The Column

Membership News

Our chapter numbers have risen to 220 members.

New members from 2007 include:

7/18/2007 John Baker, HMC Architects
7/19/2007 Kris Hughes, Sales Rep (No firm listed)
7/30/2007 Wesley Ramirez, Stafford King Wiese Architects
8/13/2007 Chad Gleason, Student, CRC
8/14/2007 Howard Maxwell, Stafford King Wiese Architects
8/14/2007 AJ Betancourt, Stafford King Wiese Architects
8/16/2007 Cyndi Eberhardt, Student, CRC
8/23/2007 Robert Hemphill, Division 7 Reps
8/30/2007 Elaine Hebert, California Energy Commission
8/30/2007 Brandi Atkinson, Stafford King Wiese Architects
9/13/2007 Jeff Jennings, J Plus Architects
10/11/2007 Doug Brown, SFS Intec
10/11/2007 Diana Tibor, Mowighan Design
10/15/2007 Steve Moraga, Former Professional
10/30/2007 Iryna Kucherova, Student, CRC
11/09/2007 Adam Sanguinetti, Collier Building Specialties
11/16/2007 Linda Roberts, Associate (No firm listed)
11/20/2007 Jose Mendoza, Hilti, Inc.
11/21/2007 Craig Dodge, Ideate, Inc.
11/29/2007 Rita Donato, Student
12/03/2007 James Franklin Kury, Collier Building Specialties
12/04/2007 Alan Wolf, Harbison-Mahony-Higgins

Let’s all make these folks feel welcome!

Tech Talk - by Peter Robinson

This month I thought we could take a look at the venerable product rep and his/her role in the architectural community. As you are all aware, product information is available in a variety of forms – the Internet, CDs, product binders, sourcebooks such as Sweets, etc. Even with the voluminous amount of information available from these sources, I invariably find myself in the position of having last minute questions that just cannot be answered by any of these means. A phone call to the trusty product rep will surely resolve the matter.

Conversations with a number of product representatives have revealed that most have very large areas of geography to cover single-handedly. Because of this, they have to be well connected by various forms of electronic communication. Their vehicles often become offices on wheels, with cell phones and laptops keeping them in constant touch with their constituents.My urgent phone call can be responded to immediately, or in
the worst case, usually within the hour. I almost hate to say it, but outside of the products I regularly specify, if I can’t reach a product rep in a reasonable amount of time, I’ll use the product of the next reputable manufacturer who can answer my question! All other factors being equal, service by the product rep can be the differentiator as to whose products that I specify. A good rep is also knowledgeable of his/her competition, and can recommend the product of another manufacturer when not available in their product line without fear of losing business down the road. In fact, those are the reps that I’ll go back to every time because of their honesty and confidence.

I’ve run into a wide range of product reps in my time. They can run the gamut form pure salesman only interested in commission to the experienced and adept who go out of their way to provide technical assistance. The latter are the ones whose products have a long history of quality that I specify day in and day out. You see, we as Architects are typically a conservative lot (at least partially due to the litigious nature of our business), not willing to be the “guinea pig”, the first to try a new product on a multi-million dollar project. Someone giving the hard sell of a new product that is claimed to be “the next best thing since sliced bread” is likely to be looked upon with great suspicion.

Lastly (The Boss said I had to shorten up my diatribes of the last couple of months), we have to be able to find the time to meet with these same reps when they call on us, in return for their immediate attention in our urgent moments of crisis. While it is difficult these days due to workload to drop what you are doing to meet with a rep who stops by unannounced or without an appointment, every effort should be made schedule appointments, keep them and give the rep a few minutes out of your day. The information presented may just be what you need down the road to avoid those last-minute panicked calls. Knowledgeable, honest and experienced product reps are worth their weight in gold to the Architect!