The Furniture Broker continues to thrive in Ozarks

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Several large furniture chains have left the Springfield market over the past several years, but one of the little guys continues to grow.|ret||ret||tab|

The Furniture Broker, a locally owned company, is not only surviving, it's thriving. In fact, owner David Kester said, "We are actually setting records. We had our largest month ever in March. We had a 20 percent increase." According to Kester, the company's sales are up for the entire year.|ret||ret||tab|

Steady growth has been a hallmark of The Furniture Broker since opening in May 1989, Kester said. He started the business with only three people himself, a salesperson and a warehouse worker and one-third of its current retail space. Within three years, the Furniture Broker had outgrown its original location and built the retail showroom it now occupies at 3530 E. Sun-shine St. The Furniture Broker also has a separate warehouse. Kester's staff has tripled as well, with nine employees.|ret||ret||tab|

Kester attributes his success to three key elements: a focus on customer satisfaction, his own professional background, and Furniture Broker employees.|ret||ret||tab|

Kester prides himself on having a wide variety of patrons, from prominent businesspeople to small farmers, and he says he keeps them happy with good service and good products. Kester employs a full-time customer service person and retains two full-time repair workers. The Furniture Broker also upgrades its furniture each year, always striving to increase quality while keeping an eye on price, Kester said. "Most of our customers are price-conscious and we have always tried to be very competitive," Kester said.|ret||ret||tab|

This approach has carved out a nice middle-of-the-road niche for The Furniture Broker, Kester said.|ret||ret||tab|

The Furniture Broker also specializes in special orders, which make up between 33 percent and 40 percent of its business. This is where Kester's focus on customer satisfaction meshes effectively with his professional experience.|ret||ret||tab|

Before opening The Furniture Broker, Kester spent nine years as a furniture manufacturer representative and three years consulting on styles and designs. "I got the inside track by working for the factories, which gives you an advantage on how to deal with them," Kester said. He has seen manufacturers leave "the little guy" in the cold in order to respond to a larger, national customer. |ret||ret||tab|

"It's all about being able to call their bluff sometimes," Kester said. "You know how the game is played, and you don't let them do that to you." |ret||ret||tab|

Kester tries to pass his knowledge on to The Furniture Broker staff, and that savvy translates into satisfied customers like John and Connie Cunningham. |ret||ret||tab|

The Cunninghams recently furnished a new home. When there was a problem with their special order, they were impressed with how quickly and well everything was resolved. "The sales representative we worked with, Mike Hustis, was the most knowledgeable and professional man we've ever done business with," the Cunninghams wrote in a letter of appreciation. |ret||ret||tab|

Kester agrees that his sales and management employees are "the best." He credits them with much of The Furniture Broker's success. Kester believes success is "about keeping good people around for a long time." The Furniture Broker's "newest" employee has been with the company for seven years.[[In-content Ad]]