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Stein World Launches Training Program
October 14,
2010 by in UnCategorized 
By Home Furnishings Business in Furniture Retailing on October 15, 2010
Accent furniture vendor Stein World has launched a comprehensive sales training program designed to enhance the consumer's shopping experience and the skills of retail sales associates.
Stein World is unveiling the program at the High Point Furniture Market in IHFC-W447 and 448.
Based on proprietary research conducted by a marketing firm, the new program includes romance copy for Stein World's 10 product categories; tip sheets on how to effectively sell accents; trend boards highlighting major style directions; and a series of short training videos that can be used in the store or accessed online for retail sales associate training.
"We are launching this comprehensive training initiative because, under the stress of the worst economic environment since the Great Depression, sales training has been minimized," said Richard Olmeda, president and CEO of Stein World. "The new young community of merchandisers may have never seen a well-planned, thorough sales training program for retail sales associates. Our program will be fresh and contemporary, updated and entertaining."
Stein World's sales representatives received extensive training on the company's new approach prior to Market. They will implement the program among retailers and buyers during this Market's showroom visits, then taking their message directly to stores in the coming months.
"We want to educate retail sales associates about our products to better address consumers needs and become better performers in their stores," Olmeda said. "We see a big void in the marketplace when it comes to training and our goal is to further differentiate our brand by providing added value to our dealers."
He added that part of Stein World's mission is to "train the trainers," including store buyers and merchandisers, so that this product information reaches as many people as possible.
Stein World's training initiative aims to give retail sales associates a range of new talking points for each category--Exotic Accents, Wood Trends, Cosmopolitan, Painted Treasures, Media Consoles, Accent Seating, Mirrors, Decorative Lighting, Occasional Tables and Vanity Sinks that go far beyond price. For example, the new romance copy will address not just the features of products but how it is used functionally and how it adds to the interior design in the home. These product primers will enable retail sales associates to move away from just talking about the product as a commodity, he says.
Special trend boards highlight Stein World's newest style themes and the ongoing market research that goes into the development and design of its products. The company studies trends in, for example, apparel, jewelry and home building to determine where the market is headed next. Two trends are being highlighted this Market during sales meetings and on special showroom video screens. New boards will be introduced as new trends emerge.
Immediately following Market, Stein World will begin production of an extensive series of videos to provide insight into major product categories and the manufacturing process. Featuring members of management and the sales team in an engaging YouTube-type style, the videos will be used in store training sessions and posted on the company's password-protected website for ongoing dealer use.
"These arent going to be your grandmothers training videos that put everyone to sleep," Olmeda said. "These will be lively, skillfully edited updates filled with useful information. And since theyll be online, new retail sales associates can watch them, on demand, whenever they are hired."
To develop the new training program, Stein Worlds marketing firm conducted in-depth research with retailers about the companys brand and reputation. Participating retailers gave high marks to the company for its breadth of product and the efficiency, convenience and profitability of being able to shop a range of categories from one source.