Sales Training and Coaching for a Furniture Manufacturer

Urban Hardwoods is a furniture manufacturer that uses a unique, artisanal process to create high-end wooden furniture. All of their pieces are handcrafted one-at-a-time from trees salvaged in the Pacific Northwest. They handle every step of the production process in-house so they can focus on quality and craftsmanship.

When I started working with Urban Hardwoods, they were undergoing serious changes and had some big challenges that they needed to confront. They had just gone through an ownership change. They also lacked any formal sales processes and their compensation plan wasn’t designed with sales in mind. Their showroom staff were more service-oriented than sales-oriented and they lacked sales leadership roles on their management team.

Through observations and interviews, we worked with Urban Hardwoods’ leadership to develop a comprehensive action plan.

First we created their WHY.

WHY: Urban Hardwoods creates functional art inspired by nature with a social conscience.

HOW: Using the largest sawmill in North America they take down, diseased, or dead trees and give them a second life.

WHAT: Urban Hardwoods makes one of a kind wood dining room, cocktail, side tables, and furniture.

Together, we implemented the following steps:

• Instituted a three-month sales training and sales coaching program with Judy for all of the sales associates, showroom managers, and the company’s General Manager.
• Created job descriptions for three management roles and then recruited qualified individuals to fill those roles.
• Developed a new compensation plan for showroom personnel that tied their compensation to sales performance.
• Re-allocated roles and responsibilities so that sales managers were running the sales functions and other executives could focus on other responsibilities.
• Developed critical internal documents, including:
  • Marketing messaging and company stories
  • Strategic sales plan, regional sales plans, and tactical sales plans
  • Employee manual
  • Compensation plan
• Created a marketing strategy that leveraged the company’s many strategic alliances.

The results of our efforts were significant.

We were able to increase sales and reduce costs, giving Urban Hardwoods a much-needed boost in their top and bottom line. The results:

• A 25 percent increase in showroom sales.
• Cost savings of 15 percent through operational efficiencies, improved communications between team members, and better inventory management
• A defined sales process that is consistent across all three showrooms
• Implementation of an assessment tool to utilize for self-awareness and to facilitate management coaching

Start the conversation about our sales training and sales coaching programs with a free, no-obligation call with Judy, 310-567-7441 or email us at jfrank@vortexology.net.