In times of economic strain, it is more important than ever to avoid claims. Sell the right product into the right place, make sure you understand the product, where it's going and what the consumer expects, and then deliver beyond that. Make sure the flooring installation is as perfect as can be, that your installers know the product they are working with, the conditions in which it is going to be installed and how to properly prepare and test the substrate.

When anything is in doubt, do more than is expected. Have meetings with salespeople and installers. Discuss issues of concern, products you sell, problems, challenges or questions common to each segment and keep an open forum. Prevent dissention among the troops.

If a complaint arises, respond to it immediately and do whatever it takes to resolve it now. Determine what went wrong and why, and bring it up at the next meeting so it doesn't happen again. If you have to file a claim with a manufacturer and it is reluctant to honor it, be persistent. Most front-line claims personnel are administrative people, not technical, and their first response may be to deny the claim.

Keep accurate records, document everything, take pictures and have samples. If you did everything right - mentioned in the first paragraph here - you shouldn't have any complaints, but if you do, it may well be the product's fault.

You can never have enough information, and the more prepared you are the better your chances of getting a claim quickly resolved. Use common sense, reason and logic when looking at a complaint to determine what the problem really is and leave emotions out of it. The flooring material will always tell you what's wrong if you know how to interpret what it is saying.

Knowledge is power

If you know the products you're selling, you should rarely have a product failure complaint. If you understand people, and listen, you should be able to satisfy their wants and needs. This is the time to invest in your knowledge base. You are the experts; people will buy from you but you must know as much or more than they do. Go where they will get their information to make an educated purchase - the Internet. Visit your suppliers' Web sites. Know what the warranties on the products you sell say and cover. Know how the products you sell have to be maintained. All of this information is free, so take advantage of it.

Have fun

If you can't enjoy your business and make it fun for yourself, your employees and your customers, you won't be as successful as you could be. This does not mean a party everyday with fireworks. It does mean an atmosphere where everyone gets along - people feel appreciated in a business that's pleasant to work for and with.

Clean the place up

Take the time to make your business clean and inviting. Don't give anyone any reasons for not wanting to work for you. Don't give the customer a reason to not do business with you. And, since women are your primary customers, it's a good idea to make the place inviting to them and know what they're looking for.

Lastly, if you need help on an issue, have a question or want to learn more, call us. Stay the course laid out for you here, and it will go a long way in helping you weather this storm, which indeed will pass.