By Louis Iannaco
KANSAS CITY, MO.—In following its theme of “Bright Ideas for Bigger Profits,” commercial flooring cooperative Starnet had plenty on the table for its members to choose from during its recent fall meeting here, including new programs, seminars, panel discussions, networking opportunities and some of the industry’s best-known guest speakers, featuring
FCNews’ own, Lew Migliore.
With 240 people in attendance despite a tough economic climate, Starnet officials were pleased with the turnout for its fall meeting. “This isn’t a mandatory meeting,” said Jeanne Matson, Starnet’s president and CEO. “The spring one is, so we get 100% attendance there, with this being a smaller meeting. But some members prefer this meeting because it’s more business focused. It’s been a busy two days. The economy isn’t making our members panic. They’re not here for R&R, so we make them work.”
And work they did as a plethora of educational seminars and training sessions were offered. Highlights of the show included the Maintenance Managers’ Meeting, a training event, which ran concurrently to the fall meeting; a
Carpet & Rug Institute (CRI) CEU Instructor Accreditation class, as well as Starnet University. Both the CRI CEU Training Program and Starnet University, unveiled for the first time at the meeting, are designed to help members maintain their positions as top experts in the commercial flooring industry.
With a total of 39 participants signed up for the Maintenance Managers’ Meeting, Matson was pleased with what members were able to take away from the sessions. “It really helps members who are in maintenance, and helps those who are not in maintenance but who are interested to get into it. It’s just more of what we do.”
In a partnership with CRI, Starnet offered the Institute’s CEU Instructor Training Certification course to its members. “Becoming certified as a CRI CEU instructor provides another opportunity for members to develop relationships with architects and designers,” noted Deb Esbenschade,
StarNet’s vice president of member services.
“The program allows members to help the A&D community obtain the continuing education units (CEUs) necessary through training to maintain professional certification,” she explained. “Upon completion, CRI certified instructors will be able to present 12 CRI CEU courses on topics ranging from carpet construction, to maintenance and sustainability. In addition, CRI intends to add six new CEU courses in 2008.”
According to Lynne Peer of the Peer Resource Group who taught the session, its participants “seemed willing to learn new ways of facilitating, eager to share their own best practices and engaged in how they could best serve as informed CEU instructors.”
Starnet also launched Starnet University, a new online component to its training program for members, which makes available a collection of free courses to members 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Within the courses offered, Starnet Preferred Vendors will teach the latest industry trends and provide members with the necessary product knowledge to effectively sell the right products for appropriate applications. New courses will be continually added.
“Here’s how it works,” Esbenschade explained. “After browsing course offerings and making a selection, the trainee will take a 15- to 20-minute course on his topic of choice. After completing a session, an online quiz is administered to test comprehension. By taking the quiz, a member earns credits that can be redeemed for gift certificates or merchandise.
“Our members had a wish list with three objectives,” she said. “They wanted online training to accommodate busy schedules; to be the first to hear about new product news, and to receive training from the source—our preferred vendor partners. Starnet University fulfills all of those wishes and more. We’re thrilled to provide a way to help broaden the knowledge base of all members and their employees.”
According to Joan Glasser of House of Color in Bismarck, N.D., a Starnet member for three years, the mood of the attendees was positive as “everyone seemed appreciative of the business they did this year and were cautiously optimistic concerning 2009.
“The programs offered by Starnet are always full of practical, useful information to enhance and grow business,” she added. “I was particularly interested in the CEU instructor training and will be offering the courses to area architects and designers.”
Terry Britnell, managing director of Tyndale Flooring in London, England, one of StarNet’s newest members, said, “What is relevant for me here is to meet these people and see the different things that are happening. Business back home is very similar to what is happening here. In residential and retail, which fortunately we don’t do a lot of, it’s dead. In healthcare, schools and education, it’s been very busy, very buoyant.”
According to Sheri Gorman, senior A&D specialist for RD Weis Companies in New York, “this has been a great meeting. The Starnet University program is wonderful. To be able to take part in that 15 minutes a day, get a refresher while learning something new about a manufacturer, is great. Also, even with the downturn in the economy, it hasn’t been all doom and gloom. There’s been a lot of good ideas on how to keep your business growing in 2009.”
George Ringel, executive director of RD Weis, said, despite the economy, business has been relatively even with last year, “which we’re happy about. Our maintenance business, however, has been very strong.”
Bob Sabosik, president, M.E. Sabosik Associates of Point Pleasant, N.J., said, “Tough times never last, tough people do. Entrepreneurs are a different breed. We know how to create an opportunity out of a negative. I think that’s what this meeting is all about.”
