Ashley Restructures Sales Divisions, Sales Management

December 7, 2009  by in UnCategorized   

By Home Furnishings Business in on December 8, 2009 Ashley Furniture Inds. Inc., Arcadia, Wis., has restructured its sales divisions and sales management with an eye toward positioning for future growth.

Effective Jan. 1, Ashley's new divisional structure will be divided into three parts: Stationary Upholstery, Motion Upholstery and Case Goods. Further, Ashley will assign its sales force of independent marketing specialists to be dedicated to each division, and to ensure that the sales organization offers a high level of product knowledge, product training and assistance to retail customers with advertising and marketing.

The divisional changes and products sold by each division will be as follows:

* Case Goods Division, representing bedroom, dining room and top-of-bed products under the Ashley, Millennium, and Signature Design by Ashley brand names.

* Motion Upholstery Division, focusing on families' casual living area and representing fabric and leather motion, lift top and caster occasional tables, home office and walls/entertainment centers products under the Ashley, Millennium and Signature Design by Ashley brand names.

* Stationary Upholstery Division, representing fabric and leather stationary upholstery, occasional tables, lamps, rugs, throws, pillows and tabletop accessories products under the Ashley, Millennium and Signature Design by Ashley brand names.

"This effort is the result of a wide ranging internal study that included spending considerable time not just discussing these opportunities amongst ourselves, but consulting with our customers to properly identify how our sales organization can meet their needs," said Ashley CEO Todd Wanek. "Listening to the customer is where success starts, and so based upon their input, and how consumers are living today, now is the ideal time for this initiative."

Ashley also restructured its sales management. Until this month, the company depended on three divisional vice presidents to work with the same accounts and represent their respective divisions. As of Dec. 1, the vice presidents of sales are now regionally focused and will handle all three divisions and the complete customer relationship. This is a dynamic change that will capitalize on any and all local market opportunities and upgrade the operational feedback loop, enhance sales support and deliver more targeted advertising strategies.    

"We could not be more excited at the momentum we've achieved, but now more than ever we see evolutionary changes such as these as the best way to convert potential into tangible and dynamic results," Wanek said.