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Policy Matters

GRAT Update: Q1 2021 COVID-19 Recovery

The first quarter of 2021 has been extremely active on many policy, economic, and industry fronts. In many ways, the HFA Government Relations Action Team (GRAT) had a front-row ‘virtual’ seat to the discussions on Capitol Hill and across the country as policymakers, and local leaders continued efforts in the COVID-19 Recovery. The bulk of the focus in Washington, DC was on the recently passed American Rescue Plan, the $1.9 trillion package championed by President Biden and congressional Democrat leaders. With the passage of the legislation, we hope that American families are stabilized, state and local governments continue to provide

March 30, 2021

The word customer written on a chalk board

Sales

Are you mission-driven or profit-driven?

Customer loyalty. Wouldn’t you love to have all of your customers be loyal? Why? Loyal customers come back more often, spend more money, buy more items, refer their friends, and provide valuable feedback. These are your best customers. When I was working the floor and saw a be back walk through the door, they received my undivided attention. Only two things inspire a be back: the product or the salesperson. Most of the time, it’s the salesperson because let’s face it, unless the customer is looking for the purple cow they saw on your floor, they will find a version

March 24, 2021

Supply Chain

How to create a seamless returns process

More Sales = More Returns Do you have a solid returns process? As retailers gear up for peak sales seasons, it’s important not to lose sight of what happens next. Unfortunately, some of the merchandise you sell is going to come back! And increased sales mean increased returns. With more online shopping, the rate of customer returns for goods bought online is swelling to a problematic level as more consumers switch from physical stores to online. According to David Sobie, co-founder of Happy Returns, which operates a network of physical return locations for items purchased online, eCommerce returns average about

March 23, 2021

illustration of US Capitol with flag behind it

Policy Matters

HFA Washington Fly-In update

Traditionally every May, members of HFA head to Washington for what we refer to as “The Fly-In.” It’s a chance to meet with key members of Congress both on the Senate side and the House side of the Capitol. Generally, it’s an effective way of introducing ourselves to key leaders, explaining our members’ concerns, and making sure they understand that we can be a resource to them when issues important to our industry come before committees on the Hill. This year, flying into DC in May is unlikely based upon Covid-19 concerns, so we decided to take a new and

March 22, 2021

Member Stories

Lawmakers can’t hear our voices if we don’t speak up

I have been to Washington, D.C. twice to discuss furniture industry issues on behalf of HFA and our members. It’s a trip HFA makes annually to meet face-to-face with our lawmakers and various government agencies to make sure our voices are heard as people who make a living in the furniture business. This year, due to the pandemic, we conducted these meetings virtually thanks to HFA and their extraordinary Washington lobbyist, Chris Andresen. Each time, I come away from these meetings with a painful reminder that the system is not functioning as intended. But the real source of the problem

March 19, 2021

Sales

Lean or Six Sigma. Which one is right for you?

In the past few years, the terms Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma have been tossed around as companies look for proven methodologies in improving operations and reducing expense. Both approaches have been widely adopted in many industries with impressive results. There are two challenges for a small business owner: first, to understand what these two terms mean, and second, to determine which one they should choose to implement to maximize their Return on Investment (ROI). There are pros and cons of the two approaches, so let’s look at the benefits for retailers and manufacturers and how small companies can begin

March 16, 2021