FCNews Volume 27/Number 13, November 5/12, 2012
Hurricane Sandy has come and gone, battering the East Coast and leaving waves of destruction in its wake. For those of us in New York, New Jersey and Long Island—heck, throw in the better part of the eastern seaboard— it’s safe to say we’ve never experienced a natural disaster of this magnitude. The images will be etched in our minds for eternity.
The destruction that has forever changed the Jersey Shore (and I’m not talking about the MTV show) left beaches eroded, neighborhoods flooded, businesses ruined, homes destroyed, lives transformed. Watching people navigate through their towns on rafts and jet skis would tug at the hearts of even the least compassionate.
The power outages that affected millions—yes, millions—of people are still being felt. Driving through Manhattan the day after the hurricane was as close to Armageddon as I hope to experience. They say New York is the city that never sleeps. Well, witnessing half of the island in total darkness was spine chilling. Everything south of 39th Street and east of Fifth Avenue was, if not dead, comatose.
While these natural disasters are usually reserved for the hurricane belt, tornado alley or earthquake-plagued California, Hurricane Sandy reminded all of us here that we take too much for granted. Forget about all the luxuries electricity affords. How about a hot shower? I had to give myself an hour pep talk before I could walk into ice-cold water this morning. And don’t get me started on gasoline. Here on Long Island, I’ve witnessed more than 100 cars lined up with the hope the gas station will not run out of fuel before they even get a sniff of the pump. People are also lining up on foot, gas cans in hand, for cars that did not make it. And when the station attendant posts the “Sold out” sign, all hell breaks loose. We’re living a science fiction movie.
Reflecting on things we take for granted parallels perfectly with this issue. Do you know what we take for granted in the industry? Distributors. That’s why we decided to publish a special section titled “The value of distribution,” which begins on page 12.
Most retailers see distributors as the conduit between their businesses and the manufacturer to get product in their showrooms. Yes, that is a primary function. But if it weren’t for the distributor, guess who would be stocking all that flooring? And if you didn’t stock it, the customers who expect their flooring yesterday would have to wait a whole lot longer.
What about training and merchandising? Who comes into your store to train you and your team on the newest flooring introductions? Who sets up your displays and makes sure your samples are up to date? If you have a good distributor rep, he does. And I’m not even going to begin to talk about credit. This reminds of the time I spoke with Harvey Johnson of Mastercraft Flooring at last year’s NAFCD event. He said, “The distributor can be your bank.”
While I obviously don’t have use for all the services a distributor provides, I developed an appreciation for these guys shortly after joining this industry, albeit from my ivory tower. These are some of the hardest working people you’ll ever meet, and the margins they work on are tighter than a new pair of shoes on a rainy day. They regularly face challenges many of us would not endure, all the while maintaining a positive attitude. They also happen to be some of the greatest people you’ll ever want to meet.
So when you finish reading this, I want you to do me a favor: Think about the simplest things you have, things you probably take for granted, and imagine life without them. You’ll appreciate them a whole lot more.