FLOOR ED
Know Your Customers and Build Relationships
O
Margo Rodgers Locust Publisher, Fabulous Floors Magazine and Premier Flooring Retailer; Flooring retailer in Northwestern North Carolina
ne of the things we know about retailing and selling is that it is going through powerful changes. Newspapers continue to struggle as technology changes how we communicate with customers. Everyone has a cell phone, installers are using iPads to layout the consumer’s house, and everyone is online. Cities are laying underground cable and installing 5G so everyone will soon be connected. One thing that hasn’t changed is the importance of knowing your customers and building relationships. Salespeople used to be the only place consumers could get information; now, consumers come into the store with mountains of information they have garnered from the internet. Our job is to be there and help them through the maze of information. We must set new standards. Google continues to tell us in “The Zero Moment of Truth” that the number of opportunities to connect with customers expands every day. If we are going to be successful, we must follow them around the internet and continue to engage them at every possible avenue. If we do not, someone else will.
The future of retail is now We are all are setting the stage of what it will be. A successful retailer is one that can continually change, seek new opportunities, and expand their horizons. Our customers have been telling us they want more and are setting their own rules. Now, in light of the pandemic, most consumers prefer a contactless shopping experience. This will likely continue into 2021, and retailers who take the initiative to create a comfortable and safe customer shopping experience, whether in-store or online, will reap the rewards. The following pages are designed to will help you become more educated and incorporate what lies ahead. Our job is to inspire you to continue the journey, embrace changes, and ultimately enjoy what you do and be more profitable.
One thing that hasn’t changed is the importance of knowing your customers and building relationships. Salespeople used to be the only place consumers could get information; now, consumers come into the store with mountains of information they have garnered from the internet. 24 Premier Flooring Retailer | Digital 4 2020
