone to fit your organization than to bring in someone who 'knows it all'. This is a tough balancing act.


• Look for timeliness in receiving the resume. If your ad is in Sunday's paper, you should have the resumes by Wednesday. If someone waits a week to mail to you, they are not really interested.


• If you receive resumes by email and fax, look for proper formatting. If you can't open a file, they candidate didn't do their homework.

I have emphasized the sizzle rather than the steak. So far. Now let's get into the actual details of their work experience and potential.

Reread all of the resumes in the first pile. Make a quick judgement call--do I want to invest thirty minutes and meet this person? If so, call them, have a short conversation on the phone covering a couple of points:

• If there is no salary experience, I ask "Can you give me a ballpark figure of what your earnings experiences have been?" If they are in your ballpark, ask them to come in for an interview. If not, honestly explain that your budget doesn't go that far, and you don't think an interview would be beneficial.


• Make sure they know where you are located, and the rough hours that your job requires. If someone has a long commute, and winter weather has an impact on you, consider this before offering an interview.

• Does the candidate's enthusiasm jump through the phone at you. Are they just job shopping, or do they really want to change their current position and join your organization.

• If they ask questions, give short, to the point answers. If the question needs a longer answer, simply say, "That's a great question, let's cover that in the interview." When they ask the salary and/or benefits, give a reasonable ball park figure so each of you can make a first call decision. If they are looking for $50K, and you are offering $35K, there is no sense setting up an interview. If you are asked the salary question before you learn their earnings history, deflect the question by asking the range they are looking for. Then you can say, "looking at our total package, we will be within your range. Leave actual numbers discussions for the face-to-face.

• Ask just a couple of questions concerning their job experiences. Enough to see if they did have the last listed job. No more than a minute or two. You will get into the details at the interview.

This phone call is only meant to qualify them for the interview. If you ask too many questions now, the candidate can rehearse their answers when you discuss the same questions in the interview. You want to see them answer the questions spontaneously.

Enough for today; next week we'll discuss the actual interview process.

The Phone Doesn't Stop Ringing...Now What?

Congratulations. You placed the ad for the salesperson, the estimator, or your bookkeeper. You have let the previous person go, and you are in a rush to hire so you don't have to (OMG!) answer your own phone. To get off the phone you tell each person to mail a resume. Now don't you feel better that the phone is not ringing, and, by the way, you just made the biggest mistake possible for the month of July.

We talked about the initial contact with glass mechanics and laborers. The guidelines for an office person are 180 degrees the other way. Your professional and admin people will be on the phone more than they will be in-person with your customers. You want to hear how they sound on the phone; how quickly they think and how they respond to questions. Invest ten minutes with each candidate on the phone before inviting them to a face-to-face interview. The initial phone contact really is their first interview with you.

If she/he hem and stammer on the phone, move to the next one. If they are shrill or too aggressive, move on. If they are mousy and can't keep a conversation going for a minute, move on. If they have poor grammar, or speak with marbles in their mouth, move on.

Here are some specifics that I used. The first thing you should hear is their name and why they are calling. If the candidate is hesitant to give their name, move on. (This may be a competitor or one of your current employees going on a fishing trip to see what you are offering.) The candidate, in the first thirty seconds should make you want to speak with them for another five minutes. Just like the first paragraph of a story, or even a blog, the candidate should want to set the hook. If they do this with you, they have the instinct to do this with a potential or current customer. This is teachable, but if your candidate already has this skill, go for it.

The applicant, after introducing them self, should next tell you, in under a minute, why they are the best person for the job; their experiences, their strong points, where they live in relation to you shop, and little bit about their personal life.

This shows that the applicant has thought about the call in advance; that they are professional in their dealings. Now it is your turn to show them why they should want to work for you! Have your one minute intro to the job down pat...practice it at home or on your drive to work. It should include: your location, the basic hours of the job, the duties of the position, and a little history of your firm.

Your story might sound like this. "We are a general purpose glass shop, located in the Tacoma Park area, looking for a person to work in our showroom from 8:30-5:00, 5 days a week. We'll ask you to come in one Saturday a month from 8:30 to 1:00, and you will receive a full day's pay for this half-day. You will take care of our phones, answering customer questions and setting up service calls, as well as dealing with customers that come into the showroom. What we do here is help people with broken glass replacement, or with new construction using energy-efficient and safety glass products."

That is more than enough for the first part of the phone contact. If your candidate didn't open with their bio, start your one minute pitch, and when you are done, simply say "Tell me a little bit about yourself." Let them talk, don't interrupt. Write a note to ask about this or that at the end of their speaking. There are so many questions you can't ask, but if the candidate speaks, you can listen. The candidate may answer you with "Well, what do you want to know about me?" Your answer should be "Just tell me about yourself and your business (or estimating, or sales) background." The key to this is not what they say, as much as how they say it. You will get more specifics about their work history from their resume or a face-to-face.

After you get them to speak, and if they really don't open up, then you can have a few specific questions that are conversation starters. Here are some examples: "So, what did you do on a daily basis at your last job?" How did you react when a customer called or walked-in and they were really upset?" Their answer can go from, "I talked them through the problem and resolved it," to "If they were upset, I usually called my supervisor or the owner to handle it." The second answer is your move on cue. Avoid the standard questions, "What did you like about your last job?" Most people have a pat answer to this one. Instead, ask open ended questions like, "I'm sure you liked your last job, but what would have been the a couple of things you thought could have been even better?" Let them ramble for a minute or so.

