Over the last few months, sales have been tough for most businesses. We asked our list of premium dealers how they fared during the front-end of the COVID-19 crisis and more specifically, what sales looked like in April, as that was the month many appliance dealers...
New Idea: Implementing Video Appointments
When you think about how to navigate the retail experience with customers while following the guidelines for social distancing, you have to consider things that are out of the box. Now might be the time to look at video appointments. We just walked through this...
Clear Communications to Consumers on Covid-19
None of us knows what the future holds, and while we hope and pray that things return to "normal" as soon as possible, nothing feels "normal" today. Acknowledging the unique circumstances as they are evolving, and addressing potential concerns of your clients is not...
The Stress Is Real: Taking Extra Steps to Encourage Your Team
There's no denying the pandemic is taking a toll in a variety of ways. The most obvious, of course, is the health of people around the world who have contracted COVID-19. Statistics on illness and death have become ever-present in our newsfeeds. We can't ignore...
Working Smarter and Staying Ahead: Changes In Your Showroom
This article is part of a series called Working Smarter and Staying Ahead featuring highlights from the annual KBIS Insights Breakfast presentation. Check out our previous post for Part 1. You know that your customer base is growing and changing, and the people...
On Valued but Borrowed Time
The years of experience in your sales force can be a key component to the success of your premium retail business. We repeatedly entrust the most important relationships to the most seasoned, proven professionals on staff. It’s no secret that the results of this...
Working Smarter and Staying Ahead: Know Your Customers
Whether your store has been around for decades or just a few years, your customers are changing. At the bare minimum, they are getting older and their buying habits and needs change as they age. But you have also felt the rapid changes in technology, in your...
Video Appointments for the High-End Sale
This spring we have all adjusted to find new ways of doing things. Like many other businesses, you’ve had to shift to using more online communication tools than you had before. You might just be thinking this is a tool to help keep your business going through...
Take Back Control of Your Showroom
The crisis phase of the COVID-19 situation seems to be behind us. You’re now ready to take back control of your showroom and move forward from a business perspective, while still being sensitive to the changing situation, and in compliance with your local or state...
Adopting an Adaptable Mindset
Adaptability is defined as "the ability to adjust to different conditions or circumstances." I think we'd all agree that the last 18 months have been a crash course in adaptability! It's also made us keenly aware of how important it is to accept that the...
Beyond the Showroom: Rethinking Luxury and Premium Selling
Before the spring of 2020, your showroom was a key part of your sales model. Appliance dealers used their funds to host events and draw people in to see their products in person. Manufacturers used the direct connections that come with showroom events to build their...
High-End Appliance Dealers: The Next Generation
Beginning in the 1970s, independent appliance dealers have enjoyed a great run. As family-owned businesses, they are often cornerstones in their communities. Everyone recognizes their name, and there is a lot of pride in having the second or even third generation...