WICHITA, KAN.—It takes hard work being a star. Just ask the installers and sales associates who attended Karastan’s two-day woven and patterned carpet workshop and certification hosted by local retailer Star Flooring and Design and led by Jim Walker, the mill’s director of installation training as well as CEO of the International Certified Floorcovering Installers Association (CFI).

“All the installers were very appreciative of the opportunity to not only meet Jim, but take in his knowledge and experiences,” said Chad Mohr, Star’s flooring manager. “He does an awesome job of relating to installers and is able to keep their attention the entire time.”

The intensive, hands-on training involved working in modules that are 18 x 24 feet to install difficult woven patterned carpets, which included stretching modules and staircases.

Richard Clark, Karastan territory manager, said after the seaming exercise was complete they were graded according to Karastan’s standards and “so perfect we could have sold this as a finished area rug. Watching Jim upholster a stair without staples is something you never forget. Installers who use this method are satisfying more than our customers’ expectations.”

In addition to learning about the various weaves—velvet, Wilton and Axminster—in the Karastan line and their required seaming techniques as well as methods to identify and correct bow, skew, pattern elongation and edge deviation, and the importance of pattern and backing identification, Walker noted, “Being the best installer does not always achieve customer satisfaction.

“Pride and professionalism are very important elements of the Karastan certification,” he continued. “We are guests in the customers’ homes and offices, and it is important to present ourselves as professionals. Karastan customers have high expectations of the installation and the persons who are performing the work. It is our job as installers to deliver this every time.”

Walker also stressed to the many sales associates in attendance that creating a partnership with installers leads to increased and continued customer satisfaction.

At the end of the program, which featured demonstrating custom upholstery techniques and a written test, more than a dozen installers received their Karastan certification.

“Every installer came to enhance his skills and be one step ahead of the competition by doing so,” Walker concluded. “The attitudes and the professionalism were of the highest degree. It is very rewarding to know this group not only has the skill and knowledge to provide the ultimate in customer satisfaction, but it has the desire to go above and beyond what is expected. This is what the Karastan certification is all about.”