Latest Articles in Strategies & Practices

  • January 31, 2012
    THE TALK... | Sales & Marketing

    Are Home Shows Worth the Investment?
    With consumer confidence slowly but surely seeping back into the economy, some industry companies are banking on a decent home improvement season in the coming months. And this uptick in confidence also coincides with “spring home show” season, a dynamic that could prove to be a useful catalyst in the window and door industry. Let’s talk about home shows. Love ‘em or hate... more »
  • January 1, 2012
    FEATURE ARTICLE | Operations, Sales & Marketing

    Changing Ways of Doing Business
    Survey result looks at adoption rates for new electronic tools and media
    Websites are the norm, social media has many fans and mobile technologies are gaining traction among manufacturers, distributors and dealers of windows and doors. Those findings come from a series of questions included as part of Window & Door's 2012 Industry Pulse study, asking about the electronic tools and media companies using to conduct business and/or communicate with customers and... more »
  • January 1, 2012
    FEATURE ARTICLE | Operations, Methods & Techniques

    Improving Installation Methods in Replacement Window Applications
    A three-step system for water management in scenarios where the window is replaced but the wall cladding is not
    Replacement windows and doors represent a sizable majority of the fenestration products installed into buildings in recent years, particularly with the drop in new construction starts and incentives provided for the energy efficient replacement units. While there has been significant effort in codes and standards to improve installation practices in new construction installations, relatively... more »
  • October 12, 2011
    SPECIAL FEATURES | Management, Operations, Sales & Marketing, Close-Ups

    Dealers of the Year 2011
      Window & Door is pleased to announce its 2011 Dealers of the Year. Honored for Overall Excellence this year are Walker Windows from California and Southwest Exteriors from Texas. The magazine has also recognized five Focused Excellence category winners—window and door retailers and distributors that stand out in the areas of marketing, installation, customer service,... more »
  • October 12, 2011
    SPECIAL FEATURES | Operations, Channels, Close-Ups

    Empowered for Perfection
    Perfection Glass Puts Customer Service into Employees’ Hands
      Going the Extra Mile EXCELLENCE IN CUSTOMER SERVICE Perfection Glass  Kennewick, Wash. Shawn Linhoff has learned that if you give employees the ability to make decisions with the full support of the leadership team, the employee will win, the customer will win and, ultimately, the company will win. As the head of Perfection Glass, a Kennewick, Wash., company... more »
  • October 12, 2011
    SPECIAL FEATURES | Operations, Channels, Close-Ups

    Giving Customers a Fix
    Window-Fix focuses on solutions in its unique business model
      Out of the Box EXCELLENCE IN INNOVATIVE THINKING Window-Fix  Brooklyn, N.Y. The team at Window-Fix doesn’t have a strong preference about whether they sell replacement windows or not. This might seem somewhat problematic given that it’s one of the New York City metropolitan region’s most prominent window retailers. But with a vast range of... more »
  • October 12, 2011
    SPECIAL FEATURES | Operations, Channels, Close-Ups

    Southwest Exteriors Eyes the Future
    Short-term customer satisfaction plus long-term planning equals sustainability
      Overall Excellence LEADERSHIP IN THE HOMEOWNER MARKET Southwest Exteriors  San Antonio, Texas   Scott Barr has no intention of retiring anytime soon. And yet, almost every element of the day-to-day operations at Southwest Exteriors, a San Antonio, Texas-based Renewal by Andersen dealer, contributes to a long-term vision of sustainability for the growing company.... more »
  • October 12, 2011
    SPECIAL FEATURES | Operations, Channels, Close-Ups

    Staying the Course
    Walker Windows Sticks to Professionals, Stands Apart with Service
      Overall Excellence LEADERSHIP IN THE PROFESSIONAL MARKET Walker Windows  Anaheim, Calif.   Staying on course during a storm is something Walker Windows has perfected. The Anaheim, Calif.-based window dealer was founded to serve professionals and grew during the boom years as its builders and general contractors rode the wave of inflated building demand. As the... more »
  • October 4, 2011
    THE TALK... | Sales & Marketing

    Are You Keeping Up Online?
    An electronic newsletter came to me yesterday from Abe Gaskins at MGM Industries.  He is an active blogger and the Tennessee vinyl window maker's website is filled with his wisdom on a variety of topics. This week he talks about search engine optimization and blogging and how it can translate into leads.  He says it's working for MGM and its dealer customers and he encourages... more »
  • October 1, 2011
    SPECIAL FEATURES | Operations, Channels, Close-Ups

    Local Initiative for Global Service
    Lavy Windows is a little company that packs a big punch
      Giving Back EXCELLENCE IN COMMUNITY SERVICE Lavy Windows  Camden, Ind. With just a handful of employees and serving homeowners and contractors in a small strip of counties in northern Indiana, it’s impressive to think of the hundreds of children and multiple communities Lavy Windows supports as part of its community service initiative. Guided by the... more »