Cory Home Delivery Management Conference Looks To The Future With Annual Revenue on Target to Double by End of 2005

Furniture World Magazine

At a meeting without precedent in company history, CORY Home Delivery management gathered over a recent weekend at the Ocean Place Conference Resort in Long Branch, New Jersey — to focus on the company’s future. CORY’s first-ever management conference, the culmination of the company’s yearlong Quality Initiative Program, was highly informative and motivational. Charged with energy and enthusiasm, the two-day “Building on the Pillars of Excellence” meeting included a tour of New York City to show support for the city after 9/11, entertainment, and a series of informative presentations on the state of both the company and the business at large — including a talk by noted furniture industry expert Jerry Epperson. For the- 70 participants representing more than 900 CORY team members nationwide, the conference was an excellent chance to share best practices and innovative solutions to everyday challenges. It was also an opportunity to bond with fellow colleagues from across the country. The conference’s theme illustrates the way in which team members are pillars of strength the company will rely on as aggressive growth continues. Presentations by middle and upper management focused on those strengths — visually represented by four columns signifying leadership, teamwork, quality, and the Cory Way, CORY’s term for the standardization of best practices. “These attributes clearly define the company now and where we intend to go in the future,” says Chairman Joseph Cory, Sr. “Significant growth underway mandates that we map out an aggressive plan in an industry undergoing rapid change.” Over the last three years, business has grown annually by 25 percent. Doubling growth by 2005 is a challenge the company is prepared to meet by leveraging its position as a premium home delivery provider with a proven track record poised to become the dominant player in the big-ticket home delivery arena. Innovative measures include formal quality and safety improvement programs, an aggressive IT program to streamline billing and invoicing and collect information used to measure performance in areas such as delivery completion rates, on-time delivery performance, and post-delivery service calls. Retailers are finding it more effective and cost-efficient to trust CORY with their home delivery operations, Mr. Cory notes. As the company expands into different regions and markets, it creates management infrastructure and an independent contractor base to meet client needs in those markets. By partnering with clients, CORY has the ability to flex to meet seasonal fluctuations. Regional management and independent contractors provide a level of service exceeding that of a retailer’s employee drivers, he adds. Uniformed CORY independent contractors are required to pass an 18-point background check and undergo a rigorous training program, and the company’s modern delivery fleet is clean, well maintained, designed, and outfitted specifically for home delivery. Drawing the best in the industry in terms of managers and contractors, the company regularly attracts people from organizations such and UPS and FedEx. “CORY distinguishes itself through a pro-active, progressive approach to home delivery,” says Mr. Cory. “It makes sense that CORY is the first choice among retailers for their home delivery needs.” Expansion, he adds, requires assuring that procedures, practices, systems, and infrastructure are in place. With 68 years in the home delivery business, CORY has created a proven formula to ensure a retailer’s success. “The right delivery company can help a retailer enhance its image in the marketplace and bring back repeat customers, while the wrong home delivery company can help put a retailer out of business. Part of our strategy for growth is to continue to provide outstanding service at a competitive price and to develop new client relationships in new markets and geographic segments,” says Mr. Cory, adding that in this highly fragmented industry, strategic business combinations and acquisitions also represent excellent opportunities. Clearly, the march to the future is on as CORY reaches to the next level. “The CORY brand is highly recognized as a provider of quality service. Our sights are set to continue the tradition of excellence for the next generation of the family business,” concludes Mr. Cory. At the conference’s end, attendees, informed and inspired after a weekend well spent, departed — ready to build upon the pillars of excellence with fellow employees. Background: The oldest and largest specialized home delivery carrier in America, CORY Home Delivery Service, founded by Joseph Cory in 1934, today is in its third generation of family management. Headed by Joseph Cory, Sr. and James Cory, the company has grown to serve major retailers in the home furnishings, decorator, electronics, and appliance markets. Its list of more than 50 clients includes top retailers such as Rooms To Go, Ethan Allen, Thomasville Home Furnishings, Carson Pirie Scott, Crate&Barrel, Best Buy, Circuit City, and Home Depot. Based in Jersey City, CORY serves markets throughout the United States and Puerto Rico. The company dispatches a modern fleet of 300 customized delivery vehicles daily and owns and operates more than 1.4 million square feet of warehouse space. For more information, call Patrick Cory in Jersey City at 201-795-1000, extension 240, or visit the CORY Home Delivery Service Web site at www.corycompanies.com.