We’ve all heard about ways to stay productive during our
“down time” – you know what I am talking
about - those times last fall and winter when you might not have been as busy
as usual due to the economic situation grasping the nation and, for that
matter, the world. I have a confession
concerning “this time” I need to share before we go any further, too. I had been listening to installers,
retailers, and others in the industry talk about how slow things had been for
some time, yet I had always managed to stay busy and had work – I usually even
had a list of waiting customers. Then, the economy caught up with me. I had always sympathized with those looking
for and not finding work and retailers who didn’t seem to be selling anything,
but I can’t say as I really understood what many of you were going through – until
it hit me, that is. For a period, I was
operating in nothing more than what could be termed “survival mode.” The only thing that made this any easier was
realizing that this wasn’t happening just to me, but across the industry. I was merely part of a brotherhood – part of
a very large group dealing with the same issues.
Thinking back,
I realize that perhaps the reason I stayed busy longer than most was because I
install not only carpet – I am diversified and install many other types of
floor coverings as well. I have taken
advantage of just about every training opportunity available to me and through
my affiliation with CFI, the opportunities have been numerous. My suggestion to each of you would be to do
the same, broaden your skills, and thus, expand your opportunities. Take advantage of all the training the
industry has to offer.
Today, I want
to talk to you about coming out of the “down time.” Now, I’m not saying the rough times are
completely behind us, but things do seem to be loosening up a bit – although a
little more slowly in some areas than others. However, the main thing we need to realize is
that our market and our customers have changed.
Given the economic state most of our nation finds itself in, people are
still somewhat afraid to spend and more geared toward saving. They are reevaluating how they spend their
money.
I recently
heard an interview with Warren Buffet and his perspective, although positive,
made a big impact on me. Since he owns a
big piece of the floor covering industry and is one of the richest men in the
world, I figured he knew what he was talking about. He said he just came to the realization that
new floor covering is something that people don’t really have to have – they
may want it, but they don’t have to have it.
It’s just not a necessity of life.
He said the reason he wasn’t worried though, is that he knew they were
still going to buy it. They could put it
off for a while, but they were going to buy it.
This is what I
meant when I said our customers have changed – maybe not forever, but I believe
for a very long time to come. And
frankly, it’s not just our customers but all consumers that have changed, which
is clearly evidenced by some of the commercials now airing. That is why those of us in this industry need
each other now more than ever before. It
is now even more important for installers to provide retailers and
manufacturers with the quality installation of their products, leading the
industry to one ultimate goal – to provide the customer with added value.
This is when the
professional installers’ goal of servicing the customer to the best of our ability
becomes even more important. We have to
realize that the customer may be looking for something different. Before, most customers equated what they
wanted with what they needed. Today’s
customers, however, are more cost-conscious and want to be sure they are
getting what they truly need, not just what they want. Unfortunately though, they will often settle
for less than what they need, based on what their budget allows. Our job as quality installers is to make sure
that the customer is getting the best job possible for the dollars they have to
spend. By way of example, let me offer a
brief story.
Last week, I
received a call from one of the local school principals regarding a problem
with the direct-glued carpeting in the library building. When I went to evaluate the job, the carpet
in the room appeared to be in good shape considering that it had been down nine
years, but severely wrinkled to the point that students and even he had tripped
when walking across the room. After
further inspection, I determined that the proper amount of adhesive had not
been used initially, causing the carpet not to adhere to the substrate in all
areas. I explained to the principal that
over time with such heavy traffic, humidity, cleaning, etc., the carpet had
simply expanded in those places and that is why the carpet was elevated, giving
a wrinkled appearance.
While I told
him his best option was to replace the entire room of carpet, I believed my job
was to service my customer to the best of my ability – not line my
pockets. I then provided several
alternatives, each with different cost factors, knowing well the extent of the
school district’s budgetary woes. This
puts the decision back on the school district – they are now fully informed and
can make a choice based on which option would provide the best result for the
money they have to spend.
Although I may
have taken money out of my pocket short-term, I believe that doing what was
best for my customer and his dilemma, not taking advantage of the situation,
will benefit me in the long run. Word of
mouth is a very strong factor, especially in a smaller community and I’d like
to think that customers seek my advice because they know I have their best
interests in mind.
In order for
this entire industry to heal and once again thrive, customers must feel that
each participant in the industry has no other goal than to satisfy the
customers’ needs. Actually, this should
have been the objective all along, but for one reason or another, the customer
has been allowed to focus on “wants” versus “needs.” Even where cash appears plentiful, that is
something a good many can no longer afford to do.
Focus on the Future: Some Things to Consider
January 15, 2010
No Comments