News

Long receives prestigious award

By Scott Wagar

01/17/2012

This past week, Connie Long of Interior Fashions by Connie was honored with a Certificate of Excellence as a HunterDouglas Alustra Collection showcase dealer by Jake Granrud, the district sales manager of the Fabrication Division of HunterDouglas in Roseville, Minn.

“HunterDouglas has a network of dealers throughout the country and we have what is called a showcase of dealers for the company’s Alustra Collection, which is only offered to certain dealers. When individuals become dealers to sell from the collection the company does what is called a secret shop with every one of its dealers where the company checks to see how the dealers do their jobs when selling our products. The dealers are given a mental check list of all the items HunterDouglas requires the dealers to talk about when they are in customers’ homes that explains their positioning in the marketplace and all the benefits they get as showcase dealers,” Granrud said. “Well, our typical showcase dealers average a score of 75 to 80 percent, meaning that 25 percent of the stuff they have to offer they forget to mention. When it came to Connie, she scored in at 98 percent. So, in the world of HunterDouglas we are very impressed with Connie and HunterDouglas tries to recognize showcase dealers like Connie for doing such a nice job in presenting the collection to their customers.”

For Long, she is deeply flattered to receive the accolade by HunterDouglas.

“I’m amazed that I received this certificate,” Long said. “It is an honor to receive this.”

HunterDouglas is a company that manufactures the finest window coverings in America. It is a billion dollar company which manufactures its products in America and are sold nationwide and internationally. When it comes to the scope of window covering companies in the nation, the HunterDouglas brand has 46 percent of the market share in the nation. The next biggest company comes in at 11 percent.

“HunterDouglas has a core line of window coverings that anyone can purchase,” Granrud said. “But, when you become an Alustra Collection showcase dealer, these dealers have the ability to sell our finest collection of window coverings.”

According to HunterDouglas, the Alustra Collection is made up of “unique fabrics and distinctive detail” with the “best design in mind” for its customers. The collection offers woven textures, screen shades, silhouette window shading, Luminette privacy sheers, Duette honeycomb shades and Vignette Modern Roman shades.

“Alustra Collection dealers get the special fabrics that only dealers like Connie can get and sell to her customers,” Granrud said.

Granrud added that only a select group of HunterDouglas dealers are selected for the Alustra Collection. The dealers are chosen by the company who show that they have invested a great deal of their time in the company’s products.

“HunterDouglas sets a bar,” Granrud said. “So, when people get awarded as a showcase dealer, they are up against the San Diegoans, Minnesotans, Chicagoans and New York Citians. These are the cities which Connie was up against and competed with in the Alustra Collection program. Connie has done a tremendous job and we (HunterDouglas) are really happy about it.”    

Long is certainly deserving of this award, especially when one considers that she has only been a showcase dealer for Alustra Collection since October of 2011. To add to her honor, Long also holds the distinction of being a HunterDouglas showcase dealer in the smallest community in the entire nation.

“This is really unheard of,” Granrud said. “Normally, an Alustra Collection showcase dealership would have a city population of 10,000 people to substantiate the ability to offer this program. So, this says a lot about Connie as a showcase dealer coming from such a small town.”   

Within the State of North Dakota, the closest showcase dealership to Long’s business is in Bismarck. And, throughout the state, there are only seven HunterDouglas Alustra Collection showcase dealerships.

Long stated that she is a strong supporter of HunterDouglas because of the quality of its products.

“HunterDouglas stands behind its products, which means they stand behind the homes of their customers when they invest in HunterDouglas’ products. The company’s window treatments last for years. HunterDouglas’ products are made from quality fabrics which are energy saving, child safe and have the best warranty in window coverings,” Long said. “In the 25 years that I have been associated with HunterDouglas, its warranty has stood the test of time. The most I have ever replaced on their products is a cord. The company has outstanding material and it stands up to light and heat. It is an excellent line and that is why I sell it.”
To see Interior Fashions by Connie’s HunterDouglas line, go to www.interiorfashionsbyconnie.hdspd.com.