Premier Flooring Retailer Premier Flooring Retailer Magazine - Covid-19 Busi | Page 21

What I don’t get is why so many flooring retailers that I
encounter seem to think that installation can often be identified
as an area of cost containment or reduction. Not only is
service the only element of a sale that really differentiates us
from our competition, it is most often where both profitability
and customer are either maximized, or jeopardized.
to be trained at. There is even a TV channel dedicated to their abilities playing 24/7. Good restau-
rants brag about their staff’s abilities. What are your customers hearing about your staff?
At the restaurant, you judge the meal presented on the plate, not the ingredients themselves.
Just as not everyone wishes to eat from the dollar menu; neither do all flooring customers want a
flooring installation bargain. The one dollar illustration above represents a six percent price change.
Have you ever gladly paid six percent more for something that you really wanted? We all have. What
could a six percent change do for your business?
My experience is that many customers will gladly pay a bit more to have a superior service
experience. This is really nothing new. Nearly a century ago Will Rogers stated that, “It’s not
what you pay a man, but what he costs you that counts.” It’s still great wisdom today. Don’t let
lower installation rates for questionable workmanship mislead you. Their real cost may prove to
be quite high. ❚
Premier Flooring Retailer | Q1 2020
19