NEWS | Round-up VIEWPOINT The right mix of digital
and face-to-face Covid accelerated digital marketing, but now we’re going out into the real world again, BMA CEO Tom Reynolds ponders how best to combine the two
Bigger venue for kbbreview Retail & Design Awards as seat demand soars
IF THE last year has taught us anything, it’s that we must adapt, and we must do it quickly. The bathroom industry, like all sectors linked to repairs and maintenance, is benefiting from the pent-up £200bn accumulated by the ‘accidental savers’ unable to spend during the pandemic. In the past six months, our sector’s turnover has consistently equalled or outperformed 2019 figures. With forecasts suggesting the UK economy is set for a strong rebound following the vaccination programme, we expect this trend to continue. In summer 2020, unsure about the impact on our
sector, we conducted a national survey to test consumer sentiment on bathroom improvements. When presented with a list of nine common refurbishment plans, respondents were asked the likelihood of their undertaking work in a two-year time frame. Nearly a third said they were likely to have a partial or full bathroom refurb in the next 12 months, with one-in-five planning a full bathroom redesign in 18 months.
Alongside this boost for our
A hybrid model is blurring the boundaries between digital and face-to-face
sector, we are also noticing continued workforce adaptation as brands try to differentiate themselves in the virtual world. There is a split in marketing activities, with supplier reps starting to visit merchants again, and trade days resuming. But instead of a complete return to 2019 marketing models, we are seeing a roughly 50:50 division.
Digital and face-to-face operations are coexisting. The rapid redesign of business in 2020 accelerated digital skills development across the UK economy, and it’s fair to say many companies are still trying to figure out what the change means in the long term. At the moment, reps are visiting merchant branches again, while webinar meetings and sales appointments are continuing virtually. The central question moving forward is how do we strike the balance between in-person vs remote work for individuals and groups? We have heard of brands using their own pent-up finances to bolster their online offer. Instead of paying for petrol and hotels for sales reps, they have grown their digital talent by recruiting social media marketing specialists and have provided digital training for their traditional sales teams. E-commerce is booming, with online sales in the UK having doubled every year since 2017. That trend is showing no signs of slowing down, so having a digitally skilled workforce is essential.
This hybrid model of business is blurring the boundaries between digital and face-to-face. Like every other industry operating in the digital arena, bathroom marketers must drive engagement, connect with buyers and differentiate their brand.
8
THE KBBREVIEW Retail & Design Awards has a brand new venue thanks to an overwhelming industry demand for seats and tables.
The event, which will still take place on September 15, will now be held in the spectacular Liverpool Anglican Cathedral, one of the UK’s most recognisable landmarks. The previous venue sold out within hours of the event being announced and in the weeks that followed the waiting list grew and grew. “When we finally decided to move the date to September and hold the full real, live awards event, we had no idea what the response of the industry would be,” said kbbreview managing editor Andrew Davies.
“The cathedral was our first choice, as it is just such an astonishing place, but it holds a lot of people. So we erred on the side of caution and went for the smaller venue. But after we announced it, it became very clear, very quickly, that we should have gone with Plan A!” The new venue opens up the opportunity for more people to book seats and tables who may have been disappointed when the previous location sold out so quickly.
“This is the biggest post-lockdown industry party and now it’s got even bigger,” Davies said.
“We want to see as many people there as possible celebrating the ingenuity that got us all through the lockdowns. But, even though our capacity is bigger, it’s not unlimited, so get in quick to make sure you don’t miss out again!” Single seats are £279 (+VAT) and tables of 10 are £2,575 (+VAT). If you want to book, please email
awards@taylistmedia.com The kbbreview Retail & Design Awards is the biggest and longest-running awards event in the UK KBB industry. Find out more about the awards, judging, finalists and previous winners at
www.kbbreview.com/awards
Symphony at 50 pledges to keep improving sustainability
AS KBB furniture maker Symphony Group celebrates 50 years trading this year, it has underlined its commitment to sustainability.
Symphony Group head of marketing Robert Newton said: “We take our responsibility to the environment very seriously. While the KBB industry has started to respond to the ongoing climate crisis, we at Symphony have been leading the way for a number of years. “We are committed to playing our part through continual learning, innovating and
implementing sustainable actions to ensure our business looks after employees, customers and the planet. Symphony has a history of innovation and we have continuously reviewed and enhanced our operations to ensure that we are a leading example in sustainability within our industry.” In the past three years, Symphony says that it has reduced carbon emissions per million pound of turnover by 27% and recycles more than 98% of manufacturing and office waste over its three sites. The company installed a biomass boiler, which saved 1,762 tonnes of carbon dioxide – the equivalent of taking 381 cars off the road for one year or the annual energy usage of 203 homes. In terms of its products, Symphony says that 49% of its cabinet chipboard is made from recycled material and 100% of its timber-based materials are certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).The company also uses water-based paints and its plastic cabinet legs are made from 100% recycled materials. That also applies to all of the cardboard boxes it uses. Symphony has also formed a partnership with The Used Kitchen Company to encourage its retailers to sell their old displays through that channel and suggest to customers that they do the same with their old kitchens
· July 2021
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