Future Goals Help Trusty Carpets To Solve Current Problems

Trusty Carpets faces several problems as it strides towards improving its market share in the carpet industry. The most immediate problem involves the merger of three separate businesses with disparate business processes into one efficient and effective organization that can be managed from one location. Each of these businesses has a different clientele base, historical records, price points, and methods of documenting interactions with the customers that will have to merge into one organized database that can be managed and monitored by the owner. This will also require training for sales personnel and installation teams to ensure all aspects of the new business are operating within the same manner and should include processes for checking inventory and pricing, ordering material that is not in stock, verifying available installation dates, and scheduling installations. This will help to improve customer satisfaction and operating efficiency, which can result in increased profits and business efficiency.

The merger also involved the inclusion of warehouse operations, which requires new processes with inventory control methods that were not a part of the original Trusty Carpet brand. This will be essential to customer satisfaction, as sales personnel should be able to readily identify what products are available, in what quantities, and at what price point when customers wish to make a purchase. Additionally, the owner’s desire to be environmentally responsible while complying with the EPA’s WARM Program and proposed City Council ordnances presents new challenges to the organization as it expands operations. This will require that processes be established for the acceptance, storage, inventory, and pickup of end-of-life carpet for recycling purposes. Each of these problems and challenges will require exceptional business tools that far exceed the capability of the current IT system utilized by Trust Carpets.

In addition to the current problems and challenges presented, Trusty Carpets has business goals that will require changes within the organization. The owner has expressed the desire to expand business operations through internet sales, increased relationships with new home builders, and newly built relationships with interior decorators. Additionally, there are desires for in-home sales that include the ability to measure, order, and schedule installation from the customer’s home. These goals require new processes to be created and the ability to meet these goals is limited based upon the current IT system utilized by Trusty Carpets. This knowledge of future goals presents Trusty Carpets the opportunity to solve both current problems and future goals with one solution that can grow and change with their business.

Through the utilization of an easy-to-use IT solution that does not require a large infrastructure investment, Trusty Carpets can turn problems and challenges into opportunities for future success. However, these problems need to be addressed quickly if the owner wishes to realize the increase in profits and business goals he has in vision for his company. The different price points and processes between Trusty Carpets and the Metro Carpets location can affect customer satisfaction and retention, which will reduce the overall profit margin. Additionally, the lack of ability for customers to shop for Trusty Carpet products and services online will reduce the potential to expand their clientele base, increase sales, and increase profit margins. Therefore, in order to meet their current and future business goals, Trusty Carpets needs to act now to integrate an IT solution with formalized processes.