TUALATIN, Ore.–The La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries/Portland has been awarded the Shingo Prize for its sales-training program.
Named after Japanese industrial engineer Shigeo Shingo, the award recognizes innovative practices in improving business processes. The La-Z-Boy sales-training program integrates the concept of “training within industry,” to help develop best practices in sales and organization. The program was originally developed by the U.S. government to train women to support the World War II effort. The La-Z-Boy program here has been used to focus sales associates in a learn-by-doing format, and relies heavily on peer-to-peer mentoring. The program has also been used in La-Z-Boy galleries in Edmonton, Alberta; Phoenix; and Scranton, Pa.