E-Learning for Sales Training Proves Effective At Cort Furniture & RoomStore

Furniture World Magazine

The Furniture Training Company reported that furniture retailers investing in e-Learning, online interactive training courses, have begun reporting major improvements in the knowledge, skills, and selling successes of furniture sales associates who complete online furniture training courses. Tony Bellerdine, Executive Vice President of National Accounts and Business Development for Cort Furniture, report’s, “We have been using the Fundamentals of Furniture Product for some time now and are extremely happy with the results. We bought the program for new hires with no furniture background but to our pleasant surprise we have found that existing employees as well as new employees are taking the course and getting value from it. Our people find it easy to use and very informative. It quickly gives them the ability to speak confidently with clients. We are very pleased with the product!” Cort Furniture uses the Fundamentals product knowledge training in all 50 of its regions nationwide. They currently have enrolled in the online training over 400 sales associates. Mr. Bellerdine noted that The Fundamentals online training program includes 28 self-paced, interactive lessons with multimedia presentations, quizzes and tests, and in-store learning activities covering: casegoods, upholstered furniture, fibers and fabric, and leather furniture. The easy to use program includes bookmarking for employees and real-time status reports that let owners and managers know each employee's progress. Major furniture retailers are also using The Furniture Training Company’s e-learning course SalesForce – Selling with Service. This training program quickly teaches newly hired associates how to sell furniture, and helps underperforming furniture sales associates to improve their furniture sales. John Hamilton, senior Vice-president of human resources, at RoomStore, Inc. when asked about the value of the online SalesForce training program says, “After more than 30 years in the industry this is the best sales training program I've seen. The accessibility, allowing pace of training to be personalized, testing, and the interactivity are far ahead of other products I've used in the past. I'm planning on an even greater commitment to this product in the future. RoomStore uses both the Fundamentals and the SalesForce e-Learning courses. RoomStore also has over 400 sales associates currently enrolled in online training. Much more than a series of on-line videos; e-learning uses unique interactive training methodologies that incorporate animated graphics, streaming video sales scenarios, simulated customer role-play dialogs with feedback, in-store worksheets, and on-line testing for certification to ensure furniture sales associates actually master all the skills they need to close more sales and sell more furniture. According to Mark Lacy, President, of The Furniture Training Company, “e-Learning as a powerful and effective resource for training retail furniture sales associates is finally becoming accepted in the furniture industry. The convenience, meaningful interactivity for genuine learning, and cost effectiveness of this approach to furniture sales training in comparison to the more traditional media of books, articles, videos, and lectures is becoming more and more recognized by furniture retailers.” About Cort Furniture Since 1971, CORT has been helping companies and individuals manage change. From what started as the merger of 4 small regional furniture rental companies, CORT has grown into a market leading organization providing a constantly expanding range of services. In 2000, CORT became a part of Berkshire Hathaway, another company known for their corporate ethics and for being around for the long term. You can be assured that CORT will be here to service our customers' needs for decades to come. Visit www.cort.com About RoomStore RoomStore was founded in 1992 by a renowned furniture family that established its first retail store in 1910. RoomStore began with four stores in the Dallas/Ft. Worth Metroplex in August 1992. Since 1992 RoomStore has grown to more than 60 stores in Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, North and South Carolina, Alabama, Florida, Texas and Louisiana by offering customers the best furniture and accessory values available. With over $350 million a year in sales, RoomStore is one of the 25 largest furniture retailers in America. Visit www.roomstore.com. About The Furniture Training Company The Furniture Training Company is a business of LetterPress Software, Inc. that provides technology-based training services to the retail furniture industry. Since 2001 they have been providing training services to furniture retailers world-wide, from single-store independents to large retail furniture chains, and department stores. The Furniture Training Company was established in the fall of 2006 to better service the furniture industry. Visit www.furnituretrainingcompany.com.