PISCATAWAY, N.J. (August 14, 2012) — Product knowledge training has moved beyond classroom theory to a new interactive, hands-on experience at American Standard.
Comprised of working product displays set amidst classroom-style work benches, American Standard has crafted a 1,600 sq. ft. hands-on education facility within its Product Design Center in Piscataway, N.J. This dynamic operation — that uses running water to replicate real-life scenarios — enables in-depth training and best practices instruction on the installation, troubleshooting and repair of residential, commercial and institutional products and technologies.
Customers, showroom staff, tradespeople, sales personnel and employees can now learn first-hand about the product design, engineering and performance testing behind the extensive range of American Standard plumbing products.
The Engineering behind the Performance
“We designed our product training center so participants can understand specific product features and operation, as well as the innovations, engineering and technologies that make these advances possible,” said Jeannette Long, the company’s vice president, brand marketing. “The direct, practical experience and interactive product knowledge training provided here reinforce American Standard’s commitment to education, performance and service for our partners in the plumbing industry.”
Designed to accommodate up to 24 participants at a time, the laboratory includes working cutaway models of key products that allow specialized training on their unique features and benefits. Participants can also compare products from across the plumbing sector to see first-hand the competitive advantages of American Standard technologies.
Long notes that a key advantage for the new training center is its proximity to the company’s existing corporate quality control operation and new product showroom, which are used as part of the product knowledge curriculum.
Adaptable to Different Audiences
With the goal of educating hundreds of industry personnel annually, the training laboratory will help industry professionals acquire practical, real-world experience with the fully operational toilets, faucets, showers systems, walk-in baths, soaking tubs, urinals and flush valves on display.
“Flexible training modules in the laboratory allow us to customize our instruction to the full complement of product categories and industry stakeholders,” explained Gray Uhl, director of design for American Standard. “Unlike conventional PowerPoint presentations and static display models, we are now able to tailor this interactive, hands-on training to explore issues of primary interest to a specifying engineer or architect, which vary drastically to those of a kitchen and bath showroom manager or a service contractor.”
Solutions-Based Products
The new training laboratory, as well as the adjoining product showroom, organizes fixtures, faucets and furniture into style families: traditional, transitional and contemporary. Product solutions for vertical markets such as hospitality and education are also similarly grouped. As choices proliferate, the grouping of like-style toilets, sinks and faucets into solutions-oriented display modules helps to clarify the attributes of each style and facilitate the selection process. The showroom display includes products from the American Standard, Jado®, Porcher®, Fiat®, Crane Plumbing®, Safety Tubs® and DPI brands.
“Showroom design and merchandising today requires retail thinking,” explained Uhl. “We created displays that both highlight the latest in style trends and demonstrate the ways our partners can help enhance the customer experience in their own showrooms.”
According to Long, the new training laboratory underscores the organization’s ongoing commitment to product innovation and technical leadership, as well as the company’s heritage of outstanding product performance, education and support.
“We are raising the standard in every part of our business,” concluded Long. “American Standard is continually looking for innovative solutions to solve everyday problems while educating all segments of our industry about the elements of effective sanitation and hygiene. Our goal is that every customer who spends time at our training lab leaves able to understand and convey to their customer the total story about the inherent value of American Standard Brand products.”