ABSTRACT
By adopting this insightful new and unifi ed view of goods and services, it is possible to focus on the nature of the service provided rather than the physical good itself. Instead of selling carpet per se, Interface made the conceptual jump to selling services. To Interface, the key services that the consumers were buying included color, design, texture, warmth, acoustics, comfort under foot, cleanliness, and improved indoor air quality. The customer benefi ts in several ways: a smaller amount of carpet is replaced, there is no requirement for waste disposal by the customer, and the carpet can be expensed rather than capitalized. By reclaiming and recycling carpet tiles, Interface is able to lower its material costs, reduce its environmental impact, and lock customers into a longer-term leasing relationship with the vendor rather than a one-off sale.
