Mohawk leads the ‘Retail Renaissance’ charge
[Nashville] Mohawk’s Edge Summit here in December was a targeted presentation of strategy, product and digital platforms. On the showroom floor at The Gaylord, Paul De Cock, president Mohawk N.A., shared with FCW, “I’m very happy. This is exactly how I wanted it —intentional and purposeful.”
Dubbed a “Retail Renaissance,” Mohawk looked to reinvent and reengineer the shopping journey from online to in store. “Stores need to be intentional and simple, not simplistic,” explained De Cock. “The whole idea of renaissance is to bring together the best of ideas of the past. It’s not rocket science. What you see here was one year in development.”
From soft surface to hard surface, displays, products and narratives were clear and strategic. “The customer wants stories — storytelling, intentional products and value engineering,” he said, adding that when it comes to sustainability, “The younger generation is putting that in front of their decision making. If you want to stay relevant, you have to show how good you are. Every product has to be beautiful, perform and be sustainable.”
Mohawk & its Customer
Early at General Session, De Cock told attendees, “We have faced challenges over the last couple of years but it did not stop Mohawk and it did not stop you. We are leading the charge to make sure you are equipped.”
Making sure its retail customer has what it needs to succeed is part of the Retail Renaissance. De Cock noted, “Retail sales are connected to brick and mortar,” explaining that’s where the consumer can touch and feel the product. “The new era of flooring retail has digitalization and visualization for a seamless shopping experience; a purposeful instore experience; and, growth incentive programs.”
Those are all things that Mohawk looked to deliver here at Edge. “Mohawk wants to be the best — the Gold Standard in the industry. Everything we do is focused on creating a better value for you. Rise to the top with us with performance and profitability.”
De Cock also came back to “The Three Rs” — Relentless customer focus; Ruthless simplification; and, Reinvestment in talent — which has shaped much of what the company has accomplished in the last few years.
“Ruthless simplification is evident in everything we do while exceeding customer expectations. Simple and purposeful — we take the clutter out of the flooring process,” he asserted.
The company has also invested in its employees, he said, noting, “Inside Mohawk we want to create a culture of winning.”