Welcome back to another behind the scenes episode of this Fall's Sleep Connection held recently at the Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina. Broad River's semi-annual Sleep Summit brings all of its Home Furnishings Consultants and Retail Leaders to learn together and grow together in one of six sessions held over the course of two days in early October. In this episode, host Charlie Malouf speaks with several Home Furnishing Experts from Broad River Retail, including Sandy Ruhlin, Marlin Ross, Mayra Hernandez, Leah Hayes, and Ebony Harrison, exploring their favorite moments and key takeaways from the event.

Marlin enjoys the interactive activities, while Ebony and Sandy found Holly and Jamar's session particularly impactful because it offered practical advice directly from two top-performing Experts who are thriving and understand their daily challenges.

The episode also highlights the importance of attending educational events like the Sleep Connection, which offers refreshed knowledge and practical tips to enhance sales and guest experiences. The Experts discuss how these events foster connection, boost confidence, and provide valuable insights that they can bring back to each of their respective showrooms. From learning new sales strategies to understanding the latest in technology, the summit leaves them energized and prepared for upcoming busy months, especially the high-traffic holiday season.

This episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/P77teKRD02g

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Broad River Retail brought this show to you. Visit https://BroadRiverRetail.com

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This week we are bringing you back to another behind the scenes of this Fall's Sleep Connection held recently at the Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina. Broad River's semi-annual Sleep Summit brings all of its Home Furnishings Consultants and Retail Leaders to learn together and grow together in one of six sessions held over the course of two days in early October.

In this episode, host Charlie Malouf speaks with several peak performing Home Furnishing Experts from Broad River Retail, including Sandy Ruhlin, Marlin Ross, Mayra Hernandez, Leah Hayes, and Ebony Harrison. They discuss their roles, their journey to becoming experts, and the impact of the word of the year, "connect," on their work and personal lives. They share stories of how they have deepened their connections with customers and coworkers, emphasizing the importance of understanding and meeting others' needs to foster relationships and drive success.

The Experts also reflect on how they plan to maintain their momentum through the end of the year, sharing specific strategies and anecdotes about their connections and achievements. They highlight the importance of effective communication, mutual support, and team dynamics during high-pressure sales periods. Additionally, they discuss how Broad River Retail has supported their growth and engagement, providing tools and opportunities for continuous learning and connection.

This episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/8UYHizabnVE

Visit https://www.storiesfromtheriver.com for more episodes.

Broad River Retail brought this show to you. Visit https://BroadRiverRetail.com

Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/broad-river-retail

In this episode of Stories from the River, we go behind the scenes of this Fall's Sleep Connection, held recently at the Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina. Broad River's semi-annual Sleep Summit brings all of its Home Furnishings Consultants and Retail Leaders to learn together and grow together in one of six sessions held over the course of two days in early October.

In today's episode, we catch up with Broad River Home Furnishings Associates, Consultants, Professionals, and Sales Managers Daniel Coffin, Ken Harris, Rebee Shaw, and Kimberly Evans. Even though they've all worked at the River for various tenures (i.e., Ken has been with the company for over 10 years, while Kimberly started just six months ago), they discuss how connected they feel to their guests and other Memory Makers through this and other events Broad River has had this year.

These Memory Makers share heartwarming stories of how they've connected with guests, like Rebee's memorable experience with a new hire or Kimberly's interaction with a guest looking for a recliner for them and their four dogs! They also share their favorite ways to show appreciation for one another, how they communicate during high pressure situations (many of which are coming up) and what type of technology they use to keep the team connected.

Check back for more behind-the-scenes episodes from our Sleep Connection series.

This episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/PCI7lmJUs_E

Visit https://www.storiesfromtheriver.com for more episodes.

Broad River Retail brought this show to you. Visit https://BroadRiverRetail.com

Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/broad-river-retail

Welcome back to Stories from the River. In this final episode of the Behind-the-Scenes Town Hall series, off-camera Charlie asks Memory Makers about their experiences and takeaways from the third-quarter virtual Town Hall held on Friday, September 27, 2024.

