KBB - March 2014 - 38

KBIS is Back!

KBIS SPECIAL SECTION

VFTI Sessions Sold Out
Here's your look at a select few
By Erinn Waldo

As these customer-centered showrooms are the future, showroom
owners need to guide people better through a "pathway to purchase."
The consumer goes to different showrooms looking for distinction, and
it is up to the owner to show why the client should pick theirs and not
someone else's.
One way to do this is to help with the consumer's greatest challenge
- ﬁguring out what they want. "Studies have shown that people are
happier with fewer decisions," he added.
Heiner also explained that the driving force behind all future
business is a positive customer experience. A consumer's interaction
with staff greatly determines his/her reaction to the showroom.To create
a good ﬁrst impression, Heiner recommends giving the consumer
a brief amount of time to walk in and "land" before approaching
them. Then the best thing to ask is, "Have you ever been in one of our
showrooms before?" This poses a nonthreatening question because
it's not open-ended.
"Everything about your showroom affects the customer's experience,"
added Heiner, "from music, to layout and design - to lighting and
even your greeting. Everything counts, so don't leave it to chance."

Didn't get a chance to go to one of the Voices from the Industry
sessions because they were sold out by the time you went to register?
Here is a glimpse into six of them we feel sure will help you - no matter
whether you are a designer, showroom manager, contractor or
architect - grow a more successful business.

Showrooms of the Future and the New Consumer
Showrooms have often been the best way to
showcase a designer or a manufacturer with their
inﬂuence on the showroom's design, but according
to Kirk Heiner, showrooms should be designed with
the customer's needs in mind. In his conference
session, "Showrooms of the Future and the New
Consumer," Heiner explained the latest trends in
consumer-centric showroom design and what
buyers are looking for right now. Heiner, owner of KandBExpress.com,
backs up his information with industry studies from Harvard Business
and 30 years working in the kitchen and bath industry.
"Kitchen and bath stores have not evolved in 50 years," he said.
"While the products have evolved, the selection process customers
experience has not." He explained that most showrooms have a "wall
of wonder" where multiple pieces are showcased in an overwhelming
fashion. Products are set out in block forms and categories - not in the
way customers would prefer to see them.

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K BB

Plan a Fear-Free Path through Your Showroom:
* Wow them with your entrance, but don't let that be the best part
of your showroom.
* Don't scare customers off with open-ended questions.
* Keep choices simple.
* Allow customers to follow a strategic pathway through your
showroom, ﬁlled with stopping points and emotional moments.

Bathroom Design for All Sizes, Shapes and Ages
Universal design is becoming more streamlined in
the industry, although it is most often associated with
design for the elderly. However, each client has an
individual body shape and needs that go along
with that body type, particularly in the bathroom.
Cynthia Shull, owner of Bathroom Design Experts,
spoke on design for different body shapes and the
challenges that should be considered with each.
"Look at the bathroom and the client together," she recommended.
Whether the client has some challenges, has moderate limitations
or is severely obese, learning about his/her limitations is necessary. Tiptoeing around the subject, however, will end up with an incongruent
design for the particular client. By sitting down with the client and
laying out factors in a considerate but practical manner, the best
design can be constructed.
"Observe your clients as they walk through their home," commented
Shull. "Note clearances, body movements and limitations." She also
suggested knowing whether a client expects to live in his/her home
for the duration of their lives. By knowing a client's parents' health
history, a designer can also help them plan for potential health and
safety issues.

March 2014 / www.kbbonline.com / The Ofﬁcial Sponsor of KBIS www.kbis.com

http://www.KandBExpress.com http://www.kbbonline.com http://www.kbis.com

KBB - March 2014

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of KBB - March 2014