The anatomy of a carpet order at Lewis Floor and Home.

Posted on April 3, 2013 by Lewis

Everyone thinks it is easy to order and install carpet.
Below it a check list of things that need to happen in order for the process to go smoothly.

1: The customer comes into our store knowing he or she wants carpet for their family room but not having any idea what type of carpet they want or need.

2: Our salesperson then spends time with the customer to determine which of the tens of thousands of choices will not only meet the customer’s expectations, but perform under sometimes extremely adverse conditions (four children, two dogs & a cat) and of course stay within their budget.

3: Assuming that the customer finds a couple of possible candidates  it is then up to our sales person to get the customer to take the samples home to view in their environment at different times of the day with a special emphasis on the time of the day they are normally using the room. This is important because colors look different depending on the room lighting and the other colors being used in the room.

4: Oftentimes getting the right selection requires more than one trip by the customer back and forth to our showroom in order to find “that perfect color and quality.” Additionally, depending on the selection the sales person needs to couple the carpet selected with the proper cushion and explain to the customer the benefits of using the proper cushion.

5: Now comes the setting up of the measure. Information needs to be collected including but not limited to the customer’s, name, address, telephone numbers and e mail. We need to verify the selection, the color, the area and whether there is old carpet to be removed and/or radiant heat. We need to discuss special furniture like pianos and/or pool tables not to mention the occasional video game. Once this is done assuming the customer doesn’t want any other areas measured for future we can explain to them that we charge a $ 75.00 measure fee to go out to their home to do a professional measure that can be fully applied to their order. Oh I forgot, we need to make sure the decision maker is home in order to discuss seam placement and any other questions that arise in order to avoid delays and additional costs in the installation. Some of these are sub floor problems, the need to cut doors and the fact that baseboards will in all likelihood need to be touched up after the installation of their new carpet.

6: At the measure, the measure person diagrams the room and notes any special situations. They check for radiant heating, discuss seam placement with the customer and show the customer exactly why they are buying the amount of carpet they are. At this time they figure the cost of the job and present the quote to the customer. Assuming everything is in order the customer signs both the order and the seaming diagram and collect a deposit on the order.

7: The order is returned to the store and checked by either a manager or owner and then along with the deposit is brought to the order entry department. Depending on whether or not the carpet selected is in our stock the carpet is ordered, or reserved in our inventory. The proper cushion is reserved from our inventory and then the order in brought to accounting to process the deposit. Assuming the carpet is in our stock then the order goes to scheduling where the customer is called and a date is scheduled for installation of their carpet.

8: Scheduling once again discusses with the customer what is expected of them. Mainly the removal of all breakables before we arrive, the clearing of any closet floors and gives the customer a time frame for both the installers arriving and an estimate of how long it will take to complete the installation.

9: Alternately,  if the carpet if not in stock we notify the sales person of the expected delivery date and if that date is longer than expected a call must be made to the customer to let them know about the delay. If not the order goes into a file until the carpet is received in our warehouse after which the scheduling process begins.

10: Oftentimes the customer is not ready for their carpet which means that their order is put in a hold file until they are ready. This means we must store the carpet in our warehouse until the customer sets a date for installation.

11: On the day before installation the carpet is pulled from the warehouse and is cut to size for the installers to take out to the job. Of course before this happens the order department needs to pull the order, make a copy for the installer and put the order in our measure schedule.

12: The warehouse inspects the carpet when cutting it because as we all know our manufacturers would never ever send out a defective piece of carpet. Assuming that the carpet is fine, after it is cut, the back of the carpet is labeled with the customer’s name.

13: On the morning of the installation the customer is called by the installation department and reminded that we are coming. The installer gets not only the carpet but the pad and loads this into his van together with all the tools necessary to properly install the customer’s carpet. These tools include but are not limited to: seaming tape, tack less
stripping, pad glue, pad staples, seaming iron, roller, pad tape, pliers to help remove old carpet and pad, stair tool, tucking tool, knifes with blades and a power stretcher that weighs about 100 pounds.

14: Once everything has been brought into the customer’s house and the furniture has been moved from the room, the old carpet and pad can be removed and bundled for recycling. Then and only then can the installers install the customer’s carpet.

15: Once the carpet has been installed the installers vacuum (oops I forgot that piece of equipment) and then replace all the furniture. Finally, it is up to the installer to collect the COD balance and have the customer inspect the job and sign off that they are satisfied.

16: Assuming all this happens, the installer will bring in the paperwork along with the COD on the following day. Only then can we job cost the order, set up the payable from our end to get our installer paid and send out the warranty information together with a thank you note preferably by email.

See I told you selling carpet was easy!

