Meet Our Account Services Team

Talbert Building Supply is a family-owned business with locations in North Carolina and Southern Virginia. With roots in the lumber industry that go back to the 1930s, Talbert has committed to providing outstanding customer service since the very beginning. We continue that commitment by delivering the Talbert Difference to each person that walks through our doors.

One tenet of the Talbert Difference is accurate and timely billing. We understand how important it is to receive clear and concise invoices and have an easy-to-contact resource to answer your questions. That’s where our Account Services team comes in — their expertise and support are invaluable to bringing you excellent service.

Ramona Johnson is Manager of Credit and Accounts Receivable, and she’s worked in credit servicing for 25 years. She’s been at Talbert for the last three, overseeing the Account Services Team. “There’s never a slow day in our department,” says Ramona. The team consists of her and three others: Judy, Lisa, and LaTonya.

When Judy Long, Credit and Accounts Receivable Specialist, started working at Talbert 36 years ago, there were just six people working for the entire company. Her experience and expertise in credit services go a long way to support the team. “You’ve got to be able to work with people,” she says. “Sometimes we have to collect money that’s due from customers, and you have to be able to speak to them about that.”

Lisa Lundy is a Credit and Accounts Receivable Analyst and has been at Talbert for over a year. “I’ve been in credit for years and years,” she says. “I came from corporate, where you don’t really get that family feel.” She appreciates Talbert’s close-knit environment and commitment to working through issues with each customer. “I feel like you can honestly talk to a customer,” she says. “That’s nice.”

LaTonya Tilson brings several years of experience in the building and construction industry and has been with Talbert for four years as a AR Specialist & Contract Administrator. Her team members rely on her attention to detail to support all of their work. “She’s really a gatekeeper,” says Ramona, “because we’re moving pretty fast.”

LaTonya is in the office part-time, but the rest of the Account Services crew works remotely. And their days start early.

“When I get up in the morning, I check to see if there are any ‘on-fire’ emails,” says Ramona, who often wakes up around 4 a.m.

The Account Services team plays an essential role at Talbert, handling “everything from credit reviews, to applying the cash, to all the legal things that come along with that,” says Ramona.

The Talbert Difference includes clear and timely account information for customers. To that end, Talbert Building Supply offers customers the option to open two account types, credit and cash, both of which can be accessed through the customer portal.

Credit accounts make it easy for regular customers to conduct their transactions and get access to purchase records and payment terms. A cash account allows Talbert customers to make point-of-sale purchases and have access to purchase records for better project organization.

There isn’t really a typical day for the team, who spends much of their time fielding phone calls and emails for Talbert’s customers. “We stay on the phone a lot with customers, solving problems,” Judy explains.

“Customer inquiries are really a large part of the day,” says Lisa, and those inquiries require quite a bit of follow-up from the team. “We do have to multi-task, run reports, and stay on top of credit notes.”

All customer projects are set up through Account Services, who act as an extension of the Sales team at Talbert. “A new customer completes a credit or cash application, and then our team begins the account review and setup process. All of that happens first, before their first order,” says Ramona.

LaTonya will verify details on the projects,including tax areas, lien agents, delivery addresses, and contact information. “I help with installed sales and contracts, as well,” says LaTonya.

New construction projects can often require extra leg work for the team. “Sometimes you have to verify addresses because it’s new construction and there’s not an actual address yet,” says Lisa.

The Account Services team is always there to answer questions — and they will always return phone calls. “We figure out what’s needed and when things are needed,” says Lisa.

Talbert’s membership in Lumbermen’s Merchandising Corporation (LMC) and our strong supplier partnerships allow us to provide our customers the best choices for building products and services. And business has been strong for Talbert in the last year: “There are usually phases of housing construction,” says Judy, “but it doesn’t seem like it slowed down this year.”

Even with the steady amount of phone calls and customer email inquiries, the Account Services team supports the rest of the company so that every client gets outstanding and efficient service.

“We split it up by region, but it’s really all hands on deck,” says Ramona. “At some point, everyone is going to have a situation where they need our help, and we want them to feel comfortable with us if there are any issues.”

At Talbert, that means a dedication to discovering what each customer’s needs are. “We have a large clientele, and we don’t treat every situation the same,” says Lisa. “You really do have to get to know the customer.”

“It’s about being flexible with customers so they get the service they want,” says Ramona. Those customers could be working with any of Talbert’s four locations: Asheboro, Clarksville, Durham, or Roxboro. “There’s a lot of difference between the regions we serve, and the builders are all different, too.”

“In corporate, where I came from, it’s more black and white,” says Lisa, who enjoys the freedom she has to help customers depending on their unique situation.

“It’s just different working for a family-oriented business!” says Judy. The Account Services team has the same commitment to customers that the rest of the company does, and that dedication is made possible by the hard work and integrity exemplified by each member of the team.

Talbert Building Supply has a mission to strengthen the customer relationships we’re grateful to have. And we hope to grow those relationships so that our customers can also succeed. We’re confident in our ability to do that because of teams like Account Services, who align themselves with Talbert’s Core Values.

We’d love to help you with your next project. Find out more about opening an account, or contact us for more information on the products and services offered.