Issue 4 - May 2007

Greetings from the Furniture Training Company. I recently returned from the Western Home Furnishings Association (WHFA) Annual Conference in Palm Springs. While I was there, I was impressed by all the speakers who independently spoke about the need to increase the level of professionalism and service in the furniture industry. We at The Furniture Training Co. have also recognized this need, and are committed to providing the most effective training in the industry.

This newsletter focuses on giving you and your sales associates the knowledge you need to successfully sell furniture. Feel free to contact us and share your training knowledge and ideas. Good luck with your training, and enjoy the Furniture Training Newsletter. - Mark Lacy, President

In This Issue...

• In the News: The Furniture Training Company Successfully Pilots Product Training with RoomStore
• Article: Service, Service, Service
• Tips and Techniques: Discovering Needs
• Feature Story: Does the customer know more than you do?
• Did You Know...

The Furniture Training Company Successfully Pilots Product Training with RoomStore

Logan, UT – May 17, 2007. The Furniture Training Company (www.furnituretrainingcompany.com) announces that RoomStore, one of the 25 largest furniture retailers in America, has successfully completed its pilot of the Fundamentals of Furniture Product Knowledge online furniture training program at 5 retail store locations during the first quarter of 2007. RoomStore will now expand its use of the interactive multimedia training into 25 Mid-Atlantic States stores.

Read the full press release...

Service, Service, Service

We recently attended WHFA's Annual Conference held in Palm Springs. It was an enjoyable and informative few days, giving us a good opportunity to hear several presentations regarding the state of the retail furniture industry. A clear theme that was addressed in many of these talks was the concern that, as a whole, the retail furniture industry could do better at serving customers. Data was shared that indicates the industry as a whole falls somewhere in the lower half of all retail industries for customer service. The industry is better than some, but not as good as many other industries in regards to providing valuable service to our customers.

Read the full article...

Tips and Techniques: Discovering Needs

After you have properly greeted a customer and gained her confidence, you need to discover her furniture needs and wants. This is done by engaging the customer in a genuine conversation, using open-ended questions to get her to share with you. These type of questions help you explore seven categories of information, and discover the customer’s needs. These categories include the following:

• What are the customer’s preferred features?
• Who will be the end-user of the product?
• How does this purchase affect, or fit in with, the customer’s room?
• What is the customer’s degree of time urgency?
• What are the customer’s budget resources?
• Who is the final decision-maker(s)?
• Why is the customer motivated to think about buying now?

Once you have discovered the answers to these questions, you will be able to present appropriate furniture solutions that match your customer’s needs.

Feature Story: Does the customer know more than you do?

Mike Petersen, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for The Furniture Training Company, recently returned from the Western Home Furnishings Association Conference in Palm Springs, California. The conference presenters made it clear once again that customers expect well-prepared, professional sales associates. Customers read home furnishings magazines, research via the Internet, and shop at other stores. No longer will the customer by satisfied with sales associates who just point to sofas and bedroom sets. Customers want someone who can talk intelligently about styles and construction.

Since January, nearly 25,000 Fundamentals of Furniture Product Knowledge lessons have been completed at The Furniture Training Company website, by nearly 1,600 sales associates. Almost 650 associates have become certified. These certified associates can now talk extensively about furniture, meeting the expectations of today's savy consumer.

Did You Know...

Scandinavia has had a significant impact on modern furniture design. While modern art movements inspired many designers to create iconoclastic furniture out of steel or plastic, Scandinavian furniture designers preferred time-honored materials and craftsmanship. They did incorporate some modern ideas, such as ergonomics, simplicity of design, and forms inspired by the natural world, into their skillfully crafted furniture, creating a style that is simple, functional, and beautiful.