25 things all RSAs should know

The retail sales associate (RSA) is arguably the most influential person in a specialty flooring store. After all, it is the RSA who spends the most time with a customer and, theoretically, can make or break the deal. Success often starts with attitude, experts say. For example, are you happy to see a new customer walk in the door? Are you smiling or do you feel they interrupted you from another task? What does your body language suggest The laundry list of questions—and how RSAs handle them—can make the difference between success and failure.

FCNews’ inaugural “25 Things Every RSA Should Know” provides tips and best practices designed to help sales associates succeed:

SELLING

1. Be the problem solver

Don’t sell a product, sell a solution. Accommodate customers’ needs and wants within the scope of their project. Every customer has her unique sense of what vision she wants to execute, and it is our job to find solutions for her. Listen to their needs, pain points and biggest concerns. When we figure out these things, we can better find the solutions they need to meet their expectations.

— Jared Bradford, Brian’s Flooring & Design, Birmingham, Ala.

2. Be a chameleon

RSAs must be able to read a customer quickly and adjust their approach. One size does not fit all. Some customers respond better to humor; another customer could be having a difficult day and requires empathy; an engineer wants details; a busy customer wants to be in and out of the store quickly. Assess the situation and adjust.

— Paul Deschenes, Schneider’s Flooring America, Vernon, Conn.

3. Communicate to a fault

Beat a dead horse with details that gain trust and give clear guidance for navigating the project—especially from a logistical standpoint. Be an incredible communicator; tell them everything going on, all the pieces to the puzzle. This way the customer understands where she fits into the process. Always discuss “next steps” before you get to them.

— Mindy Lawley, Brian’s Flooring & Design, Birmingham, Ala.

4. How it’s done

Sell quality products and know them inside and out. Be honest and fair. Most importantly, do what you say you’re going to do.

— Jeremy Wirges, 3 Kings CarpetsPlus Color Tile, Fort Wayne, Ind.

5. No job is too small

You’re not going to get big tickets all the time. Every job is good for business no matter the size. If a customer is browsing for, say, a backsplash, the RSA may want to pass on it. That’s the wrong move. That customer could lead to so much more than that one job.

— Joe Elder, Hiller’s Flooring America, Rochester, Minn.

6. Focus on needs vs. wants

Don’t be in a hurry to sell them what they want. Find out what they need, then establish what they want from there.

— Eric Zurn, Precision Floors and Décor, Plymouth, Wis.

7. Keep your word

Don’t take yourself too seriously and deliver on your promises.

— Olga Robertson, FCA Network, Shorewood, Ill.

RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT

8. Earn their trust

Trust is the most important thing to a customer. If they don’t feel like you have their best interests in mind, then it’s an uphill battle.

— Sam Locher, A.J. Rose Carpets & Flooring, Burlington, Mass.

9. Don’t judge a book by its cover

First and foremost, never pre-judge a customer. The one you think doesn’t look like a big spender is the next full house. People with money don’t always dress like they have it.

— Joe Elder, Hiller’s Flooring America, Rochester, Minn.

10. Build a rapport

Being respectful, kind and accommodating to customers builds a sense of trust and mutual respect as well as camaraderie. When a customer feels comfortable with you and enjoys her one-on-one experience with you, she is more likely to come back. Treat every customer as if she is your only client and try to make a personal connection with her.

— Jared Bradford, Brian’s Flooring & Design, Birmingham, Ala.

11. Transparency is key

Be authentic. The professional you, of course, but be you. People respond most to authenticity.

— Cara Herbert, Exclusive Floors, Surrey, BC, Canada

12. It’s your word, not theirs

Don’t make promises other people have to keep. In other words, don’t promise things you personally don’t have control over.

— Brian Crawford, B&R Flooring America, Lacey, Wash.

13. Two ears, one mouth

Show genuine concern for your customers’ needs. Most importantly, be better at listening than you are at speaking.

— Doug Peeples, Myers Flooring, Nashville, Tenn.

THE BASICS

14.Honesty is the best policy

Be honest at all costs. Integrity is everything to us; trust is not easily gained and is impossible to get back once lost.

— John Bretzloff, Barefoot Flooring, Castle Hayne, N.C.

15. The role of vendor reps

Vendor reps definitely have an impact on everything we do. They know the inside scoop on their products, and when we need answers quickly it is nice to have that rep that cares. It is very nice to have that as a source to reference items and concerns.

— Steve Lyon, Foulk’s Flooring America, Meadville, Pa.

16. Know your prospects

Start by getting to know your products top to bottom—each flooring option has a unique story and can truly enhance a home. Don’t hesitate to ask questions and lean on your teammates; we’re all here to support each other.

— Kevin Rose, Carpetland USA, Rockford, Ill.

17. Set proper expectations

Set proper expectations and proactively communicate. Most clients are unfamiliar with the process, so they don’t know what to expect. Set the bar low, not high. Keep them updated and always call them before they call you.

— Adam Joss, The Vertical Connection, Columbia, Md.

18. Time management

Time management is one area that will maximize an RSA’s productivity, reduce stress and ultimately drive repeat business through quality service.

— Paul Schallberg, Star Flooring & Design, Boulder, Colo.

19. Answer the phone properly

Store owners pay a lot of money to get the phone to ring, and today’s customer starts her journey on the internet and phone. RSAs must be consistent with their initial greeting when that call comes in. They also need to be pleasant, engaging and informative as the conversation continues. If this initial phone experience is not positive, it can break any potential sale.

— Paul Deschenes, Schneider’s Flooring America, Vernon, Conn.

20. It makes ‘cents’

RSAs need to be well versed on payment options and financing offers, which should be shared during every presentation. Finding out payment requirements is more important now than ever.

— Sally Perron, 24-7 Floors, Sarasota, Fla.

TECHNOLOGY

21. Embracing artificial intelligence

I’ve used it to help create forms such as standard operating procedures and hardwood flooring liability forms for customer education. The sky’s the limit for its capacity.

— Ben Case, Carpet Collection, Lockport, N.Y.

22. AI is here to stay

AI isn’t just a trend, it’s a tool that gives flooring professionals an edge. From automated product suggestions to predictive analytics that foresee market demands. I tell my clients: AI helps RSAs work smarter, not harder. It takes the guesswork out of sales, making every interaction more strategic and data driven.

— Jason Potts, RIC Flooring, Marion, Iowa

23. Visualize the sale

Ask the client if they have pictures of the space they are doing (90% of the time they do) and use visualization tools like Roomvo or similar to narrow down their style preferences.