Letters to the editor
By Furniture Today Staff -- Furniture Today, October 7, 2001
Alchemists are already out there
As a former furniture industry outsider, Brian Carroll's column on the need for alchemists interested me ("Why we need alchemists in an unpredictable world," Aug 27, page 50). We do need more alchemists, but I believe many of them are already here. My view is that we need application of these human resources and good research.
When I first thought about entering the furniture industry, I sought the advice of a fabric supplier to the industry. He recommended that I stay away from the case goods side. He said they would never listen to me, that they were not ready for change or contemporary marketing. He was wrong.
Maybe I was in an unusual company with unusually insightful leaders like Ken Fonville, president of Pennsylvania House. Ken created a sacred cow committee whose task was to slay any obstacles to the improvement of the company in any department. I was privileged to serve in that group.
Fonville also allowed me to schedule insightful product planning meetings with some of my New York magazine friends, who were very close to home furnishings consumers. There are other examples. Over the past few years I have seen the industry turn to marketing principles that are making it better. I am seeing product being pre-tested and furniture companies listening to their dealers.
Furniture dealers are our link to the pocketbooks of furniture consumers. And while one can argue dealers have not always been the best source of information, this economy is making them very sensitive to their customers' needs. Listen to them. Ask them. Assemble a group of your best dealers and make them a part of your business like Pennsylvania House has.
Carroll is correct when he writes that "asking her what she wants and what she needs" may be disconnected from her cash vote. But good researchers understand that asking a direct question does not necessarily elicit the "right" answer. Carroll asked, "Could a focus group have predicted the success of Thomasville's Hemingway?" Yes, if coupled with other research, it could have contributed a great deal to the prediction of success.
But how do you define success? My own research into the licensing possibilities between Bill Blass and Pennsylvania House concluded that this program would do one thing very well — it would focus attention on Pennsylvania House, which we really needed. We received over $3 million worth of press. Although the Bill Blass collection did not have the longevity of some other collections, it did sell the company and its programs. That is how we measured its success.
I believe what the furniture industry needs is more case study research before making a major move. When asked about a manufacturer's gallery store that had just opened, the owner-retailer said he felt the store would be a success because "(Factory A) has started to listen to the retailers. We said 'no' to their floor plan and made quite a few changes. They reluctantly went along with us."
One problem the retailer found in Factory A's floor plan was the same problem that had been solved more than 10 years earlier by Factory B. Had the Factory A management studied the failings of Factory B, they would have achieved greater success sooner.
There are many examples of the mistakes of one furniture company being repeated by another years later. How much more money will furniture companies lose by repeating mistakes? Perhaps Furniture/Today could help by providing confidential research on what has gone before. You could be the case study provider. It would be up to the alchemists of the furniture industry to read them, study them, learn from them and make better business decisions based on what they find.
Mark Hart
Media Max, an ad agency serving the furniture industry
Montoursville, Pa.
Only buyers should park in buyers lots
I haven't read one article that contains information on how we can write, fax or call members of the newly organized Market Authority. From the article on Aug. 20, it seems as if they are finally going to have input from members of NHFA. After all, it's the retailers that "make it happen" at market. It seems as if the medium and smaller retailers should have a bigger voice, since many of the giants of retail are gone.
The big "coup" of having more parking space at Oak Hollow Mall is much ado about nothing. We need the versatility of having our vehicles within walking distance of the market. No one wants to wait for 30 minutes to get on a shuttle to ride to your car, then drive back to your room.
One suggestion that I wish could be passed on to the Market Authority concerns the huge number of manufacturers' reps in the buyers lots. Most reps have a friend in the retail business who gets them a buyer's pass for the express reason of parking in a buyers lot. The manufacturers' reps take up more than 75% of the buyers lot spaces.
I am not suggesting that the High Point Police ask for two forms of ID for every driver that enters the lot. The line of cars would be backed up to Burlington. What I am suggesting is to send out the requested number of buyer's passes but only ONE parking pass per company. More than 95% of buyers for the same company travel in one vehicle. They can work out their shopping itinerary to where one parking pass would be sufficient. If they need an exemption for an extra pass, let them contact IHFC.
A second suggestion would be not to open the buyers lots at 6:30 a.m., which they have been doing for the past few markets. Reps take the parking spots, then have breakfast at market. By 7:20 a.m. the lots are full. The retailers who arrive after 7:30 a.m. are forced to pay up to $20 per day for parking. While this is also too expensive for reps to pay, we have to return to the concept of buyers lots and for whom they were designed.
Ray Kenney
Pasadena Furniture
Pasadena, Md.
Who will step up in this downturn?
As a retired furniture man, I try to stay in touch with the goings on in the business that I grew to know and love. As I sit by my computer, I often think back and compare the challenges we faced and the ways we dealt with them.
In some ways, only the names have changed. Many of the issues that trouble the industry today are not unlike those of the past 50 years. Such as:
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Growing complacent with a healthy economy.
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Failing to recognize the signs of a downturn.
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Failing to take the necessary steps to weather the period.
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Over-expansion without proper planning and training.
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Failure to pay down debt.
It seems we are all too slow to learn from the past, too eager to continue moving forward, when the time comes to stop and take stock of the situation. That usually means cost control, short- and long-term planning, training and, most of all, listening. Communicate with those you trust and work hands-on with your people.
It sounds simple, but it's not. Our business has always meant long, hard hours. Once we lose the incentive to do whatever it takes to solve the problem, disaster strikes.
As I watched the long, steady, wonderful growth in the economy, I wondered who would come forward and take command when a downturn hit. There are those who will do it. Let's wait and see.
Bob Feuerhaken
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