Customers. Love ‘em or hate ‘em, they pay the bills. Most of the time the relationship goes relatively smooth. Sometimes there is a hiccup, but as a professional, you try to make it right. But not all customers can be satisfied. Maybe they are misinformed. Maybe they have preconceived notions or misperceptions about you or your business. Maybe they want special treatment. Maybe they want to tell you who to do business with and who not to do business with. Some customers are simply problematic.
Floor Covering News is no different than you even though we don’t sell flooring. For the most part, we have a seamless relationship with our customers. Our job is to provide exposure and help them sell their wares—products that help you make money. Our customers appreciate what we do for their business, just as your customers appreciate what you do for their homes. But every so often you come across THAT customer. And sometimes you have to stand your ground.
Floor Covering News recently had to deal with THAT customer. I tell this story so maybe you can relate it to your business. So…Dustin received an email from one of the more well-respected hard surface companies in the industry with which we do business—a company founded in Shanghai in 2004 by European entrepreneurs. The author of that email, a well-known Belgian executive who will also remain nameless, was dissatisfied with some of the editorial content in our publication. Over time I’ve learned that you can’t please all the people all the time. However, when someone starts attacking the integrity of your business and your staff, that’s when the gloves come off. When you call one of the most respected journalists to ever write for a flooring trade publication a “junior” person, or that we solely cater to our largest advertisers, or that we don’t have a finger on the pulse of the industry, them’s fightin’ words.
Specifically, the unnamed founder of said company took exception to our recent Industry Disrupters issue. He seemed to take offense to the fact his company was not included, despite the fact they were in three of the past four years. His words: “The latest article about disrupters did not come well for me. I don’t think this is proper journalism and I have been repeatedly surprised about Floor Covering News editorial content of our industry… I notice that the editors of Floor Covering News have either select information of our industry or influenced by mini players like Benchwick and others who spend much more than us and are therefore more important to them.”
He also states: “It comes as a surprise to me that… Floor Covering News is not aware of the disruptive products recently launched, even though I thought somebody (maybe too junior person?) of Floor Covering News visited our booth on Surfaces. I cannot recall having met senior people from Floor Covering News to discuss industry/products.”
He continued: “I notice what Floor Covering News calls the disruptions of the industry are mainly things that were introduced long ago, are hardly even launched or in reality are not impacting our industry. For example, Liteback of Välinge was introduced 10 years ago and I believe one manufacturer (or very few more) is using it for one collection only since technology does not work. (What is disruptive about this?) Light SPC stated as Unilin is pure marketing but you needed this to keep the three parties happy. Antimicrobal, very old introduction is so basic but hardly any appeal to consumer. The lack of knowledge and spreading misleading info about Benchwick is a pity for Floor Covering News readers.”
Let’s clarify some of these misstatements from the author’s email:
“The editors of Floor Covering News have either select information of our industry or influenced by those who spend much more than others.”
To suggest that we provide coverage for only high-spending advertisers in our magazine is unfair and, moreover, inaccurate as half of the companies listed do not spend anything close to what the aggrieved company spends with us or nothing at all. That is not only challenging Floor Covering News’ integrity but in essence is saying we are not doing the best job for our readers.
“I thought somebody (maybe too junior person?) of Floor Covering News visited our booth on Surfaces. I cannot recall having met senior people from Floor Covering News to discuss industry/products.”
This person who spent at least 20 minutes with this individual was none other than our executive editor, Reginald Tucker, whose reputation, experience and industry knowledge is unassailable. The manufacturing executive was also visited by Megan Salzano (senior editor), who, while without Reggie’s nearly 30-year experience, has built an impressive reputation of her own. To impugn the validity of that experience and to openly mock such a hard-working group of individuals who care a great deal about this industry and make tremendous personal sacrifices covering it is highly insulting. We value our team more than any advertiser, and we will always defend them when their efforts, integrity and character is questioned.
“What Floor Covering News calls the disruptions of the industry are mainly things that were introduced long ago, are hardly even launched or in reality are not impacting our industry.”
Floor Covering News deliberates very carefully when nominating companies or technologies that are having—or stand to have—a transformative impact on the way business is done, how products are made or how services/information is delivered to retailers. Rest assured that the amount of money a company spends on advertising has no bearing on the selection process whatsoever. Obviously, Thomas (oops!) feels differently about the companies that were selected this year—as I am sure other companies may have felt the same way about CFL’s selection (oops!) on the Disrupters lists for 2019, 2021 and 2022. We try to give recognition to different companies each year.
“The lack of knowledge…is a pity for Floor Covering News readers.”
No other flooring publication offers the level, depth and quantity of retailer-focused editorial content than Floor Covering News. For FCNews, it’s all about providing retailers with the information to help them run their businesses more successfully while providing insights and commentary to help them benchmark their success against other retailers across the industry. We strive to always keep the floor covering retailer at the center of what we do. In fact, one prominent industry executive referred to Floor Covering News as the Wall Street Journal of the flooring industry. He also called us the “CIA” of the flooring industry.
Bottom line: We don’t use editorial as a weapon and we would hope our customers would not weaponize their ad spend. Rest assured, our readers are our most important customer. No matter what, if this particular company does something of value for our readers, it will appear in the pages on Floor Covering News. We owe you that.
