LetterPress Software, Inc., a developer of award-winning programs for education and training, recently announced the creation of a new business to service the retail furniture industry. As its name suggests, The Furniture Training Company provides training programs and services specifically for the retail furniture industry.
In 2001 LetterPress launched a CD-ROM based program to train retail furniture employees in the basics of furniture product knowledge. Interest in the program has steadily grown, and today hundreds of stores across the country and internationally are using this unique program, which is now delivered online. The LetterPress board decided to form the new business as a way to meet the growing demand for training. "We needed to have an organization in place to better service our retail furniture customers," noted Leston Drake, PhD., LetterPress President and CEO.
As a result of increased competition for retail furniture business, more furniture chain executives and store owners are looking to training to increase the expertise of their sales staff and turn more visitors into buyers. In a business typified by large inventories and small margins, the majority of retail furniture stores have resisted paying the high price for training workshops provided by independent consultants.
Online training is more cost-effective than traditional training workshops, and more convenient. "Furniture stores that have been unable or unwilling to pay for workshops now have an affordable alternative," says Mark Lacy, President of The Furniture Training Company.
Before co-founding LetterPress in 1997, Lacy worked as a workshop trainer for an independent retail furniture training company. He saw that there was a real need for affordable and effective training. Internet technology has made that possible for furniture retailers. "When we rolled out our CD-ROM program in 2001, many of the stores didn't have high speed internet access. Now, almost all of them do," remarked Lacy. When asked to identify other independent companies that provide online training, Lacy indicated "We're the only one I know of that specifically serves the furniture retailer."
The company provides a certification program that recognizes employees who master each of the 36 lessons in its Fundamentals of Furniture Product Knowledge online training program at www.furnituretrainingcompany.com. Furniture retailers can log onto the site and sign up for a free store-wide trial subscription at http://www.furnituretrainingcompany.com . "It's a big deal for the employee, they achieve a high level of expertise" says Lacy. Retailers who use the company's program have seen increased sales as a result. "We are helping them sell more furniture. That's our goal."
Beginning this summer The Furniture Training Company will offer another training program focused on increasing sales skills. "We will continue to expand our training offerings, based on what our customers need," says Lacy. *****About The Furniture Training Company: The Furniture Training Company is a business of LetterPress Software, Inc. that provides technology-based training programs and services for the retail furniture industry. Hundreds of retail furniture stores around the world are currently using its Fundamentals of Furniture Product Knowledge sales training program. LetterPress Software is an award-winning instructional design and eLearning company located in Logan, Utah.
For more information, go to http://www.furnituretrainingcompany.com .