FLOORtalk

Duane DeJonge of ReSource Colorado in Denver reports that Vital Oxide in short supply and supplier XL North reporting two to three week delivery time. DeJonge is also finding it difficult to find manual and electronic foggers.

Barbara Sheedy of Lippert Flooring and Tile in Menomonee Falls, Wis., is working to educate employees on safety practices. New construction in progress not impacted due to open space and reduced occupants. She is finding education business is very strong with recent referendums being passed. There has been no impact on these projects at this time as they have not started.

Rollmaster President and CEO Dev O'Reilly talks about the inclination of retailers returning to industry-specific software.

He talks about importance of training and ongoing assistance with new software and the benefits of selecting software that integrates with popular marketing tools like Floor Force, Creating Your Space, and Testimonial Tree.

Industry consultant Jim Buckles talks about retailers arranging their sales floor by a good, better, best model to encourage customers to trade up and to increase ticket sales.

George Celtrick, president of Whitewood Products, talks about his expectations for the high-end and exotic species sectors of the hardwood floor covering industry as well as the hardwood flooring sector in light of the spike in LVT sales.

Evan Hackel, CEO, Tortal Training and Ingage Consulting, discusses the prime factors that will shape the floor covering industry 10 years or so down the road. Hackel talks about shifts in the age of the population and the domination of Millennials and Gen Z as well dramatic gains in the speed of the internet in 10 years and how these factors will change the way floor coverings can be marketed. He also discusses the anticipated changes in floor covering retail stores in this period as well as an increase in self-installed products and an increase in online sales.

Scott Levy, president, Arley Wholesale, talks about pricing in the ceramic sector noting that prices are down overall touching on the pricing of product trends from various supplying countries. Levy talks about price, quality and a retail of distributors core vision as he shares Arley’s core values.

Tom Jennings, chairman, WFCA Services talks about the process of preparing customers for the installation process by concentrating on the end results of the installation rather than the disruption of the actual install. Jennings reminds retailers and salespeople that they need to however be realistic with consumers.

Doug Chadderdon, president, CEO of Great Floors, a chain of 22 retail and commercial showrooms across the Pacific Northwest, talks about Great Floors’ in-house training. 

He notes that with 28,000 SKUs in the store this approach is necessary. He also talks about his ongoing training to make the efforts of salespeople more effective including a weekly supplier webinar and the need for retailers today to ensure salespeople know more than consumers.

Dev O’Reilly, CEO, industry-specific software provider Rollmaster talks about TISE and the 2019-2020 floor covering show season, the people-to-people aspect of the shows and how they have changed over the years. Discussing all the shows that take place in the industry, O’Reilly estimates the number of retailers that elect not to attend a show.