FLOORtalk

Paul Friederichsen, president of Brand Biz and partner in the Blake Project, talks about ways retailers systematically collect data on current and potential customers and use that data in a variety of marketing campaigns to build sales. Friederichsen discusses privacy concerns as well as how and when this data should be collected and by whom.

Bill Yeadon, training facilitator, talks about the basic knowledge level required for a maintenance technician to be effective in the field, the training available in the industry, and the involvement of flooring manufacturers and suppliers in the training effort. Yeadon also talks about the most significant events that have occurred in the maintenance industry over the past year as he discusses how the advent of legal marijuana has affected the maintenance business.

Bill Yeadon, training facilitator, talks about the propensity of consumers to use floor covering maintenance services and the marked difference that exists between the generations as well as his expectations for future changes. Yeadon also discusses changes in the industry that are taking place as a result of a shift toward hard surface products in both the residential and commercial markets.

Bill Yeadon, training facilitator, talks about the level of business in the maintenance sector this year and how it generally follows floor covering sales. Yeadon notes that, in spite of the shortage of installation talent and shortages in the building trades, no such problems exist in the maintenance industry, and why this might be the case. He also estimates the size and makeup of the maintenance community.

Mike Chmielecki, editor of Floor Covering Installer, discusses the CFI Convention & Expo, recently held in tandem with the Installation Summit. Chmielecki talks about the various elements of the event, including the educational seminars and the expo where suppliers exhibited their products and services. Also discussed is the mission of the association, its educational offerings, scholarships and certifications, as well as possible changes that might be taking place.

Mike Chmielecki, editor of Floor Covering Installer, talks more about the recently held Installation Summit 2017, the turnout, particularly the lack of turnout from retailers, and possible recommendations for a solution for the installation crisis, including hiring installers with a 401K plan, training, and a career path. Also discussed are the advantages to retailers of aggressively selling the concept of installations performed by certified installers and the possible solutions generated by the Floor Covering Leadership Council (FCLC) the planners of the Summit could take.

Mike Chmielecki, editor of Floor Covering Installer, reflects on the recently-held second Installation Summit, talking about the groups that were in attendance, the mission of the event — that is developing solutions to the shortage of qualified flooring installers facing retailers and contractors. Chmielecki discusses the nature of the problem and how many in the field have solved it for their businesses, how pay has played a major role in the problem, and his expectations of the results the summit will produce.

John Simonson, president of Webstream Dynamics, discusses a recently released study that indicates that, even though reviews appear to be a magic element of online shopping, consumers often react to them in an illogical way, purchasing products with the most reviews rather than ones with the most positive reviews. Simonson also discusses actions retailers can take when they receive a negative review.

John Simonson, president of Webstream Dynamics, discusses packaging of floor covering products and how many in the industry are inadequate to withstand shipping via common carriers. Simonson also talks about how several online players, such as BuildDirect, have overcome this problem and BuildDirect’s return policy. Simonson talks about how packaging will likely be addressed by manufacturers in the future.

John Simonson, president of Webstream Dynamics, discusses changes that have just taken place with Google’s Chrome browser requiring online forms to be secured with a SSL certificate. With online sales growing exponentially, Simonson also discusses factors that could create problems for online floor covering sales, including the bulk and weight of most floor covering packages and the lack of sufficiently-sturdy packaging.