The DASH doesn’t simply apply to your life. Your business, community, organization, etc… will also have a DASH. On this week’s Leadership Live, hear how even the Olympics understands that our actions must change to change our story, because our story is the foundation of our DASH…
In Part 1 of our series on multigenerational workplaces, we highlighted the unprecedented reality of five generations coexisting in today’s workforce and their unique characteristics. In Part 2, we’ll unravel the shared desires and expectations that transcend age barriers. From Traditionalists to Generation Z, it turns out that amidst the differences, there are striking similarities
In the 2022 TISE Edition of the Premier Flooring Retailer magazine, Scott Humphrey challenged us to consider and apply three words to our year – Reset, Reconnect, and Renew. There’s another word that I’d like you to consider – Reimagine. The pandemic has undoubtedly had a profound impact on people and businesses, with many now considering what they
Each of us in the flooring business realize that customers today are used to seeing pricing promotions – many which often stretch credibility to the limit. If you are to compete in this market, you too will need to have promotionally priced products, special purchases, etc. to entice customers into your showroom. The emphasis for…
A common tendency among salespeople is to do too much talking and not enough listening. Successful salespeople realize it is only when they are focused on what the customer is both explaining and requesting that they are learning the information necessary to suggest solutions which will benefit all concerned. Too often weak salespeople rush to…
Hartville, Ohio is home to America’s largest independent home center at 305,000 sq. ft. In the middle of Hartville Hardware sits a 1,850 sq. ft. “American House” – which was featured in the March 2013 issue of Home Channel News magazine – that is constructed entirely of “Made in the USA” products. Every product, from…
One of the greatest opportunities, and challenges, that a sales manager has is that he or she possesses the power of influence over what is selling well on the showroom floor. What is amazing to me is that most managers do not seem to realize this. They too often forget who their primary customer is….
As a leader in your organization, I am sure that many days it seems as if problem solving is your primary task. When employees are faced with questions they don’t know the answer to, they come to you hoping you will either solve the problem for them or tell them how to solve it themselves….
When selling flooring at a full service specialty store, your offerings are often compared to a box store that wishes to place the primary emphasis on the product itself, rather than presenting it as an element of an installed floor. This type of outlet prefers to sell product first, and services only as required, as…
While there are clearly two schools of thought as to whether flooring retailers should allow samples to be checked out by a potential customer, the reality is that most stores still allow their samples to leave their showrooms unattended. As a consequence, the samples in many showrooms that I observe have something less than a…
There is a famous saying that states, “Sometimes you must lose a few battles in order to win the war”. I find that this attitude may apply when working with today’s customers as well. Let me explain. Potential customers have more information available to them than ever before. Access to this knowledge makes some feel……
Even if you are an experienced executive, it’s likely very difficult for you to advise other people where they need to improve. Many bosses delay criticism until an employee’s scheduled employee review. That’s seldom effective. Neither is stockpiling problems, waiting for the “right moment” to bring them up. By doing so, chances are the employee…
Great dealers all spend time mastering the art of making a positive first impression when a customer enters their showrooms. While these steps are critical, they are only part of the customer service process. Let’s examine some opportunities to make favorable final impressions long after she said “Sold!” There will have been several impressions made…
Many feel that to be an effective speaker, or salesperson, that you must use big words in order to make a big impression. I disagree. I believe that the most powerful words we can choose are only one or two syllables long. It is the little nuances in the words and phrases we choose to…
An area that I often find myself offering advice to flooring dealers is suggesting methods of improving communications between the sales personnel and the installers. The dealer that has no cause for concern in this area seems to be in the distinct minority today. Two questions that I ask seem to speak volumes regarding a…