With all of the talk about the economy, it has become apparent short-term plans and goals were derailed several years ago. That ultimately detoured long-term growth strategies.
More than 90 hardwood flooring plants were built in China over the past decade or so. There are many others in Vietnam, Korea and other Pacific Rim countries.
The hard fact is…good customers are so hard to get and so easy to lose. The old adage, “Your best customers are your competitor’s best prospects,” is amplified even more in today’s fragile economy.
Being a part of the hardwood flooring business for as long as I have has been a very fulfilling experience. Over the past 17 years, I've actually witnessed the rebirth of an entire industry. While this has been very positive, there looms a major concern that seems to pop up from time to time -- namely, the environmental impacts associated with hardwood flooring.
When it comes to business, my philosophy for success has always been quite simple: the Customer is King. More specifically, everything you do in business is to help your customers be successful. If they’re successful, you will be successful — and it must happen in that order. This is true regardless of whether you sell, install or service hardwood flooring or any other product.
Have you noticed lately the popularity of hardwood flooring in U.S. specialty shops, restaurants and, in particular, the national chains? The fact is, the Architectural Design and Decorating (AD&D) community for many years has been specifying hardwood flooring for commercial us