Cork kitchenCork kitchen
Despite the ravages of the recession on all kinds of businesses in Ontario, it is gratifying to know that the devastation hasn’t affected the entrepreneurial spirit in this province. According to a July 2012 Stats Canada report, of the 2.4 million small businesses in the country, 36% of them are located right here in Ontario. And, what’s even more heartening to note is that one of these new small businesses has opened locally in Oakville.
Vic Kaloustian, a new franchise owner of Floor Coverings International located at 461 North Service Road West was very keen to talk to me about his new business venture. With more than ten years of experience in the flooring business, Vic saw an opportunity to put his knowledge and expertise into a business opportunity of his own. He’s now the head honcho who gets to call the shots, and he’s excited to get his business going.
Vic opted to invest in a franchise operation with Floor Coverings International, a 25 year old business based in Atlanta in the US. Based on the numerous other successful Floor Coverings International Ontario franchise owners who pride themselves on providing homeowners with exceptional flooring products, installation services and customer care, Vic chose to join this team and was quick to let me know that his objective is to provide his customers with great quality products and service.
And, when I asked him,“What sets your business apart from the competition?"
Vic replied, “The ability to provide customized flooring solutions for residents and businesses in Oakville, Burlington, Dundas, Waterdown and parts of Milton and Mississauga. We aim to provide excellent customer service and ensure that our clients’ needs are taken care of successfully from the initial meeting all the way through to completion of the project. By following up with our customers, we will ensure that our services meet with their approval and hopefully this will translate to referral business. That would make me very happy.”
Even with a wide selection of carpeting and wood flooring products from companies such as Shaw, Mohawk, Krauss, Beaulieu and DMI (US based company), clients can opt for other flooring products such as ceramic, porcelain, vinyl, and laminate flooring, or even make a request for newer more eco-friendly flooring product options. As well, for customers who want the tactile connection, they can visit the showroom to select from a myriad of carpet samples, hardwood, engineered hardwood, luxury vinyl and laminate offerings; plus tiling – featuring ceramic, glass, porcelain and natural stone products.
Vic at Floor CoveringsVic at Floor Coverings
While walking through the store and seeing where the flooring product is going to be displayed, I noticed huge piles of shrink wrapped carpet tiles and wanted to know why they were there. He mentioned that the tiles were going to be reprocessed as he offers his clients the opportunity to recycle their old flooring product. Not only is this a great service to the client, it also helps keep this product out of landfill sites. Vic indicated that the recycled carpet is sent to a Canadian facility for reprocessing.....three cheers for being an environmentally friendly business!!
Flooring services are definitely the mainstay of his business. However, he chimed in very quickly to say that local residents can call him for kitchen and bathroom renovation services also. Using computer software, customers can see their room drawn to scale featuring the carpet of their choice; likewise they can see kitchen or bathroom layouts featuring a specific type of tile for the floor and backsplash. Customers who have a hard time visualizing the finished project benefit from this service.