This week’s reminder is for all the managers in our member firms. Whether your title includes the terms: general, sales, service, installation or office; please hear me out. If you are not growing as a person and a leader, how can you expect those who report to you to do otherwise? It’s very likely those…
“When you get tied up with any big company, it has the tendency to change your perspective. Getting involved with Ford was kind of’ like asking a big gorilla to dance. You start off leading, but before very long you’re being swung all over the floor, and pretty soon you lose sight of the fact…
I’d like to suggest a challenge for each of our members this week. It is to identify one thing about your company that makes it distinctly different from others in your marketplace. This exercise can be done individually or as a group. Or it may possibly be the topic of a contest within your staff…
As I write this, I am currently representing the WFCA at the CFI Annual Convention in Nashville, Tennessee. My question of flooring dealers and installers everywhere is: why don’t I see you here? You don’t know what you are missing! Those in attendance include experts from the installation, sundry and manufacturing communities. What I have…
One of the best parts of my job is having the opportunity to see many different places and meet many interesting people. One of the realities of my job is that I must endure the rigors of travel in order to do so. Along this path, I witness a variety of attitudes that are allowed…
Loyal readers of this space know that I am constantly preaching that the best customer service lessons are learned when we ourselves are the customer rather than the seller. There has been news on the automotive front recently that I feel offers all flooring dealers a valuable lesson in how to deal with customer claims…
When presenting unique design ideas to your customer, always remember the saying “the whole is worth more than the sum of its parts”. Too often I hear a shortsighted salesperson say something to the effect of, “I don’t make enough commission on a few feet of ceramic listellos to merit the time spent”. Or, “I…
Providing outstanding customer service is the lifeblood of any successful business. Ultimately it doesn’t matter how many promotions that you offer or prices that you discount. Unless you are successful getting the majority of first time buyers to return to your store, your business won’t be profitable for long. Since it costs significantly more to…
The flooring industry is blessed with a promotional advantage that I believe is being underutilized. According to a study by Perception Research Services International, which was published by the AARP, seventy-two percent of consumers 50-64 years old say “made in the USA” labeling significantly influences their purchases. And eighty-one percent of people 50 thru 64…
Like many industries, the flooring manufacturers appear to currently be in a cycle of both catching up and keeping up with today’s costs. While none of us like to see increased pricing from manufacturers, rational dealers understand that they really do need to have financially solvent suppliers who can afford to both honor outstanding claims…
One of the mixed blessings of living through your 50’s and into your 60’s is having “senior citizen” status as one of your titles, even if you neither need nor desire it. Approaching such an age, I have learned that senior status is a marketplace phenomenon. Personally, I have been eligible for an AARP Card…
It never ceases to amaze me how intent some sales staff seems to be to minimize the size of a potential commission. Or worse yet, how they will unknowingly jeopardize an entire sale, just by committing the salesman’s mortal sin of TALKING TOO MUCH! For example, when selling quality installation services, be careful not to…