pendent representatives to take notes and send back complete “intelligence” on the retail battlefield.

This is clarity: a clear view of what the customer wants and a clear line back to the customer with detailed information on design, material and craftsmanship. This quality of clear two-way communications can also be achieved by smaller companies.

What is your salesman doing today? How many are at home? One of the most successful people in the furniture industry I have ever known would call his salesmen at 5 p.m. every day. If they were already home, they were in trouble!

From my experience as a marketing manager and as a buyer, I know that too many salesmen are at home right now. Many old hands call on people they already know, and they present products that are similar to those they have sold before. They don’t ask many questions, and almost never take notes. This is where fog rolls in for the manufacturer. Manufacturing managers often don’t get the information they need to improve their product development process.

Baker Furniture built its reputation on authentic antique reproductions. Herman Miller built its on ground-breaking functional modern design. Ethan Allen carved a position in early American style and La-Z-Boy staked an early claim on affordable comfort. Merillat has positioned itself in the mainstream of the kitchen cabinet business while a few others have executed a successful strategy in the higher priced cabinet

market. There are dozens more at all points on the continuum from affordable favorites to priceless collectibles.

When the recession ends, new leaders may emerge in the furniture industry. Today, clarity of purpose, clarity and consistency of quality standards in design and craftsmanship, along with environmentally responsible materials, and clarity of distribution practices are essential for survival and growth. ●

Step 3: Cut through the fog

The ultimate “fog buster” is education. Cabinetmakers and furniture manufacturers all face a complex sales process. A small idea by a good kitchen designer can re-orient a floor plan to feature a window with a view, and thereby transform the entire design-build process from basic utility to a “must have” alternative that transforms the budget and moves the project to a higher level of excellence. Clarity is having the best intelligence at the factory and the showroom connected with the customer.

Because design in our industry has much more to do with esthetics than with function, we are always awash in design options and competing alternatives. The great brands in our industry have generally focused on a market segment or a design category. For example,

 

John Aves is founder and managing partner of Macatawa Bay Associates L.L.C. The company offers design management and offshore product development for a range of U.S. and overseas marketing and manufacturing companies. He has broad experience in furniture design, marketing and offshore resource management. He can be reached at 616/335-2209.