Wednesday, May 20, 2026 from Floor Covering Weekly

Knowledge is power — and profit — as continuous training drives RSA success
By Sharyn Bernard

Selling flooring today requires far more than product familiarity. As flooring categories become more complex and consumer expectations continue to evolve, retailers are relying on ongoing training for retail sales associates (RSAs) to build expertise in product performance, installation, design trends and customer engagement — all critical components of sales success.

“Establishing a structured training program with clear expectations is essential for long-term success,” said Michelle Nix, director of education for the World Floor Covering Association (WFCA). “A well-defined retail sales training program equips sales associates with the skills and confidence needed to deliver exceptional customer experiences. RSA training — starting with onboarding and continuing throughout their career — is essential, particularly if RSAs work on a commission structure, as most do.”

Indeed, “I believe that a great onboarding is the best investment you can make in any new salesperson’s life,” said Nicole Harding, vice president, CCA Global University. “They need really comprehensive onboarding with coaching that extends long beyond the first six weeks.”

Given most RSAs work on a commission structure in some way, it is in their best interest to learn as much about every aspect of flooring and sales as possible, and to do so on an ongoing basis.

“Everything revolves around sales and commissions,” explained Brandon Leslie sales technology and communications manager, Mohawk Flooring. “Being a business owner and [RSA] are the only two jobs that as hard as you work is the amount of money you can make. So, the better a territory manager (TM) is in educating an RSA and getting their buy-in to sell a Mohawk product, they’re in-turn going to make more money in commissions.”

Training is the means to the end. “I’m passionate about training,” Harding said, “but not just for the sake of training. If this is your career, and this is your livelihood, [training] becomes a competitive advantage. The more you know, the more you can show and the more you can make.”

Learning Tools

Training can take many forms, including on-site, online and via apps. But vendors and dealers agree the best method is in person. “The most effective way to train RSAs is through hands-on experience with a consistent process,” said Bruce Odette, president, Carpet Exchange.

In-person training requires an investment by all parties, but it is the most effective. “In-person is always the best, but it’s the most expensive,” Leslie said. “We always take a day or two extra and travel and train,” he said, or host a training and invite as many people as want to attend. “We’ve had turnouts of up to 90 people who will come for a two-hour, in-person event on sales and sales skills.”

CCA conducts its onboarding training live and virtually, bringing suppliers to the university studio to film training, Harding said. “We have a ‘Ready, Set, Go’ onboarding program. It is customizable by each location.” In addition, CCA has vendors conduct live sessions on product knowledge and dealers also learn about customer traits and other selling tactics. CCA also uses AI tools to facilitate training. “AI is just transformational,” Harding said. “We use AI to customize their interaction, and it allows them to practice again and again.”

It’s important to meet RSAs where they are and have options for training, said Rachel Wright, customer training program leader for Shaw Floors. “Our approach to training is grounded in adult learning theory, which shows that adults learn best when new information helps them solve a problem or improve their performance. Regardless of format, our training is focused on helping RSAs sell more effectively today. Product specifications are important, but it’s easy to overwhelm RSAs, especially when they are newer to the industry.”

She said Shaw has delivered 700 training touchpoints this year so far, including live training at winter markets, monthly virtual sessions and in-person programs.

“The most effective training method is often in-person, as it allows for greater engagement, hands-on learning and real-time interaction,” Nix said. “However, the ideal approach depends on the content being delivered.” She said, for example, that online training is ideal for compliance topics, while team building and skill-based training is better in person. “A blended approach — leveraging both in-person and virtual formats — often provides the greatest overall impact.”

The WFCA offers its dealer members support in training with various programs including monthly virtual sessions focused on skill development, retail training, SEAL Academy training and hands-on training with Certified Flooring Installers.

However, given the speed of technology, it stands to reason that more training will happen digitally, observed Mike Watson, interim associate chair of the Department of Retailing at the University of South Carolina. “I’ve witnessed countless training methodologies come and go. Yet nothing has proven as transformative, or as perfectly suited to today’s retail environment, as mobile-first microlearning. For floor covering retailers navigating increasingly complex product lines, evolving customer expectations and a multigenerational workforce, bite-sized, app-based training isn’t just a trend. It’s the future.” (See sidebar below.)

Territory Managers (TMs) are the first source of training for many companies. “This is where our sales team — our direct TMs and our distributors’ sales reps — have a chance to shine,” said Al Boulogne, senior vice president, residential product and marketing, Mannington Mills. “We work hard to make sure they understand the finest details and our product stories before launch, and then we work to perfect their selling approach.”

Sales reps also need to be part of suppliers’ training plans. “Our customer training team also trains our sales teams, equipping them to deliver strong product knowledge sessions in stores and effectively coach RSAs on selling strategies,” Wright said.

Focused Effort

Training doesn’t just apply to product specifications — it also means teaching how to succeed in retail. “Product knowledge is important, but the service part of retail is critical,” said Nik Burdett, general manager, Atlanta Flooring Design Centers. “It can be taught, but in reality, going to and seeing jobsites is the best way to understand how things work. We try to have as many jobsite visits as possible. We also try to have a biweekly discussion of success stories to help everyone see what is working.”

