Everyday more and more Consumers are using the internet to make purchases. By purchasing via internet the consumer’s main aim is to save money and do so more conveniently. The Consumer often prefers internet shopping because of its convenience, shopping at any time of day – or night. By shopping online you can read the specifications about the carpet and compare thousands of carpet makes, styles, and prices without having to visit lots of stores or other places of purchase. Not to mention most Carpet Companies will offer lower prices on Carpet and Flooring being sold online vs. that sold in the stores or showrooms. The carpet sold online can keep the company’s overhead low, because manufacture of the carpet or delivery from the mill, only transpires after the Consumer places an order.

Low overhead is only the beginning to how the internet and social media is affecting the Carpet Industry. Retailers and Manufacturers are now equipped with, among other things, a website and active Facebook page. Add a whole lot of tweeting and blogging and the Carpet Industry is fully immersed in the latest social media. By aggressively leveraging these evolving communication platforms, companies are offering their customers a sneak peak of the latest products to be unveiled and the most current news and information, all of which is offered free of charge. A retailer in Alabama brought Zoo animals to the store for an open house to promote a new carpet line. Advertisement for the event included creating an event on Facebook, announcing on Twitter and uploading pictures on the day of the event, and blogging on the stores website. At Coverings 2011 in March at the Sands Expo and Convention Center in Las Vegas Twitter and blogging was the buzz amongst the attendees. Via real-time tweets, attendees swapped tips on what to see, which exhibitors had exceptional products not to be missed, and shared thoughts and information, all within the constraints of 140 characters or less. Many were also bloggers, who actively reported on their experiences and finds at the show. Not to mention that Coverings offered its own real-time portal into the show for its virtual fans with more than 50 TwitPics images on the Twitter website documenting products and booths. This is a whole new market that the Industry is eager to develop, because now Consumers around the world have access to their products. Companies are learning day by day the different ways to engage in these new media outlets and make them useful for the Consumer. The world is definitely changing and to be successful in today’s business climate and the Carpet Industry is putting Social Media marketing at the forefront.

Currently there is ten times the amount of polyester available than nylon. This is unlikely to change, because there is a limited capacity worldwide for caprolactam. Caprolactam is the petroleum chemical used to make nylon. Fiber statistics clearly show the trend. In 1982, nylon was dominate face fiber in carpet at 82 percent. However, that had fallen to 55.2 percent in 2010. The 2010 statistics showed that nylon was followed by polyester at 26 percent and polypropylene at 19 percent. Polyester could be on its way to becoming the dominant fiber in the carpet industry. The way that the industry makes yarn from fiber is also part of that change. This change had been in development but was accelerated by the overall recession of the past four years. In 2005, the industry was selling roughly 3 billion pounds of fiber. Just under 1 billion of that was staple fiber. However, advances in extrusion technology have produced products that can take the place of a lot of staple at lower costs. Today the industry sits at something around 2 billion annual pounds and less than 10 percent of that remains as staple.

Today’s polyester has shown to be better than ever. When polyester styles started showing up in ever increasing numbers, many industry watchers waited to see how consumers would react. In the past, polyester carpet had appearance retention problems, particularly fuzzing, but that seems to be ancient history. Given the right kind of twist, density, and face weight a good manufacturer can make a high quality polyester style. The performance characteristics of polyester have been improved without question. Although, it is still not as resilient a fiber as nylon there are some beautiful, highly styled products on the market that will perform nicely. Nevertheless, if a producer does not put in adequate twist and heat setting, has a poor construction, and too light a weight, regardless of the fiber, the product will not stand up to anyone’s expectations. The ultimate goal for carpet manufacturers should be consumer satisfaction. Long term, polyester cost advantage is true and so far consumers are quite satisfied with the current products.

