Hardwood Floors June/July 2019

By Emily Morrow Finkell

In the end, what they wanted was fairly simple. They want a place to come in and work, with or without clients, where they won't have to negotiate with a retail sales associate necessarily. They want to have a resource for product knowledge and technical information on the various products that they're specifying. As an example, one designer told a story of having to order a plumbing part for a custom bathtub that she selected with the guidance of a sales associate. She shared that she relied heavily on the salesperson to be the expert, but the problemwas that the salesperson assumed she was an expert. Unfortunately, the result was the wrong-size part, which delayed the project, costing additional labor and time. Hardwood flooring is an especially daunting category for designers. It's usually fairly expensive both in materials and in labor to install, and it requires loading docks and lift trucks to unload the heavy cartons or bundles and a knowledgeable person to measure and do the takeoffs, as well as figuring out the sequence of the job installation so that everything goes into the jobsite at the exact right moment. Furthermore, imagine how difficult it is for designers to find and hire skilled flooring installers in today's environment where the industry is suffering a shortage of skilled workers. Many interior designers shy away from "dealing with the hardwood flooring" but rather just "pick it" and let their contractor handle the "rest of the mess." Designers can work hard to design a project and still have a client (or even his or her contractor) then go out and shop the selections for lower prices, cutting the designer out of the equation. Are you currently carrying brands and products that are designed for designers? Many of these brands are already recognized by designers by their stunning The following questions were posed to the designers: “What do you need?” a nd “What is your biggest challenge or headache?”

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