Hicksville, N.Y.—What is the value of floor installation certification? That question can probably be answered by another one: What price do you put on peace of mind? Think of the typical end user, after having finally found the perfect flooring choice for her bedroom or media room or great room. Now comes time to lay it down. Should she have reason to worry? While there may be several answers to that last question, when you think about it, there should be only one: No. And while it doesn’t always seem like it, there are those in the industry dedicated to seeing the end user not worry about how her floor will look after the mechanics have left her home. These professionals know the value of a proper installation for the industry. They also know how important it is for the livelihood of the installer to let his customers know she is in good hands. “Those who were instrumental in the early stages of CFI felt that certification was tremendously important because it was apparent from the appearance, knowledge and skill of those entering the workforce,” said Jim Walker, CEO of the International Certified Floorcovering Installers Association (CFI), “an identification program was of utmost importance. They were correct. Today, almost all manufacturers use the identified skill level of an installer when seeking someone qualified to represent their firms or to act in a problem-solving situation. “It is also important because concerned dealers used to ask installers about their qualifications and the answers were always the same: ‘Yes, I am qualified and I have 20 years of experience,’ even though they appeared to be only 25 years of age,” he explained. “Today, when comparing the experience level with the requirements of CFI certification, it is easy to determine if the installers will complement the dealer’s program for customer satisfaction. “However,” Walker added, “the concerned dealer is still in the minority. It is a regular practice to hire teams of ‘repair’ crews to follow the installers after the installation is complete. I refer to this as ‘pencil-whipping’ the installers. The dealers, specifically the box stores and larger entities, know the installers are not qualified and are incapable of customer satisfaction and therefore, are prepared to correct the problems that sur face. The installers are then back-charged at whatever rate the dealers decide to use. “Thus,” Walker continued, “it becomes important to operate on quantity rather than quality to receive an acceptable paycheck at the end of the week. By using this method, it just proves they are not interested in the customer or in representing the product correctly.” According to Jon Namba, technical director for the World Floor Covering Association ( WFCA), to the installer, the value of certification is “a sense of accomplishment which drives your pride, your self-esteem and prompts you to better yourself. For a retailer, if used properly, it can be used as a marketing tool. In partnering up with your installer, you get a better installation, a happier consumer, maybe even a lifelong customer instead of just a one-time sale. So, you can use installation certification to your advantage as a marketing tool, rather than [using installation] as a necessary evil. “For the consumer,” he added, “knowing that the installer is certified, gives her more confidence in not only the retail flooring store but in the mechanic also knowing that he has met certain industry requirments in order to perform the installation of the products. It gives the consumer peace of mind as well as a certain sense of security that this individual is actually qualified to install flooring in her home.” Professionalism In Practice Walker and Namba also agree that realizing the value of being certified, taking pride in one’s work, learning as much as possible about one’s craft by taking classes are all part of being a professional. It’s not just about taking payment upon completion of a job. “Professionalism is important to do the product justice,” said Walker. “Without CFI and any like group, product information does not reach the installers because most often, all the dealers are searching for is production—how many yards installed per day per crew and is the fuzzy side up and hopefully, there is more than gravity holding the carpet to the floor. “The dealers should be concerned with professionalism if, for no other reason, that they can be confident that they have properly represented the installation provided with the sale,” he added. “it appears to be if they are not interested in professionalism and a properly trained installation workforce, they are promoting nothing more than a scam. The manufacturers, for the most part, give us a great product, but if the installation is poor, our customer loses. “However,” explained Walker, “the manufacturer must take the position that professional installation is a part of the warranty in order for the true value of certification to be realized. “For the professional installers who are searching for the concerned dealers and care about their work and appearance,” he continued, “their value greatly increases. They can be assured of continuous, quality work rather than on a seasonal or as-needed basis. Because of their pride, the professional installers have a desire to be recognized according to skill and knowledge. They are and should be, proud of their profession.” Said Namba, “Professionalism is critical and should be on the top of the list. It can actually supercede hands-on skills at a certain point because if an installer presents himself in a very professional manner, the consumer will be much more easier to work with if any concerns arise. Professionalism goes hand-in-hand with ability. You can have the best hand skills, but if you don’t conduct yourself in a professional manner, all your hand skills are pretty much out the window.” Aside from entities like CFI, WFCA and INSTALL, some manufacturers are getting more involved with installation training and certification. Mirage’s Maestro Installer training program has proven to be quite successful and, noted Walker, mills like Karastan has also helped raise the bar. “Karastan has taken the position that professional installers must be responsible for the installation of their carpets. Nine years ago, it began a program of training and certification to identify those who are qualified to work with the more difficult carpets. It is working. It continually updates the program with training materials. “Other mills are initiating programs to identify the skills of those working with their broadloom,” he concluded. “However, it appears more advantageous to me to use the criteria that the proven CFI program has in place rather than reinvent the wheel. The sincerity of these programs will prove if professionalism is important only if the dealer is obligated to use those whose skills are required by the manufacturer.”