Floor Coverings International
Pioneering Excellence in Franchising
Training, technology, and partnerships become the keys to expansion in the floor remodeling industry.
Home Improvement, as an industry, stands at a unique crossroads of functionality and aesthetics. This is especially true for companies specializing in floor remodeling.
To flourish as a brand and secure a lasting presence in the market, several key elements must be considered and harmonized when planning operations.
In an industry like home improvement that generates over $100 billion annually, a lack of diversification in services or operational practices can become a costly oversight, as the competitive landscape favors only those companies that can execute excellently on multiple fronts.
It favors companies with an expert understanding of industry supply chain dynamics, technological advancements, and partnerships that can lead to better solutions and services.
This explains how Floor Coverings International, a leading franchise, has established itself as the de facto golden standard of the floor remodeling sector over the years.
Founded in 1989, the original vision for Floor Coverings International started as
What CEO Tom Wood describes as a “Work from home, man in a van home improvement company” has since grown into the highest-rated flooring company in all of North America.
Floor Coverings has developed a clear and compelling brand identity with a pre-establishing value proposition that resonates with customers and franchisees.
The company’s strategic partnerships with industry leaders also ensure access to premium products and ongoing support for its franchisee, bolstering credibility and trust in the brand.
Beyond its higher-level operations, Floor Coverings International has built its success on the meticulous execution of day-to-day operations. From comprehensive training programs for franchisees to innovative technology solutions for streamlined processes, every aspect reflects a commitment to excellence and customer satisfaction.
Floor Coverings has built up a culture of continuous improvement to foster adaptability and resilience, allowing the brand to evolve with changing market dynamics over time.
The result is what we see today: a thriving network of franchisees, united by a shared commitment to excellent service. As an industry leader Floor Coverings is transforming houses into homes, one impeccably remodeled floor at a time.
Advancing into the Executive Franchise Model
Floor Coverings International currently has 270 operating units across the United States and Canada. Since its establishment, the company’s founding model has evolved, allowing it to shift from a traditional home improvement franchise into an executive model business.
The earlier model was predicated on a franchise owner getting closely involved with the flooring process and industry, however, the transition to the executive model has allowed franchising within this industry sector to become more accessible to those who aren’t so knowledgeable about the industry.
“The franchisee is not the person putting in the floors. We also want them out of the sales role as quickly and reasonably as possible,” Wood says, commenting on the benefits of the company’s executive model.
Additionally, with an exceptional Net Promoter Score of 87, far surpassing the industry average of 38, the company offers franchisees a compelling value proposition from day one.
From the start, not only are franchisees entering an industry under the reputation of that industry’s highest-rated company but they are also set up with a model that removes them from the hands-on aspects of the operation while maintaining profitability.
Objectively speaking, this is a powerful model to start with, which is certainly reflected in the franchise owners’ collective performance. In addition to being ranked the highest in its industry by Entrepreneur Magazine, Floor Coverings International is also ranked 122 out of 4000 franchises in the general category.
It has also been consistently recognized as a Top 40 franchise by the Franchise Times and recently won two innovation awards from Franchise Update magazine for its software innovations.
These technological advancements, while subtle, have served as the foundation for the company’s accelerated growth.
Leveraging Technology and Strategic Partnerships
In an era where technology reigns supreme, Floor Coverings International leverages cutting-edge platforms to streamline operations and enhance franchisee success. Powered by Salesforce and customized industry tools, the company’s unique mobile platform equips sales personnel with the tools and training necessary to excel in estimating and customer service.
A strong standard of the company is to train its personnel on the overall sales and estimation portion of the process within one week.
“That happens because we put a tablet in their hands that has all of the estimating software and all of the products pre-loaded. And then we’re able to train them very quickly and easily… the technology is the piece that allows us to scale,” Wood explains.
In combination with its mobile platform, Floor Coverings has also built its operations around Salesforce, which is inherently designed for both scalability and customization of the tools needed to properly function.
This technology not only expedites onboarding but also ensures consistent quality and efficiency in service delivery, laying the groundwork for scalable growth.
However, it’s not just the technological factors contributing to the success of this franchise, there is a very human element involved as well.
The company’s success is underpinned by strong partnerships with industry leaders who provide not only premium products but also comprehensive training and support for franchisees.
“Shaw is a big company that we lean on, they’re our best and longest-standing partner. Mohawk of course is another industry leader we work with. Then we have some great boutique partners like Cali and Happy Feet… these suppliers are critical to our franchisees’ success,” Wood explains.
By fostering collaborative relationships with suppliers, Floor Coverings International ensures that franchisees have access to top-tier products and expertise, enabling them to deliver unparalleled service and customer satisfaction.
A Growth-Oriented Culture of Training and Support
Floor Coverings International’s comprehensive training and support programs set the standard for franchisee success. Before franchisees get to the point of interacting with suppliers and partners, they are provided with a robust onboarding process that includes the aforementioned week of sales and estimation training.
Through a structured series of in-person classes over 6 months followed by an intensive 18-month coaching period, franchisees are equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to thrive in the competitive flooring market.
Within their first year, franchisees will be stable and growing but at the 24-month mark, franchise owners will have a professionally run and managed business. So, from pre-launch training to operational scalability, the company’s onboarding is designed to take new franchise owners from A to Z as quickly as possible.
Generally speaking, becoming a franchise owner requires a $200k to $300k investment, with the average being around $230k to get fully up and operational. However, even if a prospective franchisee has the capital, it means nothing if they do not have the right character and experience.
“The perfect franchise candidate for us is somebody who is typically in a management role where they have employees report to them and their success is predicated on their team’s ability to perform well,” Wood says, emphasizing leadership and coaching ability as top skills for its franchise owners.
Having so many like-minded and similarly skilled individuals become franchise owners has also done wonders for the company culture, which was already built upon 5 strong yet subtle core values.
The first value is to always deliver what is promised. The second is to respect the individual (especially the customer). The third is to take pride in the work being done at the company. The fourth value is to remain open-minded and practice continuous improvement.
Finally, the fifth value is what has truly influenced the internal culture the most, which is to engage in the community and make it fun!
“The reason we can do great things here is not only because we work well together and we like each other, but we engage with each other outside of the actual work that we do,” Wood says.
The sentiment behind this value is, yes, work needs to be done, but when it is finished, there must also be time made for employees and franchisees alike to express their human side and connect this business to themselves personally.
Currently, the result of such values has resulted in a tightly-knight internal community that collectively shines with its performance for the outside to see, a true gem of the franchising world!
Looking ahead, Floor Coverings International is poised for transformative growth, with a clear objective of becoming a billion-dollar business in the flooring industry.
By focusing on increasing franchisee unit sales to $2 million and beyond, the company aims to solidify its position as the most recognized flooring brand in the communities it serves.
Grounded in a set of core values that emphasize integrity, innovation, and community engagement, Floor Coverings International is not just a flooring franchise—it’s a family committed to excellence and success.
In essence, Floor Coverings International epitomizes the height of franchising excellence, combining industry-leading innovation, strategic partnerships, and unwavering commitment to franchisee success.
As it continues on its trajectory of growth and expansion, the company remains dedicated to its franchisees and customers, ensuring that every franchisee-customer interaction is characterized by profitability, satisfaction, and a sense of belonging to something bigger.
For this company, the sky stopped being the limit years ago, and it’s clear that in the future we’ll be seeing the influence of Floor Coverings International grow to size like never before.
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AT A GLANCE
Floor Coverings International
Where: United States and Canada
What: The highest-rated flooring company in North America, setting the standard for quality, innovation, and customer satisfaction.
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