Things Are Going Sideways

Things Are Going Sideways

Some good, some not so good

Now where to start? How about we get the not so good out of the way first.

Jobs- I heard from a few folks (After the January jobs report) that the theory about job losses had been debunked…. Until the February report came out… mmm not exactly 50k plus but more like -90k with Jan. & Dec. revised down too. The increase in gas prices along with other consumer staples will add to inflation which in turn will hold the Fed in check on lowering interest rates. Great! We have pulled the band-aid off and can start talking about the upside. And there is plenty of that! 

Quick question for you.

Did you hear the one about the Kitchen & Bath dealer who gets together with other dealers to share KPIs, best practices, and ideas on how to run a better business?

Yeah… me neither. 🙂 ok I know it happens but without metrics… you get a limited outcome.

For as long as I can remember, this industry has had a bit of an unwritten rule: keep your cards close to the vest. Everybody’s friendly at the shows, we shake hands, talk about door styles and lead times, maybe complain about freight for a few minutes… and then we all head back home and run our businesses in our own little silos.

Nothing wrong with that. That’s just the way it’s always been.

But lately I’ve been noticing something interesting.

Things are starting to go… sideways.

Now before you picture a train coming off the tracks, hear me out.

Right now dealers all over the country are experimenting with AI and new tools. Some are testing it with marketing. Some with quoting. Some with design rules. Some with follow-ups and communication with customers.

And the funny part is nobody really has the full playbook yet…. Or even close.

We’re all just kind of walking across the same big field… poking around… seeing what we find.

Every once in a while someone bends down and picks something up.

“Hey… this is interesting.”

Then they look up and holler across the field.

“Try this over here!”

That’s what I mean by sideways learning.

For the last 40 years our industry learned vertically. Manufacturers taught reps. Reps taught dealers. Dealers taught designers. Information flowed downhill nice and neat.

AI doesn’t seem to care much about that structure.

Now everyone is discovering things at the same time. And the only way the learning really speeds up is when people compare notes.

Let me put it another way.

Imagine one dealer walking that field alone looking for treasure. He might eventually find a few things. But it could take a while.

Now imagine ten dealers searching together.

Or fifty.

Suddenly someone finds the water. Someone else finds the shortcut. Someone else finds the giant hole none of us want to step in.

Progress speeds up pretty quickly.

That’s the part that has me excited right now.

Not the technology itself… although that’s pretty amazing.

It’s the idea that maybe this industry might start learning a little more sideways.

Dealer to dealer.

Designer to Designer.

Real conversations about what’s working and what isn’t.

Because let’s be honest… most of us learned this business the same way.

A little trial.

A little error….. (all about perspective) lol

And the occasional “well that didn’t work at all.”

That’s actually one of the reasons we started Elevate. Not as a classroom where somebody stands at the front pretending to have all the answers.

More like a place where people walking the same field can compare notes along the way.

“Hey… watch out over here.”

“Hey… this worked pretty well.”

“Hey… don’t waste three weeks trying that one.”

If that kind of sideways learning starts happening across this industry, something interesting is going to happen.

The learning curve speeds up.

And the dealers who learn fastest usually end up serving customers better, running smoother operations, and picking up a little more market share along the way…. Maybe even talent.

Funny how that works.

Anyway, I just wanted to share that thought with you.

Because right now our industry may feel a little sideways.

And that might be exactly the direction we need! Amen brother and sisters!

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going back out into that field to see if I can find a few more treasures.

If you find any good ones, give me a shout across the field.

— thad 😄

PS I would encourage dealers participating in Elevate, to include a designer and maybe a support person. At no additional cost.