OLS INSIDER - Q3 2024 Newsletter

A MESSAGE FROM BRIAN PRICE

FORTITUDE HALL OF FAME

ACQUISITIONS & GREENFIELDS

OPERATIONS

HUMAN RESOURCES

PRODUCT & SALES

TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION

MARKETING

EVENTS

ANNIVERSARIES, BIRTHDAYS & PROMOTIONS

Hello Team OLS,

 

I want to talk to you about the inverted pyramid.  This upside-down pyramid illustrates how I think about my role, our company and who we support. 

*Corporate Support = Finance, Human Resources, IT, Marketing, M&A, Operations, Product & Sales

 

Do you have a question you would like to ask Brian Price? Click below, fill out the form and it could be highlighted in the next newsletter.

Congratulations on your induction into the Fortitude Hall of Fame for the months of July, August and September! If you haven't received your Fortitude pin, look for it in the mail soon.

• Chris Shelton | Corporate - IT
• Jason Deveau | Stone Center - Landscape & Masonry, Kennesaw, GA
• Mario Vega | Stone Center - Landscape & Masonry, Duluth, GA
• Jessica Pittman | Stone Garden, Wilmington, NC
• Mike Hicks | Bulks Landscape Supply, Marietta, GA
• Josh Gilman | Bulks Landscape Supply, Marietta, GA
• Will Burdette | Stone Center - Landscape & Masonry, Duluth, GA
• Steven Nava | Stone Center - Landscape & Masonry, Roswell, GA
• Jacob Brigman | Bulks Landscape Supply, Marietta, GA
• Brian Hollis | Woodward Landscape Supply, Phoenixville, PA
• Scott Walker | Stratham Hill Stone, Stratham, NH
• Steven Sequeira | Stone Center - Landscape & Masonry, Durham, NC
• Jackson Meador | Stone Center - Landscape & Masonry, Roswell, GA
• Hannah Douglas | Landscapers Depot, Kingston, NH
• Nicholl Perez | Stone Center - Landscape & Masonry, Roswell, GA
• Emmanuel Alex Alvarado | Stone Center - Landscape & Masonry, Roswell, GA
• Jason Nichols | Corporate - Operations

Nominate a coworker you believe embodies and / or lives out our core values of FORTITUDE (Fun, Optimism, Respect, Teamwork, Integrity, Trust, Unity, Drive, and Empowerment). Nominated team members will be recognized in our OLS Insider newsletter and be entered into a raffle for a chance to win super cool swag.*

*Drawing to take place 12/2024.

We welcomed FOUR NEW ACQUISITIONS and have exciting GREENFIELD updates to our OLS Family of Companies!

On September 16, 2024, we announced Outdoor Living Supply acquired Majestic Stone Landscape & Stucco Supply, a full-service distributor of manufactured and natural stone, hardscape and landscape products. This acquisition expands the OLS' footprint in the Southeast, adding two strategic locations in the Georgia market (Macon and Atlanta).

On October 3, 2024, we announced Outdoor Living Supply acquired Garden Supply Hardscapes, a full-service distributor of hardscape, natural stone, brick, lighting, bulk materials and other complementary landscape products in Northern California (stores in San Jose and San Carlos).

On October 8, 2024, we announced Outdoor Living Supply acquired Mid-Atlantic Concrete Products and South-Atlantic Concrete Products, full-service distributors of hardscapes, natural stone and porcelain products in North Carolina and Georgia, respectively. These new partnerships give us a significant foothold in the commercial hardscapes market. 

The Rock Place is expanding its middle Tennessee presence with two exciting new greenfield locations. The Columbia store opens on October 14, while Hendersonville is coming soon, furthering our ability to serve high-end buyers and contractors across the region.

Important Updates to the Operations Intranet Page: We’re excited to announce some significant updates to the Operations Intranet page that we believe will be beneficial for everyone. If you haven’t had a chance yet, we encourage you to explore the updated content.

One of the standout additions is the new section titled "Operations Cliff Notes." This resource offers valuable insights that may help clarify any lingering questions you might have.

Additionally, we’ve implemented new processes, including the Item Code Setup, Matrix Additions, and Cycle Count procedures. Detailed information and instructions for these processes can be found on the NetSuite intranet page.

We encourage you to familiarize yourself with these updates to enhance your daily operations and stay informed.

Will Preparation Services: 

We want to let our employees know about an important benefit available to all employees: Will Preparation Services. This valuable resource is designed to assist you in planning for the future and ensuring your wishes are clearly documented and respected. Our benefit provider, Mutual of Omaha, offers FREE online will preparation services provided by Epoq, Inc. (Epoq).  

Why Is a Will Important? 

