None of us is an island. We — and our organizations — have a much better chance of reaching our performance potential when we surround ourselves with carefully selected people and partners.

I often use parallels when I’m describing the physical appearance of a showroom and the culture of the company. It’s typically easy to see the differences between a high-performing showroom culture and one that is not by walking in the front door.

One thing that always grabs my attention when shopping in a retail environment is when an employee makes eye contact and delivers an authentic message about how he or she can help.

Having a great team can make or break your showroom. There has been a lot of discussion and practices-sharing lately on how to hire a great team — and equally as important, how to keep that team.

Compensation can be a fun — yet often debatable — subject. It needs to strike a delicate balance between what’s right and fair for your employees while also being fair to your business. Any compensation program you put in place must be a “feel good” for both parties.

One of the most common conversations I have with showroom managers centers around the desire they have for manufacturers to protect their showrooms.

In today’s mobile environment, online reviews about products and companies can be a deciding factor when making a purchase. Dealing with them appropriately is made even more challenging because it’s an issue that can change by the minute.

Showrooms must have the right employees and the right customer experience to maximize the opportunity for success in today’s competitive retail marketplace. In a showroom sales environment, hiring for soft skills such as listening ability, enthusiasm and willingness to learn is critical for that success.