FIVE KEYS TO EFFECTIVE MAINTENANCE

 PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE
 VACUUMING
 SPOT REMOVAL
 INTERIM CLEANING
 RESTORATIVE/DEEP CLEANING

PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE
Dirt is everywhere. Keeping it out of the building is easier and less expensive than removing it. The use of walk-off mats will significantly reduce your maintenance costs. They trap soil and make it easier to keep soil out which is less expensive than removing it. Using mats inside and outside main entrance ways for best results. Mats and removable grates are available to fit any type of entrance situations. Consult your maintenance professional for proper mat selection.

VACUUMING
Regular vacuuming is the most important part of any maintenance program, because is the most effective way to remove soil. How often you vacuum is influenced by soil type and traffic patterns. Soiling at entry areas and ground floors has high levels of dirt and sand, while executive offices generally are not as heavily traveled and will require less frequent vacuuming. Training your cleaning personnel on proper vacuuming methods and techniques can make each cleaning go much further. A slow pass against the carpet pile is more effective than several quick strokes; while heavy traffic areas may require multiple passes (forward and backward) to sufficiently extract embedded soil. A vacuum brush will open up the tufts of the carpet, the agitation will loosen the soil embedded, and slow movement allows time for air to circulate through the face yarn and extract debris.

SPOT REMOVAL
Spots are inevitable, but they don’t have to be permanent. If a spill is removed quickly then there is less chance it will become a stain. Spills should be extracted or blotted up and rinsed with water immediately. Absorbent powders or spotters should then be applied and rinsed thoroughly with clear water. Another tip is to always work from the edge towards the center of the spill and never rub, it may spread the stain.

INTERIM CLEANING
A well-planned maintenance program includes regular interim methods. Scheduled pile lifting, vacuuming, spot extraction, or dry cleaning in high traffic areas can help the carpet retain appearance and improve performance. For interim cleaning there are many dry cleaning methods available in the marketplace. You should analyze several methods for effectiveness and cost, to determine which best suits your facility. An effective dry cleaning method involves the application of a dry cleaning substance that dissolves and absorbs both water and oil based soils, holding them until they are removed by vacuuming. The cleaning agent contacts all surfaces of the soiled carpet, breaking down the bond that causes the soil to stick to the carpet fibers.

RESTORATIVE/DEEP CLEANING
No matter how conscientiously you work at it, daily maintenance will still leave some soil behind. Periodic deep cleaning, using hot water extraction, is most effective at removing embedded abrasive soil. Deep Cleaning is restoring the carpet’s appearance by extracting soil and substances that can damage your carpet. Hot water extraction is the industry’s most frequently used method of deep cleaning. A hot water and light cleaning solution is sprayed into the carpet. Check with your carpet’s manufacturer for their recommended mix. This solution mixes with the soil as powerful extraction removes the solution and the loosened soil in the process.

Many factors govern a carpet’s lifespan and appearance, from the fiber and construction to the way the carpet is installed. However, none pay more dividends than proper care. The small amount of time that it takes to implement a well-planned maintenance program can dramatically extend the life of your carpet. And remember…the longer it lasts, the less it costs.

Perhaps one of the most unknown and overlooked markets that continues to lead the way of sustainability, environmental initiatives, and eco friendly gains is the Commercial Carpet Industry. Unless someone is a commercial architect, interior design professional, facility owner, or general contractor most people never think about the carpet in the hotel, office, school, courthouse, or basketball arena that they walk on nearly every day. Fortunately, thanks to several very dedicated commercial flooring manufacturers, The Commercial Carpet Industry is one of the leading industries in the United States for advancing environmental change and improvements in the green movement. These manufacturer’s produce an array of different types and styles of eco carpets. In fact green carpet is in abundance from the carpet tufted from recycled materials to natural carpets such as cotton and wool.

It seems like everyone in the Commercial Carpet Industry is green these days. Kermit the Frog would be so proud. Marketing brochures are using lots of green photos of trees and nature motifs to make us feel green, and it seems like every Sales Rep is pushing a green product. So how does one navigate through the green wash to find the eco friendly products and expertise needed for a project. Time in the industry can be key because sustainable products perform for long periods of time, and the only way to know requires experience in the market. Look for Manufacturers and Retail Companies that have invested years in the industry. These Companies have the knowledge of what products are eco friendly produced and has sufficient sustainable life to meet the consumers needs.

