Well, you did it. One of your long-time reps just convinced you to accept another tower or step-up display featuring a dozen wood- grain patterns in a 7 x 48 luxury vinyl plank. Great!
We all know that in six to 12 months, if his company has not dropped that line of LVT, you are going to put that display and all its untouched samples in a dumpster behind the warehouse. And we have not even touched on the distribution centers that purchase from the same suppliers you have been using. They change the style or series name and rename the colors and sell you on the benefits of having their line in your store. Now you also unknowingly committed to having samples in duplicate.
Your sales floor, depending on its size and your individual market needs, can only manage so many offerings of LVT and laminate flooring. And the larger manufacturers have a solid footprint in most retail flooring stores, especially the smaller mom-and-pop style stores. Those displays are beautiful, like a stunning sculpture with beautiful colors, an array of art- fully arranged samples of every species of wood on earth, backlit with LED rope lighting and little secret compartments filled with extra brochures and smaller take-home samples. The larger the display, the more expensive it seems to be but, more detrimental to the retailer and their customers, the less room available to those smaller unknown and usually a little less expensive lines of LVT and laminate.
So, how many is too many display racks of LVT or laminate samples? Simply put, the right amount depends on your customer base, your available square footage of showroom space and your willingness to commit that space to yet another rack of samples that looks awfully like the other seven racks.
Many customers crave options, but I have seen firsthand that too many choices can lead to an overwhelming flop sweat of anxiety for your customer. The truth is, there is not a single “right” number of displays. To do right by your customers and to maintain a professional reputation among those clients, you should ask your prospective customer several questions before you begin showing them samples from these displays. The responses will help you narrow the field. For example: How long are you going to be in this home? If they are fixing up their house because a listing real estate agent advised them to spruce up the floors to make the house sell quickly, they will need a vastly different product than the 50-something empty nesters looking to retire and live out their lives in this home.
Do you have a budget in mind? Frequently the answer to this question is a waffling “no.” When I ask that question and get a response that is a version of “not really,” I immediately fire back with a wry grin, “So money is no object?” This gets the message through to them that if they have not already decided on an amount to commit to this project, they need to think that through.
Asking questions is a wonderful way of expanding the conversation from simple, cordial small talk into a meaningful and impactful exchange of ideas. Remember, every single customer who walks through your store’s door has a problem: They are not happy with their current flooring situation. Your job is to be the hero and solve that problem. And your superpower is the ability to ask pointed questions aimed at helping the customer realize their flooring goals.
Eric Thompson is the owner of Satolli Carpet & Floor Covering, Warren, Ohio. He is also a philanthropist and stand-up comedian.
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