KBB - October 2015 - 46

KBIS SPECIAL SECTION

Further Your Career
with the KBIS
Learning Program
At KBIS 2016, two learning programs will be offered: Voices from the
Industry (VFTI) conference sessions and five NKBA University courses.
The programs are intended to provide professional development
opportunities for a variety of KBIS attendees.
VFTI: More than 90 Voices from the Industry
(VFTI) conference sessions will be offered
at KBIS 2016 - more than 75 of which will
offer CEUs. The hour-long informational
sessions are grouped into 11 conference
blocks over three days and offer attendees
a chance to hear presentations from their
industry peers on a variety of current topics
and trends. All VFTI sessions are aligned
to one of NKBA University's learning paths:
Design & Inspiration, Focus on the Customer, Business Management
or Sales & Marketing.
Here is a sneak peek of some of the VFTI sessions available to you
during KBIS 2016:

It's not Sci-Fi! Designing and Selling Using
Virtual Reality
John K. Morgan, Owner, Morgan Pinnacle, LLC
Wednesday, Jan. 20 from 10:30 - 11:30 a.m.
Sales & Marketing Track - 0.1 CEU
Looking for fun, inspiration and a chance to be
ahead of the curve in presentation and selling skills? If so, then the
"It's not Sci-Fi! Designing and Selling Using Virtual Reality" session is a
must-attend VFTI event for you.
From the August cover of TIME to daily news stories about new virtual
reality (VR) applications, the market is witnessing VR tools swiftly migrating
from the gaming realm to the design and construction world. VR is in its
early stages, but today many designers provide clients immersive views
they can use with their smart phones and tablets to virtually navigate
around their future spaces. I describe it as they can stand in their 1985
kitchen and turn and see live what their 2016 kitchen will look like.
Designers and architects are implementing these tools in their
inspiration and sales processes, and consumers are beginning to
expect to be fully immersed in their future spaces. They want to be
able to put the goggles on and be enveloped by their rooms and look
left, right, up and down - and even turn around and see their dreams
become reality right now.
You will have the opportunity to see which tools may be best for your
business, how they will improve both sales and profitability and even get
a chance to test drive them yourself. Find out what the benefits of VR are

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to you, what the next step is in this innovative technology and what's
different about the new tools - it's the time to stay ahead of the curve.
Learning objectives include:
* Identify VR tool options available to all businesses.
* Describe how these tools will benefit their clients.
* Discuss methods and techniques to reduce mistakes and
improve profitability.

Creating a World-Class Customer Service Experience
Kate Bailey, Director of Showrooms,
Ferguson Enterprises
Tuesday, Jan. 19 from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.
Focus on the Customer Track - 0.1 CEU
In today's world of ever-changing technology,
customer experience is everything. Social media can help or harm
your business, as reviews and experiences - both good and bad - can
go viral in an instant. It is critical for businesses to not just provide good
service, but great service that consistently wows customers every time,
as this will help them share positive stories about your business.
In this session, I will discuss how to communicate your value
proposition to wow your customers, win new business and secure the
sale. Pointing to real-world experiences, I will share simple and practical
tips to create an environment and culture of customer service that
can be applied to any business or industry.
Any business can operate on price, but we believe that customer
service is the key differentiator to long-term success. Learn how to
boost the reputation of your business, online and off, by providing a
world-class experience for your customers.
Learning objectives include:
* Explain how to communicate your value to close the sale or win
new business.
* Describe simple, easy ways to "wow" customers based on real-life
examples.
* Discuss how to create a culture of customer service.

Better Communication through Listening!
Maria Stapperfenne, CKD, CBD,
Division Manager, Tewksbury Kitchens & Baths
Wednesday, Jan. 20 from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.
Focus on the Customer Track - 0.1 CEU
Do you work hard to keep a design or construction
project on track, only to find yourself frequently caught up in problems
caused by poor communication? Is talking through the situation only
making things worse? Would you like to avoid future misunderstandings?
How about hear what others are actually trying to tell you?
Take a moment to listen, really listen, to your customers, your
co-workers, your vendors, etc. Discover your own communication
style, its strengths and weaknesses, as well as how to identify others'
styles for more effective communication and ultimately add to your
bottom line.
This is an interactive session where I help people discover their own
communication style, determine which is theirs and then how to tailor
what and how they say things to engage the person with whom they
are dialoguing - using real-world examples. If someone isn't engaged,
it's only a monologue, right?

October 2015 / www.kbbonline.com / The Official Sponsor of KBIS www.kbis.com
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KBB - October 2015

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