A will is a crucial document that provides instructions on how your estate should be managed and distributed. It offers several benefits, including: 

• Clarity and Control: Specify how you want your assets to be distributed and who will manage your estate. 

• Protection for Loved Ones: Appoint guardians for your children and ensure that your family is cared for according to your wishes. 

• Peace of Mind: Reduce potential disputes and provide clear guidance during a difficult time. 

Easy, Free and Secure 

Epoq offers a secure account space that allows you to prepare wills and other legal documents. Create a will that’s tailored to your unique needs from the comforts of your own home. Epoq provides the following FREE documents: 

• Last Will and Testament 
• Power of Attorney 
• Healthcare Directive 
• Living Trust 

Here’s how it works: 

• Log on to www.willprepservices.com and use the code MUTUALWILLS to register 

• Answer the simple questions and watch the customization of your document happen in real time 

• Download, print and share any document instantly 

• Don’t forget to update your documents with any major life changes, including marriage, divorce, and birth of a child 

• Make the document legally binding — Check with your state for requirements 

Upcoming Holidays: We would like to remind everyone of the upcoming paid holidays. Please mark your calendars for the following dates:

• Thanksgiving Day: Thursday, November 28
• Day-After Thanksgiving: Friday, November 29
• Christmas Day: Wednesday, December 25
• New Year's Eve: Tuesday, December 31
  

These are opportunities to relax, recharge, and spend time with loved ones. We hope everyone enjoys their well-deserved time off and comes back refreshed for the new year!  

Health Savings Account (HSA): When you are enrolled in a Qualified High Deductible Health Plan (QHDHP) such as the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota $4000 – 100% Aware HSA Plan and meet the eligibility requirements, the IRS allows you to open and contribute to an HSA Account.  

What is a Health Savings Account (HSA)? An HSA is a tax-sheltered bank account that you own to pay for eligible health care expenses for you and/or your eligible dependents for current or future healthcare expenses. The easiest way to use your HSA dollars is by using your HSA Debit Card at the time you incur an eligible expense.  

The Health Savings Account (HSA) is yours to keep, even if you change jobs or medical plans. There is no “use it or lose it” rule; your balance carries over year to year.  

Plus, you get extra tax advantages with an HSA because:  

• Money you deposit into an HSA is exempt from federal income taxes. 
• Interest in your account grows tax free.
• You don’t pay income taxes on withdrawals used to pay for eligible health expenses. (If you withdraw funds for non-eligible expenses, taxes and penalties will apply). 
• You also have a choice of investment options which earn competitive interest rates, so your unused funds grow over time. 

2024 HSA Contributions  

You are able to contribute to your Health Savings Account on a pre-tax basis through payroll deductions up to the IRS statutory maximums. The IRS has established the following maximum HSA contributions for the 2024 tax year:  

• $4,150 Individual 
• $8,300 Family 
• If you are age 55 and over, you may contribute an extra $1,000 catch up contribution

Have employment, benefits or payroll questions? Please visit the Human Resources Intranet page or click here. 

Welcome Angie Rice, Director of Inventory Management: We are pleased to introduce Angie Rice, the new Director of Inventory Management. Angie brings 13 years of experience in inventory management and team leadership from her time at Lowe's Home Improvement, where she spent four years focusing on Lawn & Garden, Live Nursery, and Hardscapes. 

The Product team, under Angie's leadership, will concentrate on supporting stores and sales teams with inventory, category, and vendor management. Angie is excited to connect with everyone and share some of the initiatives the team will be working on in both the short and long term.

So far, Angie has had the opportunity to visit 10 stores to gather insights on operations and how her team can provide support. If she hasn't visited your store yet, she will be there soon! Here's a quick look at areas of opportunity she's identified:

Short-Term Opportunities:

• Slow Moving Inventory Cleanup: The initiative to address slow, aged inventory is well underway. Please encourage your customers to take advantage of the great deals available as we work to clear these products and make room for more in-demand items.
• Early Buys for 2025: By cleaning up slow movers, we can free up cash to capitalize on the discounts vendors offer for pre-season buys. The more we can clear out, the more opportunities we’ll have. Let’s aim to go bigger and earlier for spring, ensuring our customers see that we’re ready for the season!
• Import Product Strategy: We’ve had positive results with our import products, but we lacked a solid plan for proactive replenishment, which has left gaps in our inventory. We are developing a comprehensive strategy that will be ready in the next two months, positioning us for an even stronger 2025.