So far we haven't discussed money or benefits. If they bring up money first thing, move on. I have heard this so often..."To save us both some time, how much does this job pay? I want to see if it will work for me." If they can't invest five minutes to lay the groundwork for their next career move, then, you know...move on.

After five minutes of conversation, ask them "What other questions can I answer for you?" This is where the pay and benefits should fall in. It is OK to ask about pay, but not just the first thing. Here is a golden tip--if their first question is: "What is the vacation policy?" Move on. Give a ballpark range of the salary. After all, you do want to qualify if they are a candidate. After you give your salary ballpark, ask specifically, "What did you make at your last (current) job?" If they hem and haw, then you will hear a made-up number. If they give you an hourly rate, ask if they received O/T or bonuses. You are looking for a monthly or yearly total to help you with your decision. Ask if they contributed to their cost of benefits, how much? And what the benefits were? This marketplace info is priceless, especially if they are in the glass trade in your area!

You get the idea...spend the time on the phone, eliminating candidates, until someone reaches their full ten minutes, and then invite them in for a face-to-face. You may get fifty phone calls, and invite in five people. A one-in-ten ratio is just fine.

How do you get off the phone? Well, if they are a real candidate, invite them in. Don't tell them you will call them back when you have your schedule. You have each other on the hook, don't loose the opportunity. You will find that after they hang up on you, they will call the next ad, and suddenly you will loose a good candidate. Ask them to mail, email or fax their resume so you can review it prior to your meeting. This is solely to see if they have good written communication skills and if they can follow directions. If you are not interested, ask them to send their resume and you will call them once your interviewing schedule is firmed up.

Next week we will discuss how to read and get the most out of the resumes your receive.

So, I Placed the 'Help Wanted' Ad, Now What?

You finally did it, you placed the ad. You are upgrading your workforce. You are expanding, you are going to be ready when the business turns strong.

Well, almost ready. Now you have to select the candidates you want to meet, finding the one or two that will fit into your organization and help to improve it.

Create the selection and interview process that fits the candidates for the job, or how do you get the right people to interview? If the job is for a glazier in the shop or the field, take phone calls as the first contact. Set the time of the phone calls between 6:00 and 8:00 in the morning, or between 5:00 and 7:00 in the afternoon. Plan on spending a couple of days taking these calls.

You can always say in your ad to call at these hours, or fax a resume, but most mechanics won't have resumes. Plan no more than four or five minutes on that initial phone call. Prepare a one minute summary of your job opportunity and your company. Something like this: "We are an all-round glass and glazing company, on the north side of town. Our regular hours are from 7:00 am to 3:30 pm, but occasionally we do require overtime or a Saturday. We offer an hourly salary and pay 80% of your medical and dental insurance. We don't require you to have your own tools. We do pre-employment drug and alcohol testing, and check your driver's license." "Now, let me ask you a couple of questions."

This is where you let the person on the phone do the talking. "What is your experience in commercial glazing?", or "How long have you been a glazier, and where?" "Why are you looking for a job now?" "Tell me about your current/last job and why you are no longer there." "What was your hourly rate at your current/last job?" "What benefits did your receive?" Where possible, ask questions, ask them with an open-ended style, for instance---"Tell me about your last job," compared to "What did you do most at your last job?" By the way, you will usually gain valuable info on your competitor's pay scale an benefits offered!

Pick one or two questions. Then let the candidate speak for a minute or two. Do they sound coherent? Are they respectful of the last/current job? Are they looking for a permanent job, or just another stepping stone? Do they make more money now than you are offering? (often times, this will end the phone call)

You might want to ask one technical question about the glazing systems you use. "How many hinges would you put on a 32" x 72" shower door?", or "How do you drill a hole in laminated glass?" After all, you do want to make sure that are a glass mechanic.

It's OK to let the conversation stop for a few seconds. You don't have to keep talking. See if the person picks up the ball with a question about your company. You probably place a higher value on glass skills, but you need a person that will be able to get along and communicate with other employees and your customers.

What if the applicant is not conversant in English? If you are in a multi-lingual area of the country, really try to have a person available in your shop who speaks the other language during your phone-in periods. If your current employees are bi-lingual, or even primarily non-English speakers, this has to be part of your phone program. It would be nice if everyone spoke English, but it just isn't going to happen. You may have your political opinions, but if you let them interfere with running your business, you will loose out in the long run.

The initial phone interview for a glass worker should be no more than four or five minutes. If the person is worth talking to further, schedule an in-person interview. If the candidate was making 20% or more than you can offer, let it go. If their commute is beyond a reasonable distance (have this amount of time set in your mind), then pass. When gas prices go up, you will be hit for a raise.

So, you like someone from the phone...set an appointment right then. If you are not sure, you don't have to make up your mind right now. Make notes on each phone call, placing some people in the "I'm going to think about category". If you are sure the person doesn't fit, thank them for their time and tell them you will try to call them back once your firm up your interviewing schedule.

At the end of the calling period, usually two or three days after the ad runs, you should look back at the 'maybe' pile. If someone still sticks out in your mind, call them to set up an interview.

Some owners ask every one to come in and fill out an application, and then create a call-back list. This limits you to people who are not working now, or just happen to be free during your walk-in hours. You think by getting a look at them and how will they fill out a form you are getting a leg up on the interview process. You are...but only on the lower half of the employment pool. The upper half, those currently working, usually can't stop in during business hours to fill out an app!

Next week we'll discuss the initial contact for office and admin jobs, and follow that with some interviewing techniques and tips in the weeks to come.