Floor Coverings International

AT A GLANCE FLOOR COVERINGS INTERNATIONAL WHAT: A mobile floor-covering franchise company WHERE: Atlanta, Georgia WEBSITE: www.floorcoveringsinternational.com FLOOR COVERINGS I N T E R N AT I O N A L B ased in Atlanta, Georgia, Floor Coverings International is a mobile floor-covering franchise company that lets customers shop at home for hardwood, laminate and tile flooring, carpet and area rugs, window coverings, and specialty products. The company’s mobile van showrooms hold more than 3,400 styles and colors of name-brand products for residential and commercial use. The original concept was founded in 1988 and the company began franchising in 1989. In 2003 Floor Coverings International was acquired by FirstService Brands, one of North America’s largest providers of essential property services delivered through individually branded franchise systems and company-owned operations. Floor Coverings International is headed up by President and CEO Tom Wood and has 161 franchises operating throughout the U.S. and Canada. Over 90 percent of its customers are residential homeowners, while the remaining are commercial enterprises. Recently, Business View Magazine spoke with Director of Merchandising, Neil Daley, to find out more about this successful franchise operation. The following is an edited transcript of that conversation. BVM: How does Floor Coverings International stack up against the competition in what is a very fragmented and competitive sector? Daley: “There’s nobody that really provides a similar service. While there are many in-home flooring companies in the United States, nobody does what we do, which is the customer-centric business model that allows the customer to THE RIGHT PEOPLE