The flooring industry is one of the fastest-growing industries in American due to factors such as increased construction activities, rapid urbanization, growing disposable income, etc. However, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic caused disruptions in almost every industry vertical and the flooring industry is no exception. Heeding to the pandemic impositions, options such as mobile flooring showrooms have gained traction over the traditional flooring choices offered to consumers, and as a pioneer in mobile flooring showrooms, Floor Coverings International® is witnessing incredible growth during these times.
Established in 1988, Floor Coverings International® is one of the oldest and largest floor covering franchises with franchise owners throughout the United States and Canada. Before the Georgia-based company entered the market, the flooring industry had been operating the same way for decades. Homeowners seeking new flooring had to make multiple visits to a big-box retail store, bringing home samples and taking them back. They were completely on their own as far as design, quality of material, and budget were concerned. Challenging this brick-and-mortar concept, Floor Coverings International® has revolutionized the flooring industry by bringing the shopping experience directly to the customers’ homes.
Changing the Industry for the Better
Striving towards revolutionizing the flooring industry, Floor Coverings International® aims to provide its customers with the best in-home flooring experience. Its mobile showroom is the most unique concept in the custom flooring industry. The mobile showrooms offer more than 3000 products—all of which have been vetted and tested by third parties for their quality. These products include carpets, hardwoods, laminate, vinyl, natural stone, and tile. The company offers solutions for every price point, style, and purpose.
Additionally, Floor Coverings International® helps its customers make informed decisions in the comfort of their own homes. Its highly trained designers guide the homeowner to a custom flooring product that fits with their aesthetic, budget, and the use of the space. The company schedules the installation and makes sure the process is as easy as possible for the homeowner. By delivering a more convenient shopping experience, it ensures an improvement in the overall customer experience as well.
Groundbreaking Opportunities
Being one of the leading franchises in its region, Floor Coverings International® provides a plethora of groundbreaking franchising opportunities. The company values the investments made by its franchise owners. Thus, it has created one of the most comprehensive training and ongoing support platforms in the entire industry. As the first two years of business ownership are critical for a franchise owner, the company helps its franchise owners throughout that time establish the business, driving phenomenal results. It takes pride in helping its franchise owners start on the right foot.
The franchise owners who have graduated from the training program have been experiencing higher sales out of the gate. Floor Coverings International®’s franchise owners are disrupting their local markets and are becoming their community’s go-to resource for custom flooring solutions. According to the company’s most recent FDD, the top 50% of its franchise owners generated more than $1.3 million in revenue. “As a result, our brand has also experienced strong growth with new franchise owners joining our brand in record numbers,” says Tom Wood (President and CEO of Floor Coverings International®).
A Visionary Leading the Growth
A good leader plays a pivotal role in a company’s success. As the CEO of Floor Coverings International®, Tom has been instrumental in its growth over the years. Being at the helm of the company operations, he is responsible for the overall vision of the company and the continued growth of the brand, as well as supporting its franchise owners and providing them with all the resources that they need to be successful.
Floor Coverings International® takes pride in its continued growth, tremendous unit economics, and investments in training and support. The company has been listed in Entrepreneur Magazine’s Franchise 500 for 12 years in a row, and this year, it was named the #1 brand in its category. Moreover, Floor Coverings International® has been listed in the Bond Top 100 Franchise Ranking and the Franchise Update Media has recently presented it with the Franchise Innovation Award for the Most Creative Customer Self-Service Tool.
“We are also proud that our Net Promoter Score is the highest—not only in the custom flooring industry but one of the highest in any industry—which speaks to the strength of our customer service,” comments Tom.
Staying Resilient through the Crisis
The pandemic brought many new challenges for businesses across the globe. Floor Coverings International®, however, managed to thrive during this shift despite the challenges. The lockdown impositions confined homeowners to stay at home, not spending money that otherwise would have gone to vacations or entertainment. Instead, many chose to invest that money in home improvements.
Consequently, the company rebounded quickly and its sales continued to rise steeply. Its franchise owners also did an excellent job complying with health standards to keep their customers and employees safe. According to Tom, this experience proved the resilience of Floor Coverings International®’s concept. “We are always working on new initiatives to keep our franchise owners on a cutting edge. From a growth standpoint, we know we have the systems in place to add over 60 locations in 2021,” he continues.
Developing Core Values
According to Tom, the most important aspect of becoming a successful franchise is developing a set of core values that everyone in the organization lives by. At Floor Coverings International®, everyone from its corporate office staff to its franchise owners embodies the company’s core values, which ultimately creates a consistent and coherent brand culture. Tom further mentions that developing core values strengthens everything from customer engagement to launching new initiatives and creating a brand that is worthy of investing in.
Read full issue: The 20 Fastest-Growing Franchise Companies 2021
