Sofia Charalambous | COMMENT AND OPINION
Crisis or opportunity? SOFIA
CHARALAMBOUS OPINION
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When consumers return to buying, ask how did their current bathroom worked for them during lockdown
e’re only just into the new decade, and what a start – not one, that you or I would have ever imagined, even in our
wildest nightmares.
It was only in the February issue that I wrote about exciting times ahead for bathroom design. So, what does the coronavirus pandemic mean for our industry? In the short term, it means survival – protecting our families, employees and our businesses. Now, more than ever, keeping connected with colleagues, suppliers, industry partners and peers is crucial. Which is why, even though most businesses are temporarily closed, we can still stay in touch digitally, through industry publications like
kbbreview.com and on social media, such as LinkedIn – ready to rock and roll, when this is over.
Let’s share practical advice, tips, ideas, insights, inspiration and a dose of humour (Andrew Davies, kbbreview managing editor, is currently providing the humour on LinkedIn) – which is exactly what we all need during these difficult times.
There will, of course, be casualties in the bathroom world. Struggling showrooms pushed over the edge and perfectly sound retailers, who through no fault of their own, will never reopen. Supporting each other now is what will get us through this. And, get through it, we will. In the longer term, I genuinely do believe that out of this crisis, there will be silver linings.
Trends in hard times
Back in the February edition, I looked at the growing body of research about how our environment affects our well-being and the emerging trends influencing consumer behaviour. Having the right personal spaces in our homes is becoming increasingly important – which is where bathrooms have a real role to play. This suggests that people are beginning to realise the significance of well-designed spaces for their homes, not just on an aesthetic level, but how it affects them on a deep emotional one, too.
The global pandemic will accelerate many of these trends. People’s mind-sets will no doubt be impacted by recent events – revaluating their lives, priorities shifting and discovering what truly matters to them. Staying in is becoming the new going out – although this is now a Government-imposed sanction. The majority of the population are spending practically all their time at home at the moment, so they will have time to see how each room works. They will question how they can reconfigure the space they have to best work for their household situation. Can that disused storage area be turned into a shower room? Is there space for an en suite? Do they need to upgrade their current bathroom?
Those that are financially secure may repurpose budgets set for holidays into home improvements.
May 2020 ·
We know that the bathroom is so much more than just a place to wash: it’s so many things to so many people. It’s a place to relax, to retreat, to escape from the outside turmoil. The bathroom is quite possibly the only room in the house where you can be totally private and uninterrupted – and now, more than ever, having a sanctuary, a retreat, and escape that gives you even a few minutes of real ‘you time’ is a precious thing. Understanding how the impact of the pandemic and the lockdown has affected the mind-sets and motivations of your customers is crucial to making informed decisions. These insights and trends should be at the heart of your product and service development strategy. Creating bathrooms that are not only fit for purpose, but look and feel wonderful, contributing to their physical and mental well-being.
Opportunity
Crisis moments present opportunities. Apparently, when the ravages of the Black Death finally passed in the 1350s, spending patterns changed dramatically, with demand for luxury goods shooting up.
I’m not suggesting the same will happen again. But we may decide to spend our money on what brings us most value. The values we held before the crisis may not be the same now.
In the current environment, retailers must reimagine their businesses and what they stand for. Don’t see yourselves as sellers of the bath, basin and toilet. You are selling the wellness lifestyle, the experience. When consumers return to bathroom buying, one of the first questions to ask is how did your current bathroom work for you during lockdown. Offer ideas, make suggestions – your customers may have never thought about a bathroom in that way before.
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The proprietor of bathroom accessories specialist Bathroom Origins looks at how the coronavirus situation will affect the bathroom industry and design trends
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