FOCUS | Blueprint for a successful showroom
JS Geddes showroom
says that if he was opening a showroom tomorrow, it would only sell kitchens and it would need to be in space that was at least 3,000sq ft in size, for holding showroom events and to display the products to their greatest advantage.
“I’d specialise in one product sector to ensure greater product knowledge – the showroom would be out of town, as parking and access is easier,” he says. Celtic Interiors’ showroom is 5,000sq ft – the company says it allows them to have ample designs on show, but is also manageable for their designers to have in-depth, one-on-one consultations without overloading the client with options.
Says Brandt Kitchens’ Steadman: “In my opinion, a showroom needs to be large enough to give a good
indication of the expertise of a retailer, small enough to have an intimate and welcoming feel and easy to manage on an operational level, too. “We have an in-frame style cocktail bar in slate grey which takes centre-stage in our Hatch End showroom, so we can serve anything from coffee to a cocktail as a welcome drink.
“Our social aspect to the business helps to set us apart and allow the customer to see the kitchens we sell as working spaces. We also have a dedicated space for meetings and discussions, where our designers created the feeling of an open-plan kitchen dining area, with ample seating and a large screen for presentations.”
Top, middle or bottom?
If your showroom is tiny, then it’s an ‘exclusive boutique’, but if it’s massive, then it’s an ‘event’. Either way, the important thing is to make the most of what you have and play to its strengths Paul Laville, group chief executive, T21
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So, you’ve chosen what type of products you’re going to sell, but which end of the market are you going to pitch yourself at? This will also determine the brands and products you fill your showroom with. Hibbert of KSL Sudbury says: “I am used to the mid to high-end. We have a mix and we own-brand some products. We vet our suppliers and continuously rate them to make sure they meet the standards we expect. We will only deal with products that are built to last and allow us to make a margin.”
Geddes tells kbbreview he would go for the top-end, adding: “It is a more limited market, but there are fewer kitchen businesses that can deal with the very top-end.” Says T21’s Laville: “It would be great if I could aim at the premium end of the market and fill my showroom with the most expensive, luxurious kitchens and bathrooms and gadgets that money could buy – and it
would be great if my average sale value was measured in multiple hundreds of thousands. However, the need to appeal to as many customers as possible would place me, personally, firmly in the middle-market. “Others may disagree and maybe, if they’re surrounded by high-net-worth customers, then the exclusivity of the high-end will work for them. It all comes down to who your customers are and what they want. Being in the middle-market alongside most of my competitors does not necessarily make me the same as them. I would be looking at how I can create marginal gains, small but valuable points of difference that set me apart from them and deliver a great service that will generate referrals and repeat business.” With this in mind, Laville says it’s important to ensure your showroom staff are not just familiar with the products, but also the design software, as well as the procedures that take customers from quote to delivery, installation and aftercare.
“That last point is well worth spending time on, because if I were setting up a showroom right now, that is where I think I could score easily. A quick trawl through the internet looking at my competitors would tell me that customer care post-sale is quite often lacking.”
Instagram, Twitter or Facebook? If you build it, they will come is an overused phrase and we all know it’s not true – once you have your showroom, you’ll need to market it.
Social media, if used well, can be a brilliant – and cheap – digital marketing tool, but it can also be a minefield. Which platforms should you use and how can they benefit your business?
kbbreview · September 2019 „
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