 

Posted in Carpet, Carpet Installation, Customer Service, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Distributors selling direct to the public

Posted on March 4, 2013 by Lewis

With business conditions being challenging over the past few  years retailers in the floor covering business are dealing with distributors  who are selling directly to the public and over the internet. This is in addition to their normal distribution channels. This has become a significant problem for retailers who have made an investment to show these products in their showrooms. After all, the retailer has expenses which designers, contractors and individual customers do not.  This means if they are allowed to purchase directly from the distributor they don’t incur the overhead and expenses that retailers incur and can sell the same product for less while still making a profit. The only problem with this is without the retailer’s help in making the product selection and giving the
customer the opportunity to see samples there would be no sale at all.

A normal retailer who purchases through distribution incurs display costs, individual samples costs, sales costs associated with the compensation paid to their sales professionals in addition to all the expenses of ordering, receiving, shipping and delivering goods. The retailer makes an investment of their valuable showroom space. If they cannot sell at an acceptable profit to cover these costs it doesn’t make sense to show the
product. Many distributors have tiered pricing which they use to justify selling certain individuals directly thereby bypassing the retailer who has in many cases has  taken the time to work  with the designer only to have the designer then go directly to the distributor  to purchase the product for less than what the retailer is asking. The plain truth is that tiered pricing doesn’t provide the retailer with adequate protection of their margin.

For example if a retailer purchases product for $ 2.00 per square foot and retails it on their floor for $4.00 per square foot after selling expenses the retailer will be lucky to clear $ 1.00 per square foot or one half of their mark up. Remember  that the retailer has to account for the time to market the product to the customer, work up the quotation including in many cases how many square feet are needed for the project and perhaps even prepare a drawing with multiple products being used together. The retailer is expecting to know how many feet come in each carton, whether the material is in stock and how soon it can be delivered.  Is it fair that the designer can then take this information directly to the distributor and purchase the product for something less than the $ 4.00 that the retailer in charging thereby cutting the retailer out of the sale and in essence not compensating the retailer for their expertise and time in helping to select products?

While all distributors are not directly to the public, the fact is that a large number are. This only serves to reduce the value of the  product and destroy the ability of the retailer to make a legitimate profit from their investment in samples and sales people.  Presently in the Chicago market there are distributors that are not only selling to the public but advertising directly to them.  Quite frankly I think it’s about time that retailers take a stand and agree to support only true distributors that sell through retailers and not distributor’s that are playing both sides of the coin. After all as a retailer we all know that too much distribution of a product only serves to take all the value and margin out of the product thereby making it unprofitable for retailers to sell.

Steven Lewis, Lewis  Floor & Home

 

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Cersaie, Italy Tile Show 2012

Posted on November 7, 2012 by Lewis

Steven Lewis, owner of Lewis Floor & Home, Susie Axelrad, VP Sales and Merchandising,  and buyers from all over the world descended upon Cersaie 2012, the International Exhibition of Ceramic Tile and Bathroom Furnishings, Sept. 25 to 28 at the Bologna Exhibition Center to see the latest in ceramics trends. Attendance for this year was 75,563, compared to 81,500 in 2011.  Due to the US recession, Lewis Floor & Home did not attend the tile or stone show held in Italy last year. It was the first time in almost a decade that we didn’t make the trip to see new products.  The year before in 2010, only 7 American companies attended and it was a very disappointing and scary situation. This year over 20 American companies were represented which tells us the US economy is improving and it’s time to invest in new tile product and design again.

“This year’s Cersaie was definitely a rebound from the past editions with a noticeable increase in the number of visitors,” said Gianni Ruberti, sales representative for Impronta, an exhibitor at the show. “It’s important for U.S. buyers to visit Cersaie, not only to get a comprehensive view of the new products but to also get a sense of where the industry is moving and the elements, shapes and colors that define today’s design.” Trends this year continued to lean toward large format, thinner tiles and more trim pieces. “Everything seems to be bigger and thinner in Europe,” Rabaioli said.

“A lot of companies presented very large formats and also big slabs of 4 x 10 feet and only 6 mm thick.” Inkjet technology has knocked out older rotocolor technologies as well. “For the first time I can say that there were almost no rotocolor at the show, it is evident that this new technology has been rolling very fast leaving behind the old rotos,” Ruberti said.  Clearly the dominating trends seen across the board was large format tiles as big as 18 x 36, rectangular tiles in every size, color and design, and every kind of wood look imaginable from hand scraped, rustic to planks as long as 8 feet!!!  It will be a year or two before the more extreme designs hit theUSbut you can be sure, the Italians are pushing to get those products across our country as soon as possible.

