20030320Sales Direct.pdf

John Gannon, State Bar No. 1975
Attorney At Law
1101 West River, Suite 110
Boise ID 83702
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Attorneys Representing Intervenors Meierotto, et al
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BEFORE THE IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION
OF QWEST CORPORATION FOR PRICE
DEREGULATION OF BASIC LOCAL
EXCHANGE SERVICES
DIRECT TESTIMONY OF
Joel Sales
on behalf of
Intervenors Meierotto, et al
March 15, 2003
CASE NO. QWE-02-
BACKGROUND
Q. Please state your name, address and describe your background.
A. My name is Joel Sales 4154 Ticonderoga Way Boise, Idaho and I am presently
manager of window sales at Lloyd Lumber. I have been involved in the window sales and
installation industry in the Treasure Valley for 22 years and I have regularly worked with
commercial and residential builders and contractors during that time. I owned my own
company, Idaho Windows ITom 1996 to 2002, and I worked with Valley Glass ITom 1991-
1998 as a contractor. In 2002 I went to work for Lloyd Lumber. Prior to 1996 I worked and
sometimes independently contracted with several different companies including Valley Glass
in the window sales and installation business.
I have training in the sales and installation of windows and glass related products. In
1978 I became a qualified licensed journeyman carpenter in Iowa after 5 years of working on
the job with Burrier Construction and after attending two training courses at a community
college in Cedar Rapids Iowa. I have attended dozens of programs over the years sponsored
by various glass and window companies such as Amsco and Weathershield. I have attended
courses concerning glazing, building and fire codes. I have probably engaged in as many as
100 glass/window transactions a year for the last 10 years. This past year at Lloyd I have
engaged more in management than actual sales and installation, but I still do sales work.
ll. COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS
Q. Please describe your Idaho Window Business during the last few years.
A. From 1998-2002 I had an office for Idaho Windows at 101 E 38 Garden City
Idaho. I had one employe, two trucks and a delivery trailor. I shared an office with my
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March 15, 2003
SALES D .
INT . MEIER
brother Jeb Sales, but our businesses were separate. Jeb was engaged in window sales and
installation too.
Q. What communication devices did Idaho Windows have?
At the office I had one land line for the phone, one fax line that operated my
internet and fax machine, and a cell phone.
Q. Why did you have land lines?
A. I used the main land line for purchases, sales, taking orders, and the usual phone
calls one makes in a small business. I used it because of reliability, it was easier to use and
it was cheaper than the cell phone.
I say reliability because for some reason, probably the plumbing and concrete in the
building, there were reception problems with the cell phones. In addition, there are battery
Issues.
I have a Motorola Nextel Cell Phone now, with multiple functions, and it is still not
as clear as a land line. Communications are often fine, but there are times that I have
difficulty communicating, probably around 10% of the time. Just yesterday for example, I
received three messages, but my phone never rang. In fact, there was a 1 hour delay in my
receiving two of the messages, and a 3 hour delay in receiving one message. No one can tell
me why. This happens regularly with our system.
Further there are still areas where the system does not communicate.
It is also easier to work at the desk with a landline phone because I like the speaker
option. It enables me to talk and input data into the computer at the same time Cell phones
are becoming competitive in this regard, but I can tell you the speaker function on cell phones
which we have at Lloyd Lumber are still not as clear as the land line and therefore still
difficult to use the way I like to use a land line.
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Q. Why did you have a dedicated line for your Fax machine?
A. Primarily for orders, receiving orders and bidding projects. It was absolutely
critical for my business and faxes are critical in our industry. Let me explain why.
Most builders send orders on a fax and then the order is confirmed with a fax. Orders
to the factory are placed by fax and the factory then comfirms the order by fax. This
procedure helps guarantee that mistakes are not made.
Faxes are very important in time sensitive bidding of projects. Bids may close at a
certain time and the fax receipt confirms that the bid was timely placed and should be
considered.
The only alternative to fax machines is e-mail, but most businesses in the construction
industry are not that sophisticated. This is especially true for the small construction related
business.
Q. Are you speaking today on behalf of Lloyd Lumber?
A. No, and I understand they are deregulated already since they have more than 5
land lines. I am speaking today as a person who had a small construction related business and
who has general knowledge of communication needs of the industry.
Q. Now you are working as a manager at Lloyd Lumber. Do you have a land
line system at Lloyd?
A. Yes, we have a phone system with 5 land lines just in my distribution section and
the cabinet distribution section of the business. I don t know the total number ofland lines
but there are many more at Lloyd. There are 7 people at desks in my section.
Q. Do you think this land line system is valuable for a business in your industry.
A. Yes, in fact a land line system is essential in my department and for any small
glass/window related business.
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We need the landline system in order to transfer calls between departments, to put
customers on hold, to communicate between department personnel and to use in our daily
business for business related calls. This same need exists for smaller businesses.
Cell phones cannot do this.
In addition, cell phones cannot be relied upon 100% of the time and it would be risky
especially when bids are due at a certain time and of course we have to have the fax
capability.
industry?
Do you regularly interact with small businesses and suppliers in the
A. Yes, by phone and in person ITom time to time.
Q. In connection with these activities what have you observed regarding
communication devices?
A. They generally use their land lines when they can to communicate with people and
everyone uses a Fax. Those with offices have a land phone system of some kind and the
features of such a system such as rollover, speaker phone, and transfer capabilities.
Q. Do any of these offices use some kind of office cell phone system?
A. I have never seen such a thing.
Q. Now at your home what communication devices do you have?
A. We have one land line and one fax line. Our computer receives DSL through our
cable system. We have one cell phone too.
We have a 2000 square foot home.We have a land line because we have three
people at home and four when Kyle is home from college. We have two extension phones
on the land line which saves us ITom running around the house. When you have this many
people living in this size of a home you can t rely on just a single cell phone which might be
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line which saves us from running around the house. When you have this many people living
in this size of a home you can t rely on just a single cell phone which might be anywhere.
we had two cell phones there would be two numbers which would create more problems.
Q. Do you think that cell phones are the functional equivalent of land lines for
either residential or small business purposes?
A. Cell phones are a welcome addition to the land line system and they are very
necessary in my industry and important for a teenager or when you are on a trip. But the
technology is not here yet for the reasons I have stated and therefore they are not the same
as a land line and cannot serve the same purposes.
Q. Thank you for your time. Is there anything else you want to add?
A. No, I appreciate the opportunity to participate and appreciate the Commission
listening to me and the other witnesses.
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