82 JANUARY 2020

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The Wholesaler

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PHCPpros.com

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SHOWROOM EXCELLENCE

rather than later. Early in my career, I tolerated people like this because I thought I needed them to provide operational help or support in some way. It was a mistake and I often jeopardized the morale of the whole team - and likely lost a few good people along the way who didn't want to work in that environment anymore. Those employees were broken windows I chose to ignore. I made the mistake of not communicating with people who had a history of issues. I often rationalized it because I believed prior managers must have done the same and they were able to keep the place running. Looking back, I know I would have expe- rienced greater success at those operations if I had been more in- tolerant of under-performance and overall rudeness. Don't get me wrong; you should always try to fix what is broken - in your showrooms and with your employees' performance. I am not suggesting you just start firing people. Just remember that even though sometimes remodeling a showroom is painful regarding work and fi- nances, it also can be the best thing you ever do for your company. In the same way, maybe "remodeling" your team will be one of the other best things you ever do. There is no better time than now to seek perfection in your company. Sure, it is always a challenge to find good help. It also is a challenge to keep a showroom in working order to grow sales and profit. I encourage you to be relentless in your search for key employees. Never tolerate the broken-window employees who will hurt your business and scare away your current strong performers. Just like walking your showroom to police the broken windows of displays, as an owner or manager, you must coach your employees to do the same. Coach the spirit of ownership to help keep employees engaged and remove the friction of broken-window employees. Daily walks, weekly huddles and monthly progress reports will all help keep your people engaged, let them know where they stand, and prevent the is- sues that limit your business. Develop and use a standards checklist to maintain a consistency in your showroom for displays. Use performance reviews to maintain consistent performance and attitude from your employees. Consider hav- ing secret shoppers or family friends stop by the showroom to look for deviations in your standards. This economy and the new world of click-and-mortar offers little forgiveness for bad shopping experi- ences. Take your showroom seri- ously as a retail experience center and be sure your broken windows get fixed quickly. Your employees should help you by demonstrating their civic pride and keeping your neighborhood - and showroom - clean.

N A T I O N A L H E A D Q U A R T E R S : 7 2 1 B R O A D W A Y A V E S U I T E 3 H O L B R O O K , N Y 1 1 7 4 1 THREE CONVENIENT SHIPPING LOCATIONS: H O L B R O O K , N Y L O S A N G E L E S , C A H O U S T O N , T X

PLEASE CONTACT TERRY KLEIN FOR CATALOGS AND PRICE QUOTES.

TELEPHONE: 800.794.0224 FAX: 800.794.0208 EMAIL: [email protected]

CENTURY BRASS PLUMBING

is pleased to announce our product offerings which include Brass Nipples, Bronze Cast Fittings, Electrical Power Cords, Steel Braided Dishwasher, Ice Maker & Washing Machine Hoses, Compression Fittings, Flare Fittings, Pipe Fittings, Hose Barb Fittings, Garden Hose Fittings, Aerator Adaptors, POL Bottle Gas Fittings Needle Valves, Air Cocks, Drain Cocks, Three/Four-Way Valves, Shutoff Cocks, Lavatory Supplies ( Lead Free Compliant )

ELECTRICAL POWER CORDS STEEL BRAIDED DISHWASHER, ICE MAKER & WASHING MACHINE HOSES COMPRESSION FITTINGS HOSE BARB & GARDEN HOSE FITTINGS PIPE FITTINGS FLARE FITTINGS

I MADE THE MISTAKE OF NOT COMMUNICATING WITH PEOPLE WHO HAD A HISTORY OF ISSUES.

Jeff MacDowell

is the Executive Director of Luxury Products Group, a decorative plumbing, hardware and lighting buying group. He is a 25-year veteran specializing in the decorative kitchen and bath business. He coaches showrooms on service excellence and design optimization. He can be reached at [email protected].