Every day we are contacted by customers asking if we have particular items in stock.  We can truthfully answer "Yes, and No."

With extensive product lines and a variety of sizes, styles, variations and colors, for us to have on-the-shelf quantities of every price list item would require a much larger facility than our four acres, and would be an inefficient use of our financial resources.  So how do we do it?  Some items, like most logs, vented match-lit hearth kits, and portable infrared grills are, in fact, "on the shelf".  Many items are built to the sub-assembly level which allows us to quickly complete the item exactly as you need it once you place your order.  Rarely is there an item that must be started from scratch.  We have to stay at least one step ahead of our customers, especially because we deal with vendors who may take up to twelve weeks to fulfill our orders.  We carry a substantial inventory of parts, but wait until the last minute, when you place your order, to commit these long lead-time items to a finished product.

FireBalls, FireShapes, and FireStones always need two to three days (maybe a bit more during the fireplace season or rainy weather).  We have baskets and pallets full of the various shapes and sizes, but we color all of these items to order.  Depending on the weather, we need to let them dry for a day or two before we can package them.  With eight different colors, and a multitude of combinations of colors, Murphy's Law would kick in if we tried to make stock on the colored items.  Using our method, we can provide you with exactly what you need within just a few days.

We also are asked "How soon can we get it?"  In most cases, your question will be answered with "When do you need it?"  An accurate answer to our question helps us meet your needs, or for us explain the various factors in meeting your time requirement, chiefly the transit time required by either UPS or common carrier.  Production backlog could also be a factor, especially in season.  Please rest assured that we take your order seriously and want to ship it out as quickly as you want us to do so.

Our goal is to under-promise and over-deliver.  We cherish your business, want to meet your needs, and want to earn your repeat business.  If we miss the mark, please let us know so we can improve.

The next Dealer Business Alliance Conference Call will be held on Tuesday 10/11, at 12:00 noon PST.

It will actually be a webinar where slides will be shown to accompany the topic discussed.  We are pleased to have Lee Sweeney of ACG Technologies as our featured guest speaker.  Lee is a technology expert, and he will provide you with a proven roadmap to follow that will help you take advantage of the local prospects surrounding your business.

Have you noticed a decrease in walk-in traffic?
Is it getting harder and harder to generate leads for your business?
Are you losing business to internet-only retailers?

If you answered 'yes' to any of these questions, then you need to attend this webinar.

On this webinar you will learn:

1. What businesses need to do to attract more local traffic into your retail locations;
2. The most important action you need to take to ensure that you are found online by people looking for a brick and mortar retailer, and not an internet-only retailer;
3. What the biggest mistake struggling businesses make that cause them thousands of dollars in lost revenue and what you need to do to avoid it.

In order to survive and thrive in business in this tough economic climate, you need down-to-earth, solid information about what is currently working for small and midsized business.  This is what you will receive on this webinar.

Since this is a live webinar, we only have a limited number of spaces available, so it's important that you register today.

Webinar details:

• Date / Time: Tuesday, October 11, 2011 at 12:00 noon PST
• Duration: 60 minutes
• Your cost: Complimentary, courtesy of Rasmussen Gas Logs & Grills
• How to Register: Simply click here.

We look forward to sharing this valuable information with you.

Rett Rasmussen addresses the question "Can I use Rasmussen Gas Logs or Alterna Contemporary Balls, Shapes or Stones in my gas fireplace?"

As much as we all wish to "make the sale", some installations are not suitable for retrofit sets like Rasmussen manufactures.

We want more feedback!

Please email to rett@rasmussen.biz a picture and a paragraph that we can share in this newsletter of a success story you would like to share.  Photos showing unique installations or special touches would be helpful.  Perhaps you totally nailed a presentation because you _________ (fill in the blank and send in the story).

Copyright 2011 Rasmussen Gas Logs & Grills. All Rights Reserved.