The guests include Bob Dussault, Jessi Hatley, Jim Izzo, and Liam Cohen, who share their thoughts on the atmosphere fostered by the organization. Bob, a Regional Senior Manager of Operations, and Jessi, the front desk administrator, highlight the positives of the town hall, noting the transparency, positivity, and valuable updates conveyed. Liam, a retail construction assistant, expresses his appreciation for the inclusiveness and representation of various departments in the meeting, even for those not directly involved in retail.

Memory Makers agree that the town halls foster a sense of community and keep everyone informed and motivated. The town hall's updates on internal promotions, personal wellness days, and the implementation of new programs following the Engagement Survey Action Council's recommendations were particularly well received. The discussions revealed how these initiatives not only motivate Memory Makers but also help them feel more connected to the company's goals and to each other.

This episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Zm51zh2TQN0

Visit https://www.storiesfromtheriver.com for more episodes.

Broad River Retail brought this show to you. Visit https://BroadRiverRetail.com

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Welcome back to the 3rd Quarter Behind-the-Scenes Town Hall series from Stories from the River. In today's episode, Charlie welcomes back Wes Dudley, Vice President of Customer Experience and Anita Harris, Director of Customer Experience, to discuss the recent 3rd quarter town hall (that was held on Friday, September 27th) and some exciting updates from the Customer Experience department. Wes shared impressive statistics and KPIs related to the department's performance, such as handling around 5,000 contacts per week with an average answer time of 15 seconds and maintaining a 98% quality score. They also discussed their new customer effort score, where 98% of the customer effort has been managed efficiently.

They discussed the preparation for the annual celebration of Customer Service Week (CSW) which happened earlier this month at Broad River Retail. The theme of this year's Customer Service Week is "Above & Beyond," which is fitting considering the achievements and accomplishments of this All-Star team. The goal of CSW is to show appreciation for the hard work and dedication of the Memory Makers in the Customer Experience department. Activities and appreciation events along with prizes, games, and contests are planned daily for a full week at the Fort Mill and Fort Oaks locations.

Wes and Anita also touched on the positive impact of the town halls on engagement and morale among Memory Makers, with impressive retention and turnover rates highlighted as indicators of a strong, motivated workforce dedicated to customer service excellence.

Be sure to check back on Thursday for the final episode in our Behind-the-Scenes series on companywide Town Halls.

This episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/7M_6fu4Dq4Y

Visit https://www.storiesfromtheriver.com for more episodes.

Broad River Retail brought this show to you. Visit https://BroadRiverRetail.com

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Welcome back to the 3rd Quarter Behind-the-Scenes Series from Stories from the River. In today's episode, Charlie welcomes back Tim Sayles, Broad River's Director of Construction & Facilities, or Goose Wrangler. Tim shares exciting construction updates and renovations taking place in various Broad River stores. Charlie and Tim discuss the importance of investing in upgrading the remaining existing stores to the Ashley 7.0 (or latest) design elements, explaining that these improvements help maintain vibrant, high-performing retail environments. The conversation highlights the ongoing projects, including store remodels in Fayetteville, Raleigh, and Pineville, with future upgrades planned for locations such as Augusta, Columbia, Mooresville, and Hickory.

Charlie and Tim also discuss the phased approach to store renovations, ensuring minimal disruption while enhancing the store's appearance and functionality. They touch on the positive feedback from Memory Makers who work in the renovated stores and experience these upgrades first hand, noting the excitement and energy it brings. Tim shares insights into the logistical aspects of construction, such as working overnight to avoid daytime disruptions and the benefits of modern updates like LED lighting.

Tim and Charlie point out the company's forward-thinking strategy, emphasizing that these continual enhancements keep both their stores and Memory Makers motivated and aligned with Broad River Retail's offensive-minded growth strategy. Tim also unpacks the importance of sharing these renovation updates during companywide Town Halls and the positive feedback he receives from these announcements.

This episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/YeT5njvQPCA

Visit https://www.storiesfromtheriver.com for more episodes.

Broad River Retail brought this show to you. Visit https://BroadRiverRetail.com

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Welcome back to Stories from the River and our behind-the-scenes series of interviews following our 3rd Quarter Companywide Town Hall held on Friday, September 27, 2024. In today's episode, Charlie's back with return guests Heather Greenwood, Director of Memory Maker Experience (MMx) and Krissy Whitley, Senior Director of Human Capital, to discuss the Engagement Survey results and announcements that Heather and Krissy unveiled at this last Town Hall.

The Engagement Survey results were the star of the show of this latest Town Hall, and they discuss key takeaways from the Engagement Survey results and subsequent actions from the annual engagement survey conducted last Fall. Heather and Krissy explain the survey's significance in collecting feedback from Memory Makers on various aspects such as engagement, wellness, and diversity. They discussed the process of synthesizing all of the immense amounts of objective and subjective data, providing it to the executive team and then separating it by two specific groups (one data set for Retail Performance Memory Makers and one data set for all other Memory Makers).

They then invited volunteers to serve on one of the two Engagement Survey Task Force Action Councils to review the results and ultimately offer suggestions and recommendations for the Company to adopt in response to the feedback.

Several major initiatives were announced based on the survey results, most of which are set to roll out in 2025. These include Personal Wellness Days, enhanced Tenure Rewards, increased Mileage Reimbursement, expanded Parental Leave, and Retail-Specific Split Shift Saturdays.

These initiatives were well requested, and the announcements were very well received by everyone listening in or watching the Town Hall. These initiatives are expected to lead to greater job satisfaction amongst Memory Makers, greater retention, and lower turnover. Heather and Krissy emphesize the importance of acting on survey results, reflecting on Broad River's commitment and dedication for all of its Memory Makers.

This episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/vlHpbtaNlbI

Visit https://www.storiesfromtheriver.com for more episodes.

Broad River Retail brought this show to you. Visit https://BroadRiverRetail.com

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In this episode of Stories from the River, host Charlie Malouf introduces a new behind-the-scenes series focused on the company-wide quarterly town halls at Broad River Retail. Charlie is joined by return guest Kim Harkness, recently promoted to Vice President, who shares insights into the origins and evolution of these town halls. They recount how the town halls were initiated in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic as a critical measure for communication when traditional channels were disrupted. Initially held weekly, the frequency was gradually reduced to monthly and then quarterly as the crisis abated. The primary goal remains to communicate directly with Memory Makers, ensuring transparency and clarity by delivering information directly from the leadership.

The episode delves into the extensive preparation required for these town halls, from finalizing the agenda about a month in advance to conducting walkthroughs and rehearsals. Kim and Charlie discuss the contributions of Tyler Trill (a/k/a the "Captain Kirk" of the show according to Kim), the River's Senior Communications Manager, in crafting presentations and managing the technical aspects of the meetings. The town halls cover essential updates like business performance, new store openings, and key performance indicators, while also spotlighting achievements and milestones of Memory Makers to foster a sense of community and recognition.

The episode discusses the platform of choice (Zoom) for Broad River's Town Halls as well as the pros and cons of Webinar Mode vs Meeting Mode. Broad River has also invited friends and partners from other companies to attend their Town Halls as a special VIP guest attending with a "backstage pass" as a way to help other companies learn from some of their well established best practices.

Despite occasional technical and logistical challenges, the duo emphasizes the importance of authenticity and continuous improvement, encouraging other companies to adopt similar practices to enhance their internal communication and connect more deeply with their own people.

This episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/RtAWpgUPPWs

Visit https://www.storiesfromtheriver.com for more episodes.

Broad River Retail brought this show to you. Visit https://BroadRiverRetail.com

Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/broad-river-retail