Best Practices - December 2008

By Sonya Jennings

In 1919, L. Fishman & Son was founded by Albert and Bessy Fishman as a thread supplier to the garment industry in Baltimore, Maryland. When the garment industry moved out of Baltimore, the company evolved into a floorcovering supplies firm, making binding for area rugs. The company later sold its thread business.

The main focus of the company today is floorcovering installation products. L. Fishman & Son is a distributor of commercial flooring products, including vinyl composite tile, vinyl, linoleum, rubber flooring, wall base vinyl, and metal trim. The company also offers floorcovering tools and supplies, including adhesives, floor preparation materials, floor leveling materials, moisture mitigation materials, accessories and much more. The company serves residential flooring stores, commercial flooring stores, and the installer trade.

L. Fishman & Son recently acquired Clark Flooring in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, which not only added a few brands within the same core business but expanded the company’s reach. L. Fishman & Son’s service area now includes New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Maryland, Delaware, Washington DC, Virginia, West Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia.

When asked what makes his business unique, Bob Wagner, president and COO responds, “One of the things that sets us apart and makes us very valuable to our customers is technical knowledge and expertise. We do not only ask our customer, ‘What do you need’ and then supply that need. We dig deeper and make sure the customer is prepared for the job ahead.” When a customer calls to order installation tools and materials, Wagner sees it as his staff’s job to make sure that the installer arrives on the job prepared for a proper installation. The company’s customer service representative will make sure that the installer is offered everything he needs to complete the job efficiently and effectively. This takes a lot of research and technical expertise as new products and solutions are coming into the market constantly.

L. Fishman & Son’s team members are continuously educating themselves on innovations in the industry, becoming experts on these products, and educating their customers about how and when to use them. In addition, the team is highly educated on exactly what is needed for every kind of installation. The company works with the Certified Floorcovering Installers organization and flooring manufacturers to know exactly how products are supposed to be installed so that they can be an information resource for their customer. In cases where a new carpet backing is introduced to the market, it can be very confusing to the installer because new tools and materials may be required to install the product properly. This is where L. Fishman & Son sees an opportunity to serve its customer and help installers adapt to new technology. Wagner adds, “One of the benefits of doing business with a distributor like us is that we do a lot of the homework for our customer. We are experts in installation products and practices and we are eager to share that information.”

Wagner points out that there’s example after example of how using the wrong materials for a job can hurt profitability and efficiency. For instance, if an installer is putting in a rubber floor and he uses a multi-purpose adhesive, the adhesive won’t hold because rubber doesn’t breathe, so a special adhesive must be used. If a carpet is made with a special backing system and seamed with a hot iron, an incorrect tape could ruin the job. The manufacturer’s warranty, in many cases, will be null and void if the wrong materials and tools are used for installation. Making sure the client is using the proper tools and materials is how L. Fishman & Son becomes an invaluable resource to its clients and creates a lasting, trusting business relationship.

The company has 21 outside salespeople and three architectural experts who focus on the specifier, architect, and end user. These staff members have the technical expertise to communicate how the company can help an installation staff get jobs done properly and efficiently.

Wagner is extremely proud of the longevity and success of his company. With the current economic climate, he notes, “It is during times such as these that we refine our business practices. We are looking at every aspect of our business and striving to make it better.” For L. Fishman & Son, the big question to customers is, “What problem can we solve for you?” During times like these, the company analyzes every internal step of answering that call for its customers. They’re fine tuning business practices to prepare for the next up cycle.

When asked what else sets his company apart, Wagner states, “Being successful is not necessarily complicated. Often times, it’s a matter of doing what you say you’re going to do and paying attention to smaller details that may seem trivial, but are extremely important to the customer.” For instance, every item on a pallet of products from L. Fishman & Son is clean and dust-free, all merchandise is shrink-wrapped, and the pallet is sturdy. Invoices are timely and correct. If a staff member tells a customer that an item is in stock, it actually is. Small details are important to customers, and the company understands this concept. Wagner adds, “We pay attention to detail, and basically our customers trust that we are going to help them get the job done correctly for the least amount of money possible.”

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