As a Consumer, going green is easy when its time to carpet that next project. With a little research, and a Commercial Carpet Rep with some experience, the Green Carpet that meets your projects needs is just around the corner.

Different carpet styles work best in different situations. Some carpet styles are designed for active use; while other styles work better in formal rooms that have less active use. Consider the area and amount of wear it will receive. Corridors, lobbies, and stairs will receive more wear and general soiling than rooms, banquet areas, and offices. This is where wear-resistance and the ounce of the carpet will become a factor. A larger ounce carpet will endure better in those high traffic areas. Add this to a carpet with higher wear- resistance rating and longevity will be added to the carpet life.

Cost is always a factor for most Buyers. While determining the cost you should also consider the fiber of the carpet. Often these two factors go hand in hand. The two main fibers used in hospitality carpet are Nylon and Olefin. Nylon is the most commonly used fiber in carpet today because it is the strongest fiber on the market. Thus, it stands up to high traffic better and lasts longer. However, the cost of Nylon is typically more expensive than that of Olefin. Olefin on the other hand is a weaker fiber and crushes much quicker. This often leads to the buyer having to replace the carpet sooner.

Here are some basic benefits of using carpet in healthcare environments:

• Healing – Healing is the most important function of a healthcare facility.  Carpet can be part of an environment that promotes healing.
• Comfort – Carpet adds to the comfort level of any room such as public spaces, hallways, patient rooms and living quarters.
• Function – Carpet provides function that hard services cannot such as echo reduction and glare reduction.

Take a look at the healthcare flooring products that we offer. Don’t hesitate to give us a call to discuss your application needs.

This holiday travel season – an economic bellwether for the airline and hospitality industry – Maritz Research projected that traveler spend would increase to near pre-recession levels — translating to expected revenue growth of $3.85 billion for the industry compared to last year. The random digit dial telephone study included 442 respondents that stayed at a hotel some time within the past three months. Interestingly, while hotel occupancy is up seven points from a year ago (44% in 2010, versus 37% in 2009), there is no significant change in the type of hotel travelers are occupying (i.e. they have not “traded up” in their hotel choices due to a strengthened economy), specifically:

Coming Out of the Slump: How Guest Perceptions and Behaviors Haven’t Changed in the Past Year | By Rick Garlick
Coming Out of the Slump: How Guest Perceptions and Behaviors Haven’t Changed in the Past Year | By Rick Garlick

For upscale  hotels in particular, there is good and bad news about their customers’ perceptions of service. The “good news” is that the Poll indicates there has been a strong uptick in service over the past year. Last year, 28% of guests that stayed in an upscale or luxury property rated the service they received during their most recent stay as ‘excellent.’ In 2010 this percentage rose to 39%. Unfortunately, these hotels don’t get the credit they deserve for service improvements. When asked whether service at these properties was getting better, worse, or staying the same, only 8% said service at these upper end properties was ‘getting better’ compared to 14% a year earlier. Seven percent (7%) said service was getting worse compared to 4% a year earlier. While these are not large significant shifts, it underscores the problem that service efforts are not being consciously recognized as improvements by guests, even though their actual ratings are higher.

A similar problem exists with price perceptions. Last year, hotel rates fell considerably for nearly every segment and market, but people barely noticed. More people in all categories thought rates actually increased (31% overall.) With the exception of New York and a few other selected markets, average daily rate has still not rebounded to pre-recession levels. However, the broader perception is that rates are going higher. In other words, people are quick to notice price increases, but far less likely to acknowledge decreases in rate.

The bottom line is that efforts to attract guests on the basis of an improved experience, or a better price, often fail to get the attention of customers in the way a hotelier would hope. Studies have shown that people naturally remember negative experiences (e.g.., bad service encounters, price increases, etc.) much more easily than positive ones. Good service, particularly at higher end properties, is an expectation. Therefore, you have to do something really special to get noticed.

