Webinars

One thing’s for sure; retailers are always looking for ways to improve their sales. Hear directly from furniture retailers who have improved sales by equipping their salesforce with technology and digital tools as an excellent add-on to their team’s skillset. Find out how modern technology as simple as iPads or digital signage on the sales floor to CRM tools and other third-party options like automated text messaging and website chat can help your overall sales considerably.

Retailers Justin Lehman from Interiors Home, Inc., Jared Simon of Simon’s, and Lenny Kharitonov from Unlimited Furniture discuss technologies they use to engage customers and close more sales in their retail businesses. Learn how you too can use digital technology to help close more sales and engage customers.

Key takeaways from this webinar:

• Technologies can be used for follow-up, engagement, pricing, inventory look-up. It doesn’t remove the human touch but helps build/continue the customer relationship.
• In-store, the salesperson doesn’t have to leave the customer to go and find out information if the technology is at their fingertips. It helps salespeople with real-time availability to manage customer expectations.
• Traffic counters, inventory management, chat, text messaging, etc. should all be integrated into your CRM. It allows for collecting data for follow-ups and closing in the sales.
• The basic place to start for small stores is a solid website and a to have a point-of-sale system in place.
• Technology is not a generational problem, and every person has their own relationship with It. Training must be on an individual basis. Transition over time and adjust the learning curve.
• Because much of the communication with consumers is via email and text, test staff/new hires on their computer literacy, English, and math skills. It’s in your best interest to make time for the training.
• Phone technology is still key in the sales process, but you should have all communication options available for the customer (phone, chat, email, text). A good salesperson is a good salesperson. It doesn’t matter if it’s in person, on the phone, or online.
• Transition from old systems by mirroring with new tech systems until full adoption has happened.
• Measure ROI by being in touch with what’s happening on the sales floor and online.
• Kiosk, iPad, and website technology can be accessed by customers for financing, video catalog, product configurators for custom designs.

The discussion covers:

• How to use digital tools to build relationships with customers.
• What technologies are available that retailers can use to engage and help close the sale.
• Best practices of how salespeople are utilizing these tools.
• How to go about training staff to use the technology.
• Measuring the ROI of digital sales tools.

Justin Lehman – Director of Technology, Interiors Home, Inc.

Justin began working in the family business at Interiors Home during his high school and college years and joined the team full time in 2012. Justin has worked in various roles at the 2-store retailer, including positions in showroom management, customer service, and his current role as Director of IT. Justin has helped to train staff focusing on many new technology-related processes and programs, including two transitions to new point-of-sale systems, new tablet computer hardware, and website request and chat functions, to name a few.

Jared Simon – Vice President, Simon’s

Jared, a former High Point University graduate, has been working in his family’s 5th generation furniture store since 2014. He specializes in online marketing, advertising, and eCommerce utilizing an omnichannel approach. Jared also enjoys new business development, sales training, and retail merchandising.

Lenny Kharitonov – Co-Founder, Unlimited Furniture

Unlimited Furniture was formed in 2004 and is an innovative and fast-growing company that includes traditional retail outlets and eCommerce.  Lenny founded Greenboard in 2015, a company that helps furniture retailers improve their close ratios by using technology and a robust follow-up system. Lenny is also a sales coach concentrating on the furniture industry and a business advisor.