Posted by Clay Posey on Mon, Sep 21, 2009 @ 09:23 AM
Home Carpet Industries (HCI) is pleased to be the exclusive wholesale floor covering vendor at the trade show attached to the Rich Cleaner Conference created by Piranha Marketing. The conference, which runs September 23-26 2009 is in Phoenix, AZ and targets owners of carpet cleaning businesses of all sizes. Home Carpet Industries is bringing programs to these cleaners to allow them to not only offer maintenance services but replacement services to their customers.
Dan Westfall, President of HCI, has worked hand in hand with Shaw Industries to create buying programs for small businesses that allow them to compete and win business over "big box" retailers while maintaining profit margins that help their businesses not just survive, but thrive. Dan has created opportunities not only in carpet, but in hard surface flooring such as wood, laminate, tile and commercial vinyl as well.
To help promote the Piranha Show, Dan has created a special program, The Start Up Program is designed for those who have not previously been involved in replacement sales or who are new to HCI. More on that program can be found on the HCI site.
If you want to sign up to learn more about the Rich Cleaner Show, or HCI, please fill out this request form.
Posted by Clay Posey on Tue, Jul 21, 2009 @ 07:31 AM
As a professional restoration contractor, you so often hear - "my insurance company will only pay for..." and so that's what you sell them. You and I both know that the margins in this business are to be found in the better goods - the ones the insurance company won't pay for. So how do you get your customer to step up to a carpet that you know will give them greater value, enjoyment and benefits over the life of their floor? It all starts BEFORE you are in your customers home.
1. Expect the upsell. Whether it's you as a restoration contractor, or one of your carpet cleaning technicians, or if you're big enough to have an in home sales staff, get your head in the game. Expect to upsell and you often will. Train your staff to offer an upgraded product every time - both carpet and cushion, and watch your sales increase.
2. Know your products. Train your techs and your reps on the real benefits to the customer for upgrading. Hint: Continuous filament is not a benefit UNTIL the customer understands how it will help their carpet look better and last longer.Training should be on the technical specs of the carpet, the intangibles (feel, color palate, aspirational branding), availability and warranties.
3. Educate your customers. No one likes to be sold but everyone likes to buy. Start now creating your reputation in your market as the "go to" company for answers about floor covering. Look for opportunities to speak at civic and business groups, get published in the paper, and start a blog like this one. Give before you expect to get. In the home, take the time to explain the options available to your customer. It is in their best interest for them to purchase something better than "builder grade". Help them intellectually justify their emotional decision. It will help you keep the sale after the emotional high of a luxury purchase wears off.
4. Offer Financing. Especially in this economy - help people justify the investment in their home. Many of your 2009 customers will not be able to come up with the extra money all at once. Accept major credit cards, offer 30, 60, 90day same as cash options, and offer traditional payment plans too. "For about the same investment as one dinner out..." is much more appealing than $4,500.00 on delivery.
5. Offer incentives to technicians and sales staff. Everyone's favorite radio station is WII FM (what's in it for me). Run monthly, weekly or even daily contests for cash, prizes and recognition. Keep a score board in your break or meeting room.Be creative and mix it up. Offer competitive prizes but also offer rewards for hitting certain levels of production that everyone can win.
6. Offer your customers rewards. More than the benefits to them, offer them discounts on companion products, additional work done at the same time, or free cleaning. Be creative, partner with non-competing trade and service contractors (cleaners, painters, etc.) to cross sell each other's discounts with a purchase. Don't forget to offer rewards for referrals also.
7. Have samples available. Don't just tell - show! Have samples of your most popular (and the ones you'd like to be most popular) on all of your trucks. Make sure the samples are in immaculate condition - replace the ones that aren't. Using a wholesaler that has their showroom online is a powerful way to augment those samples. If the customer asks "Do you have..." you don't have to get back to them, you can show them right on their home computer.
8. Use a presentation book. Use a powerpoint on a laptop computer or a simple three ring binder, but give yourself and your staff a track to run on. Cover Your Company, Your Staff, Your Training & Certifications, Awards, license and Insurance, and photos of beautiful rooms with your product in them. Know your competition is not doing this (85% of all contractors don't) so your doing so helps you become more professional and trusted in your customers eyes.
9. Include a maintenance plan. Consider including a six month and a one year check up on all sales. Consider including annual cleaning for the duration of the warranty or in stepped up increments as the quality of the carpet increases. When you do this, you remind your customer that you are in this with them for the long haul, you are not taking the money and vanishing. For a nominal cost, you are adding great value to your customer's experience. Each of those visits are also a great time to ask for referrals.
10. Reduce or Remove risk. Especially today, people are not very risk tolerant. Help reduce or eliminate that through testimonies of previous clients, satisfaction guarantees, and/or payment when the job is complete. The reality is that as a business person, you are going to protect your reputation and take care of your customer if something does go wrong. The profit of that one job is not worth the bad press you'll get if you don't. Since you're doing it anyway, brag on it. Put it in writing. When you do, your customers will reward you with their trust and their business.
- want to know more about increasing your profits? Call your Home Carpet Customer Care Representative at 1.800.542.3226.