Häfele | SUPPLIER PROFILE
Another finding that, while not new, puts real meat on the bones was the data on the level of demand there is in the UK. The results found that one-in- five people didn’t like their kitchens. Davenport sees this as great news for retailers as that is a lot of demand they can take advantage of. Those were things they saw coming, but what surprised the Häfele team? Davenport was surprised to find that 86% said that their environment impacts their emotional and mental well-being, with 65% of people saying that a well-designed space would improve their quality of life. With that information, she now sees the opportunity for retailers to better match the design of a space to its uses and in turn, improve how consumers feel about their environment. “Now we realise people’s emotional connection with space, we can work better with our partners to help grow both our businesses. Combining the design with the right products, starting with asking good questions, so you can match it all up results in proper functionality from that space, which in turn gives the client that sense of well-being.”
Functionality is Häfele’s forte, and getting that right is one way to improve the overall space. Davenport knows that a kitchen shouldn’t just be about aesthetics.
survey – as they already had some data and information from sales figures and direct contact from retailers,
but they wanted
to back up their understanding and understand consumer demands more deeply and what customers were demanding. Davenport explains the idea behind the survey: “We knew that Covid had affected the marketplace, and there had been a shift. We knew that studios did not have the facilities to go out to the market to understand what had changed to find out its impact on their business. We wanted to know how we could work together using these changes to build new opportunities with our retailers.”
The research confirmed much of what Davenport and her team already thought and has been well reported over the past few years, like people using their homes differently. She says: “My gut was telling me that people were stuck indoors, they were using their homes differently, therefore wanting to want to update so they could use the space more intelligently.”
August 2022 ·
She explains: “This survey highlighted that functionality was the number one priority to 60% of homeowners. We have a network of customers with exceptional spatial designers but we don’t expect them to know about every single product we offer across the globe that helps to maximise functionality. That’s where we come in. Our sales, product and technical teams are on hand to work seamlessly with retailers’ designers to deliver fully functional spaces not just cabinets. And the statistics also show us that consumers who don’t get this from their design will now walk.”
see the
Now we realise people’s emotional connection with space, we can work better with our partners
The role of the kitchen has been transformed over the past few years, with people changing their spaces and using them differently. Kitchens are no longer just a place for meal preparation but for socialising, entertaining and for the kids doing their homework – in fact, all aspects of family life and the space now needs to reflect that change in usage.
home offices
Davenport says that Häfele was one of the first brands to potential at
the
opportunities start
of for the
pandemic. They went all-in on this trend and it has paid off, because they were able to listen to feedback and then react.
Davenport shares two questions Häfele always looks to get answered: “How can we work together to maximise opportunities for our retailers, like the rise in home offices? And how can we [retailers and Häfele] get ahead of the curve and maximise sales for our studio partners?”
Communication is not just about getting direct information from the end-user, it is also about speaking with the retailer. ‘A problem shared is a problem halved’ is not just a cliché but a mind-set.
Häfele wants its retailers to tell them about problems or opportunities in their business to see if they can help. Häfele encourages them to reach out with any issue they face, as there might be a way to help them. Davenport says: “We can do anything you want. Just talk to us and let us know what you need, and we will see what we can do.”
Communication is a vital aspect of the company, as Häfele acknowledges that this is the only way they can know what is happening in their customers’ worlds. With that information, Häfele can grow for the benefit of the company, their important retail network and finally, right down to the end consumer.
33
Kitchens
for Living Häfele surveyed 2,000 consumers about how they use their homes. Here are a few things that retailers should know:
86% 65% 20%
31% 52%
said that their environment impacts their emotional and mental well-being
of people said that a well- designed space would
improve their quality of life
said they don’t like their current kitchen
of homeowners said they need to upgrade their kitchen but are worried about getting the design wrong
would like lighting built into their kitchen cabinets
60% 25%
said functionality was their number one priority
would like wi-fi-enabled appliances in their kitchens
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