Insights from LBM dealers who’ve grown their sales with a showroom refresh.
Started in 1998 by co-owners John Roberts and Perry Poche, the privately held Amazing Windows and Doors has 56,000 total square feet, including a 3,500-sq. ft. showroom.
Location: Metairie, Louisiana
Annual Sales: $6 million per year
Customer Focus: 50% builders, 30% remodelers, and 20% homeowners
Key Suppliers: Jeld-Wen Windows and Doors, Masonite, Simpson Door Co. and Therma-Tru.
An Interview with John Roberts, co-owner of Amazing Windows and Doors:
Q: How did your company get started?
A: Our company began about 18 years ago. Both Perry and I followed in our fathers’ footsteps in the construction business and then teamed up to start this company. It grew consistently, and we added a brand new showroom in early 2006.
Q: Hurricane Katrina hit your area hard in 2006; how did that impact your company?
A: After Hurricane Katrina devastated the New Orleans area in 2006, we underwent a complete showroom renovation. The floodwaters destroyed all our inventory and showroom displays, so we started again from scratch.
Q: What helps your showroom stand out in your marketplace?
A: We used a different type of door in each office, bathroom, break room and conference room in our facility and then we used different casings on each one. This way, customers can see how the doors look installed and how they operate. We did the same thing throughout the showroom, by installing different styles and types of mouldings and casings. By designing the showroom this way, we’ve increased our sales and margins. We’ve also created a customer/client room along with a conference room that all of our builder customers are encouraged to use. This way they can come to our showroom and meet with their clients in private. Naturally we’re here to help if any questions come up. And, we’ve found that flexibility is important. We even allow our customers to come into the showroom after hours if they need to meet with their clients.
Q: How do you keep your business growing?
A: We continue to update and change the showroom to keep the products up-to-date. This helps our customers always have the most current products available to them. If it’s a new product, we’re usually the first to have it in our market.
Q: From your experiences, what tips would you offer other dealers creating new showrooms?
A: Definitely try to show the most current products possible in actual use situations. Don’t rush your decisions on which products to display. Pick products that work for your geographical area. For example, rot-resistant fiberglass doors from Therma-Tru work really well in our climate, so we showcase them front and center in our showroom. But, most importantly, we value our inside sales team. We’ve found they’re just as good as the outside salespeople in closing sales and in representing our company.
