"'When Fortune knocks, open the door,' they say. But why should one make fortune knock by keeping the door shut?"
This is a question asked In "Caravan of Dreams," a collection of parables and sayings compiled by author Idries Shah.
Most time-tested sayings such as this can either be taken at face value or further examined. We might ask, "Why have we made fortune knock by keeping the door shut? How can we open the door if we haven't recognized that it has been closed? Can we even identify fortune when we see it?"
David McMahon touched on this idea of closed doors in the May/June 2020 issue of Furniture World in the editorial feature, "New Front Doors to Home Furnishings Retail." Those retailers who shut down during the pandemic, he observed, made a grave error. Read his follow-up article in this edition where the topic is further developed with a description of the process he calls customer journey management. Every customer inquiry is an opportunity knocking. Unfortunately, David suggests, even though physical doors may be open, many furniture retailers turn other profitable opportunities away.
Just as this pandemic has made it necessary for furniture retailers to focus on closed doors that hold back business, we've also seen closed doors creaking under the strain of cultural, political and economic dissatisfaction.
What I think we can agree on is that now is the time for retailers and manufacturing brands to reflect and adapt to fast-changing shopping preferences, attitudes and sensitivities. It's worth the time and effort to recognize closed doors and work to ensure they remain open.
When fortune knocks, open the door—but don't make fortune knock too hard.
Good Retailing,
Russell Bienenstock is Editor-in-Chief of Furniture World Magazine, founded 1870. Comments can be directed to him at editor@furninfo.com.