Long-Term Opportunities:

• NetSuite Setup: The NetSuite system has tremendous potential once the necessary infrastructure is established. We have work ahead of us to ensure that everyone can fully benefit from its capabilities.
• Location Inventory Management Reporting: With the NetSuite infrastructure in place, we will be able to generate user-friendly reports to help manage vendor performance, inventory turnover, and profitability. These insights will be shared with you regularly to support your efforts.
• Centralized Inventory Support and Management: Our Product team will collaborate directly with key vendors to negotiate costs, develop forecasts, and create a comprehensive inventory strategy. This centralized approach will ensure that stores and customers receive the right products at the right times. We will also focus on enhancing documented processes for cycle counts, item additions, and overall inventory productivity and profitability.

Angie is gaining valuable insights with each store visit and is beginning to document all the opportunities her team can address. If you don’t see your concerns reflected in the list above, please reach out to her to share your thoughts as they develop the comprehensive plan. She is eager to hear how the team can provide support and is looking forward to a strong finish in 2024 and exciting plans for 2025! 

Exciting Announcement: Wholesale Early Buy Program Launch: We are soft launching a Wholesale Early Buy Program in the East! This initiative is designed to offer customer fantastic savings and flexibility. 

Download the flyer in the link below for program highlights.

If you have any questions or need further details, please contact Jessica Short or Karla Forest. 

Have product questions? Please visit the Product & Sales Intranet page or click here.

In Q3 2024, several important updates were implemented to enhance the functionality and user experience of our IT systems, particularly within NetSuite. These changes aim to streamline customer interactions and improve operational efficiency across key processes.

NetSuite Updates:

1. Customer Search Pop-up (Live from 8/6/24):

   • Search customers by phone, name, email, or address.
   • View additional customer details before selecting or editing.
   • Direct editing of customer data within the pop-up and default cash customer button for quick access.
   • Store addresses can now be used as a default for new customer addresses to avoid tax errors.

2. Delivery Text Notification:

   • New feature allows text notifications to customers when deliveries are scheduled or ready.
   • Customers can opt-in with a designated SMS phone number.
   • Message previews are available before sending.

3. Website Portal (Demo):

   • A customer account portal integrated with NetSuite is now live.
   • Customers can view account details, transactions, make payments, and request quotes.
   • Now you can activate access with the click of a button.

Process Updates:

• New updates to processes like inventory adjustments, vendor address updates, and customer text notifications.
• Training videos and documentation for these updates are available on the company's intranet.

In Q4 2024, we are rolling out new features to streamline IT support processes. These updates aim to provide users with easier access to IT support and training through Microsoft Teams.

Key Highlights:

• OLS Support Dashboard: Accessible directly within Microsoft Teams, allowing users to:
  • Submit IT support tickets.
  • Review and track the status of their tickets.
  • Access IT training materials.
• Microsoft Teams Integration: Users can now fill out and submit IT support tickets without leaving Teams, and track progress or responses in real-time.

Have IT questions? Contact the Outdoor Living Supply IT Helpdesk, Resultant, for troubleshooting. Please visit the IT Intranet page or click here.

Outdoor Living Supply Logo Update: We’re excited to announce that our logo has officially transitioned from trademarked (™) to registered (®)! This is an important milestone for our brand, and we want to make sure that all of our materials reflect this update.

What you need to do:
Please take a moment to update the logo on any digital and physical assets you manage, including email signatures, presentations, marketing materials, and signage. This small change helps ensure brand consistency and legal protection.

If you need the new logo file or have any questions, reach out to the marketing team. Thanks for helping us keep everything up to date!

From October 1 to October 31, we've launched our largest sales event of the year, ROCKtober, designed to clear out old and slow-moving inventory in preparation of 2025.

Participating stores have identified specific inventory and discounts, which are detailed on Price Lists. These will be updated throughout the month to ensure we're making the most of this opportunity. Additionally, a campaign has been set up in NetSuite, and participating stores have received all the necessary communications to get started.

If you haven't had a chance yet, check out our first Outdoor Living Supply quarterly blog! Our latest post explores the differences between Manufactured Stone and Natural Stone. 

Have marketing questions or ideas you want to discuss? Please visit the Marketing Intranet page or click here.

Happy work anniversary! We are so lucky to have you!

• October: 14 Years | William Newell, 13 Years | Luis Munoz, 9 Years | Geoffrey Steer, 6 Years | Zachary Corsi, Neil Donlevy, 5 Years | Mason Bingham, Robert Blackwell, Jacob Pendleton, Manuel Cortez, 4 Years | Jason Deveau, 3 Years | Robert Mellor, 2 Years | David Carnahan, Lance Lee, Jimmie Hester, Shea Crawford, Robert Heywood, 1 Year | Christian Fillerup, Christopher Miles, Jake Wilson, Aaron McGurty, Michael Conroy, Michael Stapley, Evelyn Molina, and Deryk Mudry.

