Every day, our three trucks are blazing around Boston, picking up beautiful consignment furniture and delivering it to our three stores. So much furniture has been pouring into our stores that our backrooms were overflowing. Our staffers were racing to arrange all the new furniture in the showroom, but they needed help.
What we needed was a few good men, strong and skillful movers, to be more accurate.
We found a promising group, thanks to a website for job seekers. And they seemed enthusiastic about the job. “We’ll be there on time,” they vowed. “We’re fit! We’re strong! And sober!” Hours after they agreed to show up for work, they canceled. No reason, no remorse, just a text: “Can’t make it.”
Rob, our delivery manager, and I surveyed the mountains of furniture that had to be hustled into the showroom in Hanover. Brian, FCG’s store manager in Hanover, had a scheduled day off, but when he heard of our dilemma he canceled his plans, came to work, rolled up his sleeves, and pitched in to help.
It took a few hours, but we managed to move everything into the showroom. Our FCG staffers are some of the hardest-working and most reliable people. I can always count on them to do whatever the business needs when it needs it.
Meanwhile, Ron and Carolyn, our stellar sales team, were selling furniture as fast as we were bringing it in. The FCG model of selling consignment furniture is spinning at record speed these days. We need more help, but apparently so does every other small business in the U.S.
Business experts predict the shortage of workers is a temporary problem. In any case, we’re always optimistic here at FCG. Maybe next week we’ll find a crew willing and ready to help. When all else fails, though, we know our rock-solid team here is ready to do what it takes to keep all this great furniture moving swiftly from consignor to buyer.