“Our product selections have increased dramatically,” Cook said. “Color, wood species, siding materials, we need to have all that available to customers, either on the wall or on a large-scale display. People have to see what they’re buying.”
Since 70% of their customer base is still builders and contractors, Spahn & Rose also built conference space into the new Dubuque store. Buyers, builders, architects and store staff can meet in any of the four new rooms designed for meetings and presentations. Decorated with vendors’ support, the rooms serve as an extension of the showroom. The conference spaces offer privacy and technology features that make them the choice of buyers and contractors to hold meetings.
“They walk in with their own iPads for presentations,” Cook said. “Our contractors are proud of our new store. They’re proud to send their clients to our location.”
All Eyes on the Future
Keeping up with economic fluctuations has directed Spahn & Rose to success in its region, and a solid foundation of that success has been finding and retaining key staff members.
“Finding the people that we need to grow can be difficult at times,” Hannan said. “It can be challenging to find the quality types of people that are needed to continue our success.”
Cook said that newer traits that they now look for in employees include the ability to think and operate in an increasingly digital sales environment. If contractors and homeowners are using computer-based and mobile devices to communicate, then the stores need to adjust.
“You constantly have to keep your website updated so that it draws people’s attention,” Cook said. “Often times we’ll hear from people over the weekend, and if you get back to them in a quick manner, then they’ll respond to that.”