• November: 26 Years | Agustin Guardado, 21 Years | Juan Mora, 14 Years | Candice Sanchez, 9 Years | Lane Reeves, 8 Years | Thomas Batchelder, 7 Years | Jesse Cravath, 6 Years | Cody Petersen, Daniel Garcia, 5 Years | Corbin Salazar, 4 Years | Duke Lefever, 3 Years | Richard Corbin, James Aki, Alvin Edilloran, 2 Years | Cort Neureuther, Stephanie Marconi, Kayandra Grant 1 Year | Adam Sacedo, Alberto Fenroy, Carson Bona-Miner, Christopher Main, Michael Harding, and Gerard Machado.

• December: 25 Years | Juan Calderon Lopez, 17 Years | Joshua Hall, Clinton Higginbotham, Steven Boone, 11 Years | Rusty Paulus, 5 Years | Mikayla Smith, 3 Years | Christian Gonzalez Gomez, 2 Years | Colin Volkers, Kimberly Cowell, 1 Year | Renee Remily, Christian Jones, and Julian Israel.

Wishing you a great birthday!

• October: Richard Bratton, William Timms, Charlee Fotheringham, Ricky Mathis, Robert Blackwell, Daniel Speight, Joshua Hall, Steven Nava, William Burdette, Brandon Salinas Castellano, Joshua Gilman, Robert Marshall, Sam Buckingham, Adah Keeney, Tate Robison, Cody Petersen, William Demko, Elizabeth Bell, Brenton Kranich, Thomas Chesebro IV, Mark Dalton, Rusty Paulus, Charles Milhollen, Lance Lee, Chester Wright, Elizabeth Coleman, and Haydon Hassard.

• November: Victor Garcia, Adria Cheney, Katherine Craig, Patrick Lynn, Alexis Solis, Brittany Grant, Carson Bona-Miner, Scotty Turner, Colin Volkers, Francis Hernandez, Jonathon Langel, William Jack, Eric Thompson, Nicholl Perez Molina, Pedro Losa, Luis Zavala, James Ingraham, Karla Forest, Russell Jennison, Audrie Arseneault, Chad Wares, Danielle Lenhart, Nolan Bliss, Melinda Farley, Damian Swain, Tony Bautista, Kathleen Dobbs, and Yanira Ramos.

• December: Amy Corsi, Allison Brown, Derek Pukash, Aline Alzime, Danny Henson, Don Spendlove, Heather Sherman, Tara Smith, Daniel Lyons, Geraldine Alston-Weir, Adam Dyer, Marcus Hernandez-Clark, Michael Conroy, Christian Jones, David Carnahan, Doublas Sodetani, Brian Williams, Jacob Johnson, James Older, Ronnie Cheeks, Charles Lockwood, William Lewis, Ronald Hanze, Paul Price, Natasha Dobbs, Thomas Morrow, Walter Martinez, Kayandra Grant, Kevin Cline, and Matthew Kardos.

Congratulations on your new role!

• Dallas Leyba | Yard Operations Manager | Stoneworld Supply, Rexburg, ID
• Charles Milhollen | Senior Accountant | Corporate - Finance
• Patricia Sylvester | Store Manager | Back Yard Living, Abington, MA
• Joseph Peals | Sales Specialist II | Willow Creek Landscape Supply, Rome, GA
• Tyler Strickland | Sales Specialist II | Willow Creek Landscape Supply, Rome, GA
• Devon Ingraham | Yard Supervisor | Stone Center - Landscape & Masonry, Durham, NC
• Brandon Jackson | Assistant Store Manager | Stone Center - Landscape & Masonry, Mebane, NC
• Alec Russell | Sales Specialist II | The Rock Place, Smyrna, TN
• Russell Fillerup | Area Logistics Coordinator II | Stoneworld Supply, Rexburg, ID
• Deb Fout | Assistant Store Manager | Apache Stone, Phoenix, AZ
• Elizabeth Coleman | Assistant Store Manager | Stone Garden, Wilmington, NC
• Emily Damasco | Store Manager | Stone Garden, Wilmington, NC
• Robert Dunn | Assistant Store Manager | Stone Center - Landscape & Masonry, Bridgewater, NJ
• Victor Garcia | Assistant Store Manager | Nova Stone - Landscape & Masonry, Ashburn, VA
• Benjamin Carper | Store Manager | Willow Creek Landscape Supply, Rome, GA
• Thomas Throop | Sales Specialist II | Landscapers Depot, Kingston, NH
• Hannah Douglas | Sales Specialist II | Landscapers Depot, Kingston, NH