If you’ve ever seen Animal House, you probably remember the infamous scene where a young Kevin Bacon stands in line, takes a harsh paddle, and says, “Thank you, sir. May I have another?” If you’ve never seen Animal House…. I attached the clip below for your viewing pleasure.

It’s iconic. It’s ridiculous. And it’s exactly what our customers should never feel when doing business with us.

Unfortunately, in this industry—between delayed quotes, missed deliveries, confusing communication, or lack of follow-through—customers can sometimes feel like they’re being punished just for trying to get what they need. Bent over, taking hit after hit, all while still coming back because they have to, not because they want to.

That is not what partnership looks like. Let’s Flip the Script

At Kimal, our goal is to make sure our customers never feel like they’re taking one on the chin. Instead of them saying, “Thank you, sir, may I have another?” out of frustration, we want them to say: “Thank you—I’d love another.” Another smooth transaction. Another helpful consultation. Another opportunity to grow their business with our support behind them. Because that’s what we are—a partner, not just a provider.

This month, let’s make “May I…” the beginning of everything we do.

• May I help with that order before it becomes a problem?
• May I follow up to make sure this met your expectations?

That small shift—from reactive to proactive, from vendor to partner—makes all the difference.

We want our customers to come back not because they have no choice, but because they want to. We want their version of “May I have another?” to be full of optimism:

“May I have another reason to keep doing business with Kimal?”

This is what May is all about. Not a joke, not a paddle—but a real chance to recommit how we serve the people who keep us in business. Let’s earn their trust. Let’s give them another win.

And then another. And another.

Clark Willis – Regional Sales Manager – Kimal Lumber