In every floor-covering segment there are times when technology and innovation cross paths, shake hands and come together to take some seriously large steps forward in product advancement. In the tile industry, nowhere has this been more apparent of late than in format; when you walk into a showroom and encounter single tiles of scope and scale larger than a full-grown human, you know something’s changed.
Once upon a time, a resourceful retailer decided to venture into the turbulent world of commercial floor covering sales, only to be met with…less than total success.
You’re a successful floor-covering retailer or flooring contractor who has spent many years primarily working the residential home building and remodeling markets. But have you ever found yourself walking through a shopping mall where a new store was being built, seeing the hardwood floors being installed, and wishing that you got kind of work?
I was recently asked what my greatest disappointment in the resilient installation field has been in the past 45 years. That’s easy: fast-track construction. I was always trained to spend the time necessary to do what it takes to make a satisfactory job for all parties involved from the manufacturer to the end-user; “fast” shouldn’t trump all other aspects of the equation.
Last month I shared research that showed those who are the most successful in leadership, relationships and marriage are those who are not afraid to step up, address and discuss sensitive issues with others. The struggle with sensitive issues is that they are often very emotional and generate our age-old evolutionary response: fight or flight. That defense mechanism causes us to use ineffective methods of communication. When we are loaded with adrenalin, our brains lack the necessary blood flow to remain calm and think clearly.
If you’re familiar with firearms, you know that, while caliber is important, it’s the type and construction of the bullet that is key to success. Just as a hollow-point bullet won’t penetrate an engine block, buckshot is unlikely to be effective when dove hunting.
The heat-welding process arrived in North America in the late 1980s, a technique developed to ensure seam integrity, produce an aseptic-free seam and ride the move from felt-backed to vinyl-backed materials. In my travels looking at commercial resilient concerns, I am constantly encountering failures with the heat-weld process. After looking at many of these failures I have developed, in no particular order, a list of THE MOST COMMON.
An astute businessman always looks ahead, and as Labor Day has just come and gone, and the kids are back to school, you may have had the thought that, “Maybe I should be doing some school business.” And the fall is a great time to make plans for this type of business.
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