Leveraging the awards your company wins can impact the relationships you
have with your customers, your community and suppliers. Here’s how BILTRITE
and Old Brick Furniture made the most of theirs.
In the competitive landscape of today’s furniture industry, recognition and
acclaim can significantly impact your store’s reputation, credibility, and
success. When a furniture store wins an award (whether a local merchant
award or the Home Furnishings Association’s Retailer of the Year Award), it
is not merely an accolade. It’s an opportunity to leverage your achievements
for maximum impact. Awards are powerful endorsements that validate your
company’s commitment to excellence, innovation and customer satisfaction.
Old Brick Furniture + Mattress and BILTRITE Furniture-Leather-Mattress did
just that! These two retailers effectively leveraged the HFA 2023 Retailer
of the Year Award to create a lasting and positive impact on their growth,
brand reputation, employee morale, and overall success.
Enhancing Brand Reputation
Winning an award boosts your store’s brand reputation. It demonstrates to
customers, furniture suppliers, service partners and investors that your
store is operating at a high standard of excellence. Public relations
initiatives that yield positive media coverage help to establish your store
as a leader in the local community and furniture industry, building
stakeholder loyalty and trust. Old Brick Furniture and BILTRITE Furniture
incorporated the HFA award logo in their marketing materials, banners around
their stores, websites, email signatures, promotions, delivery trucks and
social media campaigns. Old Brick Furniture placed replicas of the physical
award at their nine locations in New York, Vermont and Massachusetts.
BILTRITE Furniture conveyed its fourth-generation female-run brand story
through media exposure in the Milwaukee area. The award presentation
ceremony generated substantial media coverage, further enhancing their
reputation.
“When a furniture store wins an award (whether a local merchant award or the
Home Furnishings Association’s Retailer of the Year Award), it is not merely
an accolade. It’s an opportunity to leverage your achievements.”
Competitive Advantage
Awards act as differentiators in a crowded furniture marketplace. They
provide a competitive advantage by highlighting unique selling points and
areas where a business excels. Potential customers are likelier to choose a
company that receives recognition for outstanding products, services and
practices over competitors who lack such credentials. BILTRITE Furniture’s
sales staff wears “HFA Retailer of the Year” pins. They leverage the award
during sales pitches and presentations to help underscore the store’s
expertise and brand quality. Rachael Clark, customer experience and
eCommerce manager at Old Brick Furniture, stated, “Winning the HFA Retailer
of the Year Award has helped build brand awareness and credibility for our
store and plays into the customer’s decision to purchase from us!”
Building Employee Morale
Awards are not just external validations; they also profoundly impact
internal stakeholders. Old Brick Furniture and BILTRITE Furniture mentioned
that winning the HFA Retailer of the Year Award was a testament to their
employees’ hard work and dedication. Clark noted, “During our award
ceremony, we recognized team efforts at Old Brick Furniture and celebrated
their achievements. Our owner, Michael Fiacco, is always first to
acknowledge the contributions of our team by mentioning that it’s the team’s
award!
“We used this time to give the team Old Brick swag and gift baskets, but now
have a more formalized process to do that regularly, boosting employee
morale and motivation. When we send out recognition newsletters, we
frequently receive replies from our people saying they are proud to work
here and can’t wait to see what we do next! Believing they provide valuable
community service helps them stay engaged, motivated and invested in Old
Brick’s overall success. A positive work environment is created as a
by-product of morale, leading to increased productivity and employee
retention rates.”
Attracting Top Talent
An award-winning company becomes an attractive prospect for potential
employees seeking a reputable and rewarding work environment. The
recognition shows that an organization values excellence and recognizes the
efforts of its workforce. Randi Komisar-Schachter, the fourth-generation
owner of BILTRITE, stated, “We know that what we did to leverage our award
and burnish our brand image has helped us to attract top talent and led to a
higher quality of applicants. It’s made the hiring process a little easier.”
Customer Relationships
Customers take pride in associating themselves with successful brands.
BILTRITE Furniture continuously gives back to its community and expresses
gratitude for community support. In March of this year, Mark Schumacher,
HFA’s CEO, traveled to Milwaukee to present them with the 2023 HFA Retailer
of the Year Award (under 50 employees). During BILTRITE’s awards ceremony,
the company focused the spotlight back on the community it serves by
announcing donations to two local charities. They also thanked customers for
sharing their joy at being recognized by HFA.
Randi shared, “We recently produced a television commercial thanking our
customers for their patronage, for voting us the ‘Best Place to Shop in
Milwaukee’ and contributing to our recognition as HFA’s Retailer of the
Year. It’s been a great year for us!”
Industry Relationships
Winning an industry award can also strengthen industry relationships,
creating a ripple effect of positive outcomes. These opportunities can lead
to new partnerships, joint ventures, and collaborations, further expanding
the company’s reach and potential for growth. Michael Fiacco is a humble guy
who likes to fly under the market’s radar. Still, when Old Brick Furniture
won the 2023 HFA Retailer of the Year Award in January, he was continuously
stopped and recognized wherever he went at the April High Point Market.
“He’s also developed new partnerships and strategic alliances,” Rachael
Clark added. “Additionally, I have also developed a stronger relationship
with BILTRITE Furniture’s Randi Komisar-Schachter. Just the other day, I
called her up to pick her brain. Being a woman, a peer and a fellow award
recipient, I feel a kinship with her.”
Randi stated, “As a woman owner, it can sometimes be a struggle to be given
respect and credibility. However, award recognition has led to enhanced
cooperation and collaboration. After learning more about us, our vendors
have developed a renewed appreciation of us as a good store and a great
customer.”
When asked what advice they might give to another furniture retailer seeking
industry or community award recognition, Rachael and Randi said that they
would emphasize the value of authenticity. Rachael said, “It’s human nature
to want to know who won an award before you, but comparing yourself to
another person or entity is the thief of joy. Focusing on the moral
foundation underlying your business and why you show up every day is more
important. If you know yourself, your customers, your staff and have a
vision for your business, stay true to that. Doing that will build your
brand and your corporate culture It will set the stage for future success
and recognition!”
Conclusion
Winning an award is a significant accomplishment for any furniture business
and should not be considered a standalone achievement. Don’t be too shy to
toot your own horn. It’s OK to be proud of your accomplishments and your
team’s. By leveraging awards strategically, you can amplify the impact and
reap long-term benefits for your brand, reputation, and bottom-line results.
Embracing these opportunities with creativity and enthusiasm will enable you
to make the most of your awards and stay ahead in today’s competitive
marketplace.
About Retailer of the Year Awards
HFA is accepting nominations in October 2023 for the 2024 Retailer of the
Year Awards in the following categories: Retailer of the Year (Over 50
employees); Retailer of the Year (Under 50 employees); Emerging Star
Award; Trailblazer Award; Partner of the Year; and Manufacturer of the
Year.
The Home Furnishings Association is proud to serve the industry with the
latest education and information that impacts your business. Learn more
about membership and resources at
www.myhfa.org or by calling
800.422.3778.