p09 BKU-DEC21 BKU 2020 Q&A_bku 03/12/2021 10:56 Page 9


BKUQ&A Q&A Meet the Sponsors


In our second piece this month focusing on the sponsors who are so important to our Awards, we’re delighted to hear from Brandon Kwesiga, Senior Manager EMEA at 2020, who gives us the lowdown on the company while looking ahead to happier times in 2022.


Tell us about your company 2020 is the world’s leading provider of applications and enterprise solutions dedicated to interior design, space planning and furniture manufacturing. By providing end-to-end solutions and the largest collection of manufacturer catalogues on the market, 2020 provides businesses with the software and content to be more efficient, integrated and productive. 2020 applications allow professional designers to create stunning kitchens, bathrooms, closets, and commercial offices, and it helps retailers inspire the imagination of their customers and provide an online design and shopping experience for home projects.


Why was it essential for you to sponsor an award this year? We sponsored the 2021 BKU Awards as we believe it is one of the events that best represents the retail customers within our sector. It was particularly important this year as the BKU Awards went back to hosting a physical event after their virtual edition in 2020. We wanted to take the opportunity to get together after two difficult years to reconnect with our customers, our partners, as well as our competitors. We believe in the power of relationships and know that our unification as an industry is imperative for our mutual growth.


What lessons do you think can be drawn from the pandemic? How will they inform your plans going forward? We have learned that life is precious, and with just under two years of working from home, we understand the importance of a work-life balance. As an organisation, we have taken a close look at the well-being of our teams to ensure they establish a better and healthier approach to the way they work. Though offices are open, we have taken a hybrid approach to how our teams will be working. Another valuable lesson we have learned is the


importance of technology. Communication software has seen an increase in subscription and usage. This has shown us how important communication is within our industry, both from a business-to-business and business-toconsumer perspective. For this reason, we developed ways in which our retailers can interact with customers, helping them overcome the issues presented by COVID-19restrictions. For example, 2020 Fusion Live’s ‘Live Share’ feature allows users to engage with their customers throughout the design process by instantly sending them their plans, elevations and 3D perspectives to show them the progress of their design project in real time.


The KBB market has shown itself to be resilient to the immediate effects of the pandemic, but do you see any longer- lasting issues which could cause problems in the future? We don’t foresee any long-lasting problems due to the pandemic, but rather a new way of working that will improve how we interact with the KBB market. Our retailers have seen a much more efficient way of working with their customers by introducing appointment-only meetings in their showrooms. They have found this to be helpful in forecasting and a pre- qualification of all projects. Hygiene is now at the forefront of everyone’s mind, which can only help us improve showroom standards. Hygiene will also help enhance end-consumer product knowledge as the spaces we sell into are the rooms that are required to be the most sanitary. Our perspective on the future is bright. The


problems our industry is facing are not related to the pandemic. We have a decreased interest of young people coming into our industry, and we have an installer crisis that needs to be addressed as the majority of our installers will be retiring in the coming years.


As we look back now on the events of the past 18 months, how proud do you feel a) to have come through and b) to be part of such a resilient sector? Over the last 18 months, we have been incredibly proud of how teams have developed and risen to the challenge. We have seen record- breaking growth not only in revenues but in people. The 2020 family has worked full time


throughout the pandemic and we’ve been doing our best to serve our customers in these unprecedented times.


What is the driving factor behind your brand’s success? Service has been the driving factor behind our brand’s success. Always being available to help ensures our retailers can provide a fantastic design service. We dropped our prices when everyone else raised theirs and introduced the most cost- effective subscription model in our market for design solutions. We’ve also been working closely with manufacturers to help them face their challenges and still deliver the best service and products to KBB retailers.


Where do you see challenges for your business this year and next? The challenges for this year and next lie with all the organic and inorganic growth that our business has seen in the last 18 months. Moving forward, our focus will be on ensuring all the new teams are embedded well within our company and reassuring all of our existing and new customers that our service to them is our priority.


What are the best things about working in the sector? One of the best things about working in this sector is the people; they are remarkably genuine and honest, and they support organizations when they are struggling. Most important of all, our industry helps make a house a home. Facilitating the delivery of beautiful, safe and functional spaces to people is the ultimate end-goal, and we’re proud to be a part of that.


BKU DECEMBER 2021 9


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