Blog

Surfaceshow.Com – Going Beyond The Surface

SurfaceShow Is the ONE Place You Can Engage In Surfacing Solutions through Live Video Are you eager to learn?  We’re eager to teach!  Last Wednesday, we launched something completely innovative. You could consider the approach urban or even coastal.  We are pumped to introduceSurfaceShow.com, an engaging TV internet show! www.SurfaceShow.com videos are raw, cool and fun – specifically designed to teach how surfaces are fabricated.  Some of the best surfacing fabrication experts in the industry, sporting blue jeans, teach the  world just how it’s done. You can see new episodes weekly. Along with the show-and-tell approach, you can ask questions and request to…

Read More

Don’t Forget the Power of Questions

We just uncovered a large form of “overproduction” within our office that survived under the radar for several years.  Yes, a few associates said they knew the work we were doing wasn’t necessary, but never made it clear to the right folks to have it addressed. Kaizen events didn’t uncover it.  Changes in leadership didn’t uncover it. So how did we arrive at the breakthrough?  A new employee asked a simple question… “Why are we performing this task when it doesn’t appear the downstream department has value for it?”  This “task” accounted for several hours of unnecessary production time, each…

Read More

Management Is Doing Things Right; Leadership Is Doing The Right...

On Tuesday 3/29, eleven of L.E. Smith’s managers completed the second portion of an eight hour course on the topic of Leadership Fundamentals and Team Building.    The course was presented by Randy Groll, through Continuous Improvement Systems, LLC, a division of Northwest State Community College.  The course covered such topics as the Leader’s role, processes and techniques for leading effective teams and individuals, and understanding stages of conflict, and a process for conflict resolution.  Throughout the course, Mr. Groll presented real life examples and interjected exercises that made the team experience scenarios that would be likely to occur, and would…

Read More

COMING SOON!

We’ve been busy, and we’re getting ready to reveal our newest Innovative Surfacing Solution!  This new product will be an excellent addition to our current product line, and it’s sure to please, especially since the idea originated from you; our loyal clients.  You asked, and we listened and created a new and unique solution to an age old challenge.  This new product will be available mid-April, and we can’t wait to share this innovation with you.  Stay posted.  Our newest innovation is sure to make a splash!

Read More

Your Answer To Additional Business!!

Would you like to increase your business by as much as 25%?  Then L.E. Smith’s Spring Programs are just what you’re looking for.  Each program will bring beauty and ease to your customer’s kitchen or bath projects.  To start, launch into spring with a custom countertop and drop in stainless steel sink combo.  This program is sure to please with a Kindred double bowl sink set and ready.  The only thing left to do is call the plumber!  Your client’s will be thrilled with the ease of ordering, the one week lead time on stock colors, and the affordable price.  …

Read More

Kaizen #13: Communication

Between February 24th and 25th, 10 L.E. Smith associates from across the company joined together to work on strategically changing the way that we communicate within our 4 walls.  With 210 years of service from this combined group, they were certain that they could make a measurable difference on the levels of communication amongst all.  This Kaizen came out of an employee survey, sighting that communication was still an opportunity for improvement, and given our commitment to continuous improvement, we viewed this as a fantastic opportunity for a Kaizen event.  The event focused on 5 key areas of communication:  chain…

Read More

Limited Brands Supplier Summit

On Thursday February 18th, L.E. Smith participated in Limited Brands Supplier Summit.  This exclusive event took place at Limited Brands headquarters in Columbus, Ohio, and showcased 35 vendors and suppliers of displays, fixtures, and marketing materials.  Limited Brands is famous for being the industry leader in retail displays, and is always at the forefront of retail innovation.  With 7 prestigious brands including Victoria’s Secret, Pink, Bath & Body Works, La Senza, C.O. Bigelow, Henri Bendel, and White Barn Candle Co., Limited operates 2600 specialty stores in the U.S. and an additional 800 worldwide.  Invited by Vincent Smith, Director of Business…

Read More

Williams County Habitat For Humanity

Building Simple, Decent and Affordable houses for families in need, for the past 20 Years. On Sunday, February 20th, Habitat for Humanity Williams County will dedicate another fine home to a well deserving family.  This home, locate at 615 E. Butler St. Bryan, Ohio was built during a very cold and difficult winter, so this was no small feat to undertake.  L.E. Smith would like to congratulate our friends at Habitat, and the McFarland family, who will get a new lease on life with a fresh start and a new home.  We are humbled by the dedication and giving spirit…

Read More

Snow-Maggedon

They called it Snow-maggedon.  They called it Snow-pocalypse.  It was crazy enough to shut down schools and businesses in 3 states, but it couldn’t stop L.E. Smith from plowing on.  On Tuesday afternoon, and on through the night, Bryan, OH was blasted with a level 2 Snow emergency, with Snow accumulation in the 7+ inches range.  Nearly all local manufacturers were closed,  but the employees of L.E. Smith dug themselves out and made it in, just to keep things moving along.  It might’ve been Snow-maggedon, but at L.E.Smith it was just another day committed to clients and countertops. “Patience, persistence…

Read More

Win, Win, Win

When you find resolutions to a problem, do you think about what would be the best outcome for you, your company, or your client?  What if you could not only put yourself in a better situation, but also help your client, and their client?  We call this the Win, Win, Win.  At L.E. Smith when we hit a bump in the road, we make certain that whatever resolution we come up with not only resolves the issue on our end, but will also satisfy our client, and ultimately the end consumer.  Let me give you an example.  This past week…

Read More

Categories

Archive