Odette said while onboarding takes from one to four weeks, “after that, training really shouldn’t stop. The best teams are always coaching, always reinforcing and always looking for ways to improve. Especially in the first few months, it’s important to stay close to the RSA, listen to how they’re working and help refine their approach.”

Indeed, “from our perspective, there is never enough training,” Boulogne said. “An RSA is bombarded with information every day. Delivering a buttoned-up selling story for our products is critical to keeping us top of mind.”

While suppliers and dealers see the value and importance of training, getting RSAs to commit to continued learning can be a struggle.

First, employee retention is an issue. “Rep turnover is frustrating, but it happens both internally and from our suppliers,” Burdett said.

Second, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to training and learning. “One of the biggest challenges is that everyone earns differently,” Odette said. “If training isn’t flexible, it can miss the mark.”

As well, product retention and attention spans have an impact on training. “Time and attention are always the biggest roadblocks to training in any space,” Wright said. “RSAs are busy and their customers come first.” Shaw addresses this by offering flexible training from in-person to on-demand. “By integrating learning into the flow of the business, training becomes an enabler rather than an interruption.”

Repetition can cause a waning attention span. “Hearing the same message the same way over and over can cause people to tune out,” Odette said. Confidence is also a factor. “Some RSAs pick things up quickly, while others hesitate and second-guess themselves, which can show up when they’re working with customers.” He said the best way to work around this is to recognize differences in people’s styles, stay engaged and share success stories. “Recognizing progress and small wins goes a long way in building confidence and keeping people motivated.”

What’s more, RSAs often gravitate to the products they know best, or that give them the best options for sales and commissions. “One of the biggest [issues] is they have to learn so many different products and things there are may six to ten products they really focus on,” Leslie said. So, it is incumbent on reps and TMs to focus and follow-up on training. “Whoever is the best at training and educating the RSA will gain their mindshare.”

While the prospect of more sales and more commissions should be enough to motivate RSAs, there are other ways to encourage continued education and training. “To further encourage participation, some retailers implement incentive programs that reward employees for completing training,” Nix said. Incentives include gift cards, paid time off or merchandise rewards. “Creating clear expectations around training and aligning it with career growth opportunities can also significantly increase engagement.”

Supplier Support

Dealers rely heavily on their vendor partners to facilitate training. “Vendors are a great resource for reinforcing product knowledge and offering a different perspective,” Odette said. “Sometimes hearing the same information explained in another way helps it stick.”

What’s more, he said, RSAs can form their own relationships with sales reps, which helps. “When RSAs are comfortable with vendor reps, they’re more likely to ask questions and stay engaged,” Odette added.

Still, dealers say there is room for improvement. “I wish we would get back to more mill tours — with our location in Georgia, it was especially insightful,” Burdett said. “I wish there were updated online interactive training sessions with reward points tied to completion.”

Odette added, “One thing that could improve is better follow-ups. If vendors provided a simple breakdown of what they covered, it would help managers reinforce those points afterward. Combining internal training with vendor input gives RSAs a more complete understanding and helps them build their own approach.”

Learning Tools Go Digital

Mike Watson, interim associate chair of the Department of Retailing at the University of South Carolina, has spent his career both at retail and in academia studying it. He predicts that mobile-first microlearning will usher in the next big phase of retail sales associate (RSA) training.

“The most effective methods for RSA training in today’s ever-changing retail environment are the utilization of apps and mobile microlearning. They are emerging as the process with the greatest potential value in terms of comprehension and efficiency,” he said.

Mobile microlearning delivers bite-sized, on-demand training directly to an RSA’s device. Associates can access brief video modules, tutorials, interactive quizzes or quick-reference guides at any time. “This idea of ‘just-in-time’ accessibility means an employee can review key product information right before their shift begins or even as they walk towards a customer, ensuring the information is fresh, relevant and immediately applicable,” he said.

He said in his studies, he noticed that over a month’s time, associates retained 20 percent to 30 percent of what they learned in a two-hour product knowledge session. But when that same information is delivered as digestible, focused modules that can be reviewed on-demand and reinforced through spaced repetition, engagement and retention rates increase.

“However, effective RSA training isn’t one-size-fits-all,” Watson added. “The most successful retailers employ a hybrid approach that combines microlearning with vendor training. As such, in-person and vendor training should be an intentional and strategic way to provide support of in-house training. This method is still highly effective for deep product dives, hands-on demonstrations of installation techniques and building brand advocacy.”

Watson said AI should be used more for training. “Having associates interact with customized bots can be another way of mastering soft skills, handling price objections and practicing upselling techniques without the pressure of live customers. The emergence of AI-driven roleplay tools can allow individuals to practice their sales pitch in a safe, digital environment and receive instant, personalized feedback, customized by the organization’s training and development team.”

While technology will continue to have an impact on training, “utilizing new technology or participating in nontraditional approaches to RSA training can be met with resistance from certain individuals, so it is important that companies take time to understand their retail workforce,” he said. However, as more Millennials and Gen Z enter the workforce, “their learning preferences differ dramatically from previous generations.”