One successful strategy is to appropriately let guests know when you’ve done something special for them. Of course, this has to be handled very sensitively. Several years ago, while staying at an upscale property, I asked the server if he could bring me an item from the restaurant that had been removed from the menu two years earlier. After a few minutes, he came back and said, ‘I can get this for you but have to apologize to you in advance for a delay. We’ve sent someone to one of the other restaurants in the hotel to get the ingredients required to make what you’ve asked for.’ I thought to myself that this server was brilliant. I would have been happy had he simply told me he could grant my request. However, had he not told me of his extra effort, I would not have been ‘wowed’ in the way that I was. In another example, a friend, who actually owned several hotels, once told me how he asked a server if they could get him a bottled Coke rather than a fountain Coke. The server said he was happy to oblige. My friend said he wasn’t sure if it was deliberately planned this way, but he was in a sight line to see the server put on his coat, walk across the street to a convenience store, and return holding a bottle of Coke.

People will notice negative changes such as when prices increase, but be less quick to notice when rates decrease or service improves. It is important to let guests know how you are creating value for them at every level of the property. This is a big reason why many consultants and experts strongly caution against cutting rates, but rather advise toward advertising things you are adding to create value. If you are going to stand out, you have to find ways of blowing your own horn in a manner that draws positive, rather than negative attention to your hotel.

The lack of financing and funds will have a large effect on the number of new hotel/motel openings over the next three years. Projects are already in the works that cannot migrate forward to start construction. The number of projects that start construction in a given quarter reached a cyclical low in Q2. Also, the total number of projects presently in the pipeline, at 487 projects/62,041 rooms, is the lowest LE has ever recorded. Projects scheduled to start construction in the next 12 months, at 1,218 projects/129,356 rooms, are at their lowest level since the end of 2004. The result of these lower metrics is that hotel openings coming online as new supply in 2011-2013 will be at rates lower than at any time since the early 1990s.

Here are a few reasons to use carpet tile in your home:

• Hands down, if you are seeking a comfort oriented product for the rooms in your home, carpet tile is better than hard surface flooring like wood or stone.
• If you are seeking acoustic isolation or sound absorption properties in your flooring products, carpet tile exceeds most any hardwood or rolled carpet product.
• If you are working on a budget, carpet tile is easily installed by home owners without any special skill or tools.
• Design flexibility is something that traditional carpet or hardwood can’t offer. Carpet tile can be turned during installation to create patterns within the pattern for a unique look.
• Smart consumers are trying to buy products that help protect our environment. Carpet tile is well known for being recyclable.

The next time you are replacing the flooring in your house, consider whether carpet tile might be a product you can benefit from.

Dalton Hospitality Carpet Mills ships hotel and motel carpet across the country to help contractors and specifiers reduce the cost of their flooring projects.

On the other hand, talk of “double dip” persists—and anyone in the franchising arena can tell you that lending, new building, and willingness to take prudent risks are not yet where they need to be to sustain a long-term uptrend.

Most important, the clock is ticking on debt payments at all levels. Unless cash flow continues to improve and accelerate, many more properties stand in danger of default. A sharp, sudden rise in interest rates could choke off the progress even if cash flow does continue to improve; and it’s pretty clear that interest rates have nowhere to go but up.

So as we head into Lodging Conference next week, the question comes: Where are we in this recovery?

I have always been an optimist, and I am optimistic now more than ever. I suspect that boom days are ahead—though it is difficult to tell if the seeds for that boom have been firmly planted—or if the soil needs some more tilling before we see sustained growth.

I also suspect that the fourth quarter and the year ahead, will be determinative of what follows. If the industry can sustain another strong quarter of growth, I believe the momentum will be too strong to hold back. If on the other hand, there is continued timidity among lenders, buyers, and if the consumer shows signs of weakness, that could signal all signs are off.
What do you think? Is the industry headed for a sustained recovery, or are we going to “bounce along the bottom”—or even worse?

What are some of  the key issues that industry leaders should address at this year’s Lodging Conference to convince that the recovery is sustainable—and to reinforce the confidence that will make it self-perpetuating?