**Orlando**: Ben Liebert, leading residential sales at Shaw Industries, unveils a transformative agenda focused on adaptation and customer relationships. He details five strategic pillars to enhance market presence and operational efficiency, while fostering an inclusive culture among over 1,000 associates in the evolving flooring industry.
Ben Liebert, who has been overseeing residential sales and marketing at Shaw Industries for just over a year, is driving a transformative agenda aimed at solidifying the company’s leadership in the floor covering industry. Understanding that change comes with challenges, Liebert emphasises the importance of adaptation to current trends in order to prepare for future market shifts, steering away from historical precedents that may not always provide an accurate forecast of the future.
In a recent discussion with FCNews publisher Steven Feldman at the Shaw Flooring Network convention in Orlando, Liebert elaborated on the changes he deemed necessary upon his arrival. He highlighted that Shaw Industries prides itself on its commitment to people, encompassing associates, customers, suppliers, and the broader community. “We operate by a set of values that are noble and bigger than the industry we serve,” he remarked. The company benefits from a long-standing reputation for trust with its clientele, which has enabled it to maintain a leading position across various competitive categories.
When discussing the need for changes, Liebert explained the significance of inspiring over 1,000 staff members within Shaw’s residential business. He stated, “You may have heard me quote the need to win in the locker room before you have any chance to win on the field of play.” This sentiment reflects the focus on ensuring that employees fully grasp the company’s strategy, alongside feeling motivated about their contributions toward customer engagement. He emphasised the importance of fostering closer relationships with customers to better understand their unique requirements and challenges.
Shaw’s residential strategy is built around five key pillars that have been informed by industry trends, self-assessment, and extensive customer feedback. The pillars include strengthening brands in collaboration with customers, leveraging the full range of product offerings, executing hyper-local strategies, establishing deeper partnerships tailored to customer requirements, and fostering unity across all operational sectors to ensure everyone is aligned in their mission.
Liebert explained that creating robust brands with retailers would be led by Carolyn Haicl, the new senior vice president of marketing and brands. The shift towards a portfolio of complementary brands—as opposed to internal competition—was also discussed. He noted the importance of clarifying brand identities to enhance their market presence, stating, “Strong brands aren’t created in a year, but it begins with a clear architecture and radical consistency in how we take them to market with our customers.”
On the sales front, Liebert expressed that rather than requiring repair, the evolution of the sales structure was a natural progression towards aligning with the company’s strategic goals. Enhancements have been made to ensure the sales teams have an optimal mix of brands and services to meet customer needs more effectively.
A notable initiative during Liebert’s tenure is the implementation of what he refers to as “heartbeat operating rhythms.” He described these as crucial processes that will enhance operational efficiency and accountability within the business. He illustrated this with the restructuring of the national sales strategy for localisation, assigning Jon England and Elizabeth Hurley to lead builder, multifamily, and retail sales respectively while allowing local general managers some autonomy to adapt strategies to their markets.
Reflecting on a previous leadership experience at Electrolux, Liebert pointed to the need for a proactive approach rather than merely reacting to customer requests. He recognised that fostering insights and tools to enhance retailer performance is vital, drawing parallels to how the flooring sector could benefit from similar strategies.
In terms of internal communication, Liebert is fostering an environment of transparency—conducting monthly calls for the entire residential business unit, providing live updates on performance, celebrating successes, and encouraging open dialogue regarding challenges. This approach aims to cultivate a culture of inclusivity where team members feel integral to the vision of the company.
Finally, when questioned about the focus on customers since his arrival, Liebert affirmed that customers will be central to Shaw’s strategic initiatives. He reflected on the importance of personal relationships in the industry, stating his commitment to meeting with clients during their visits to the company’s facilities, reinforcing the importance Shaw places on trust and collaborative success with its partners.
Source: Noah Wire Services
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