Adam Hankinson, Managing Director and Founder at Furniture Sales Solutions, reveals the questions every retailer should ask before investing in sales training.
At Furniture Sales Solutions, we welcome great questions – because great questions lead to great results.
With a combined hundred years of experience in the furniture industry, our team has trained, coached, and developed thousands of salespeople and managers across the UK and Ireland.
We’ve seen what works, what doesn’t, and why. Here are the most common questions we hear from owners, directors, and managers who are serious about improving performance – and the answers that matter.
1. What measurable results can we expect – and how quickly?
We always see immediate results. Most clients find the training programme pays for itself completely within three months – often sooner.
In many cases, the full cost is covered purely by the uplift in protection plans, finance conversions, and key performance indicators.
Once the habits start to take hold, the return compounds. It’s not theory; it’s measurable, lasting improvement on the shop floor.
2. We’ve done sales training before – what makes FSS different?
Our training is different because we are furniture retailers training furniture retailers. It’s not theoretical and it’s not a set of broad-brush sales techniques. Everything we teach is specific to furniture retail – the real conversations, real customers, and real challenges your teams face every day.
Within 30 minutes of meeting us, people know that immediately. We work with many of the UK’s leading mid- to high-end furniture retailers, where customer delight and brand reputation are the absolute priority. They trust us to train their people to sell brilliantly — in a way that enhances, not compromises, their brand values.
For us, there’s never a conflict between great salespersonship and an exceptional customer experience. In fact, we believe the two go hand in hand: the better the salesperson, the better the representation of the brand.
Our system, The 7 Habits of the Most Effective Furniture Salespeople, combines mindset, questioning, listening, and solution-selling – taught in a way that becomes habit, not homework. It’s coaching-led, not lecture-led.
3. Is it a one-off event or a full programme?
Both. It begins with an immersive workshop that sparks change immediately, but the real results come from what happens next – structured coaching, follow-up workshops, online learning, and in-store leadership support. That’s how you turn inspiration into transformation.
4. How do you ensure training doesn’t fade?
We coach managers to coach their teams. Our “Guiding Light” manager programme gives leaders the tools to embed the habits through daily huddles, one-to-ones, and on-the-elbow feedback. It’s culture, not a course.
5. Can you tailor it to our brand and sales model?
Always. Every retailer has its own personality and sales process. We align our language and examples to yours, so your teams don’t feel they’re being asked to rip up what already works — we help them make it work better.
6. Is this about technique or mindset?
Both, inseparable. Most lost sales aren’t about skill gaps – they’re about belief, confidence, and consistency. Our training addresses all three. When salespeople believe every customer is a potential buyer, they behave that way, and performance follows.
7. What evidence do you have that it works in furniture retail specifically?
It’s the only market we work in – and it’s one we know inside out. Our team brings over 100 years of combined experience in selling, managing, and leading in furniture retail.
We’ve helped independent stores and national groups alike improve sales, culture, and customer experience. We’ve been in the same showrooms, faced the same challenges, and built the solutions from the inside.
8. How does the programme help managers?
We believe every store manager should be a coach first, not just a reporter of results. Our manager pathway builds confidence in how to observe, feedback, and develop people – not just chase numbers. When managers grow, teams grow with them.
9. How much time does the training take off the floor?
Very little compared to what it gives back. Our initial workshops run for one or two days, followed by short coaching bursts and online refreshers. The real work happens while selling – we build skills in live customer interactions.
10. What if some of my team are sceptical?
We meet them where they are. Experienced salespeople don’t want theory; they want relevance. Once they see that the habits make their job easier – not harder – resistance disappears fast. They start to enjoy selling again.
11. What does it cost, and what’s the ROI?
Every programme is scaled to your size and goals. But the calculation is simple: if each salesperson sells one extra order a week, worth £1,500, across 47 weeks – that’s £70,500 per person per year. Multiply that by a team of 20, and the return speaks for itself.
12. Can we trial it first?
Yes. Many retailers start with a pilot – three stores, one area, or a specific division. Once the uplift is proven, the rollout follows naturally.
13. Does it work for new starters and experienced teams alike?
Yes, because it builds habits. New people learn great practice from day one, and experienced people rediscover the habits that made them successful in the first place. It resets standards for everyone.
14. How do we measure improvement?
We give you a clear diagnostic before and after – conversion, average order value, attachment rate, and customer feedback. You’ll see data, not just enthusiasm.
15. How will it affect the customer experience?
Positively, in every way. Customers feel listened to, understood, and supported. They leave happy – not pressured – and far more likely to recommend you to others. Selling becomes service at its highest level.
16. What support is there after the initial programme?
We offer continuous support through our Kajabi online platform, refresher modules, manager coaching, and quarterly performance reviews. We stay with you until the habits are embedded – and long after.
17. How scalable is the programme across multiple stores?
Completely. Our structure is designed for regional consistency – the same language, habits, and standards across every branch. Every store becomes an academy; every manager, a coach; every customer, a champion.
18. What’s the biggest mistake retailers make when trying to improve sales?
They chase short-term fixes. Incentives, pressure, or “training days” that fade within a month. The real answer is rhythm – consistent coaching, clear habits, and leaders who model the behaviours they expect.
19. How do you balance commercial results with genuine care?
By understanding that one drives the other. When salespeople focus on helping customers make confident decisions, sales follow naturally. That’s why our final habit is all about referrals – delighted customers bringing new business back.
20. What’s next for the industry?
Retail is changing faster than ever, but human connection still decides the sale. The future belongs to retailers who invest in people, not just promotions. That’s where culture beats discounting – and where the best results, reputations, and relationships are built.
Furniture Sales Solutions is the UK’s leading training and coaching partner for the furniture retail industry. The company’s award-winning 7 Habits programme has transformed teams in more than 20 major retailers across the UK and Ireland.
For more information or to discuss how the programme could support your business, email adam@furnituresalessolutions.com.
