It’s not the Fab 5, but how blown away would you be if instead of just barking “Where do you want it?” your furniture delivery man helped you to position the new furniture so that it looked just as stylish in your room as it did on the showroom floor?
The assistant truck driver realized that the reason the furniture looked more attractive in the showroom was that it was arranged by professionals. His idea was to give the company’s nineteen truck drivers and their assistants some of the same training in interior decorating that was given to the salespeople.Now, when delivering a sofa, for example, the delivery crew does not simply ask, “Where do you want it, lady?” Instead, before bringing it in, they find out why the customer bought the new furniture, visit the room it will go in, and look for appropriate accessories.
Together with the customer, they develop a plan. When the crew retrieves the sofa from the truck, they are able to position it nicely and accessorize it stylishly. With their decorating help and willingness to please, these truck drivers greatly improve the chances that customers will like their new furniture and generate considerable word-of-mouth advertising.
The other furniture companies in the area contract out the delivery process. Their delivery people still knock on the door and ask, “Lady, where do you want it?”
via Brewed Fresh Daily.
loyd on May 25th, 2004 at 5:22 am
Because I have knowledge of such subjects (furniture): Many stores now are requiring their salespeople to learn the basics of good design to help them present the product better to the customer. A qualified salesperson will visit the customers home to help them fit the product to their environment, and generate add on sales. The salesperson is then encouraged to return to the house on the day of delivery and arrange the furniture, without the homeowner present, and decorate the room. This is a big shift in the “sell it and move on to the next customer” mentality that has been the norm in America for years. Is this concept successful? Ask Ethan Allen.
danakeith on May 16th, 2008 at 9:35 pm
I think it works, if I were the customer.. I’d go for this idea, cause it assure me that the desired furniture I’ve chosen would fit in my home.