Industry veteran Raymond Shrader has joined forces with Coreworks Learning Systems to help “North America’s flooring retailers unlock their full profit potential,” said Michael Vickers, a partner.

Shrader, who has been in the industry for 30 years, was most recently vice president of Floor to Ceiling.

Coreworks is a consulting firm specializing in providing business optimization services to flooring dealers by introducing industry best practices, creating organizational structures which attract and retain top talent, creating loyal customers and increasing bottom line results. It was established earlier this year by Vickers, a sought-after corporate trainer, speaker and author; and David Counsell, a 25-year marketing and communications professional who specializes in branding from the inside out.

Though new, Coreworks’ approach is quickly paying dividends. Kurt Acker, president of Acker Floor to Ceiling in Fitchburg, Wis., said he retained the consulting firm five months ago to review his operations, train the staff and revamp his marketing program. “In the first three months, they identified $250,000 in operational savings, increased our profit margins by approximately 7% and dramatically improved our sales.”

Vickers concluded, “This program examines a company from top to bottom helping retailers improve efficiencies, save money, improve profit margins, grow business and connect with employees and customers. It really enables dealers to provide greater value to their customers.”

For more about Coreworks and its Rainmaker program, call Shrader at 952/237-8022.