During the same week Verona, Italy is the host city for the international stone show called Marmomac.  There buyers shop for natural stone tiles and slabs from suppliers all over the globe.  We found many interesting marble, granite and quartzite slabs.  Containers are on the water now and some will be here as early as Thanksgiving.  Good quality white stone is getting harder and harder to locate due to the condition of the quarries producing the materials. In the meantime, you can be sure the assortment of tile and stone products found at Lewis Floor & Home not only is one of the best offerings in the Chicagoland area but also extremely competitively priced.  By importing direct, we are at a huge advantage in the market place and everyone knows our slab fabrication is the best thanks to Ayhan at Best Buy. 

Many tile and bath products were exhibited at Cersaie and wood-look porcelain tiles are standing out as the popular trend

 

 

Posted in Design, Flooring, News and Events, Tiles, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Should I use white marble for my kitchen countertops?

Posted on October 4, 2012 by Lewis

The trend toward using white marble in kitchens seems to be here to stay. More and more, our customers are requesting white marble for their kitchen remodeling projects. The purpose of this article is to set the customer’s expectations at the proper level when using white marble in a kitchen area.

Many people are hesitant to recommend marble for kitchen applications because of the fact that marble is softer than granite and has a reputation of staining and or etching easily.  Marbles are calcium based stones which are susceptible to acidic substances.  As a result marble will etch when it interacts with acid. This leaves a discolored or uneven appearance where the acid interacted with the marble.  Anyone interested in using marble, especially white marble needs to know that this will happen. Many manufactures strongly recommend white marble in a honed instead of polished finish in a kitchen installation. A polished marble surface etches easily and noticeably.  A honed finish will hide some of the surface imperfections when a white marble counter comes in contact with every day items that are high in acid like lemon juice.

With proper care and quick spill removal staining does not have to become big problem.  Every piece of marble is different. One of the most important factors when considering which stone to use as a countertop in your kitchen is the absorption rate of the stone. Obviously speaking the lower the absorption rate the more appropriate it is for a kitchen. One way to decrease the absorption rate is to seal the stone with a good water based impregnator once per year.  It is also very important to keep the stone clean with a pH neutral natural stone cleaner and get to potential stains as soon as possible.

If and when a stain occurs it may be possible to use a poultice solution that will draw out the stain. What this all means is that it can be okay to use white marbles as countertops in kitchens. While they will never be as hard as granite they can with proper maintenance perform up to an educated consumer’s expectations.

Marbles will also patina over time which depending on how you look at it even adds to the beauty of the stone. It all comes down to proper maintenance and proper expectations.

 

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My basement floods and I’m tired of replacing my carpet!

Posted on August 16, 2012 by Lewis

Once in a while a product is invented that is truly a game changer. After having been born and raised in the flooring business and spending the better part of 55 years around my family business, I believe it has happened. I remember like it was yesterday when DuPont brought out Stainmaster fiber in late 1984.  They featured a little boy in the highchair and his blue airplane food tray that hit the floor in every commercial. Since then there have been introductions of other fibers from Anso IV to Smartstrand but carpet is still pretty much carpet. 

Yes there have also been changes in the hard surface arena. Wood floors have become much more eco friendly and engineered flooring has become more readily accepted. Laminates went from being the rage to a very small percentage of our sales. Vinyl on the other hand has exploded due to a couple of major improvements. 

First came the improvements in looks. Sheets goods went from a bad 1960 looking tile to a product that offered both style and easy maintenance. Then came better visuals in vinyl plank and vinyl tile. All of a sudden vinyl did not look like vinyl. Amtico had luxury vinyl tiles that were truly unique. The stigma of sheet vinyl was gone. Now we have floating vinyl planks and tiles that carry commercial warranties. 

These products are preferred for lower level areas that are susceptible to water. Not only are the planks and tiles impervious to water, they can be lifted up, cleaned and replaced with very little effort. While some vinyl tiles and planks require a full spread adhesive, tiles from Karadean and/or Elevations require only perimeter glue or taping. This allows for easy board or tile replacement in the unlikely event a piece is damaged. The materials lay flat, have a great wear layer and have a high percentage of recycled content making them very environmentally friendly.

Because the floors have great visuals they are a great alternative to wood in kitchens and bathrooms. While these products are relatively new to theUnited Statesmarket they have been being used inEuropefor about five years. In fact it is not uncommon for a home owner to take the floor with them when they move! Other advantages of this product include that fact that is doesn’t have that hollow clicking sound when you walk on it, it is easier on your feet than ceramic tile and is very easy to maintain.

So if you haven’t seen this product and have a water problem in you home, I urge you to take a look. Floating vinyl is the product that I believe will help solve your water issues and make your home beautiful and stylish!

Posted in Flooring, News and Events, Product Information, vinyl flooring | Tagged , | 3 Comments