Kitchen & Bath Business - November/December 2018 - 34

Showroom Strategies
LEFT OHi's Chicago

showroom, Photo by Timothy
Kou, Imagineering Studios
BOTTOM A Kohler Signature
Store, Photo courtesy of
Kohler Co.

the area and doesn't choose favorites with brands,
instead playing fair with everyone involved.
The location,a one-stop-shop for consumers,is divided up by categories,which are featured via product
walls and working displays. OHi relies on feedback
from vendors to update inventory and pull discontinued items.Updating full displays via construction can
disrupt the showroom flow, so the team plans to do
major renovations to vignettes every other year.
FUNCTION & SERVICE

The showroom is designed with a two-ring display, with a wide walkway running in between.
The outer ring features the vignettes, and the inner
ring accommodates most of the product displays.
"Regarding our traffic, we approach the market
two-fold," said Vikki Basinger, OHi's marketing
director."We first want to attract walk-ins, showcasing our breadth of services and products and
in turn beginning a relationship. Our other goal
is to service our existing customers thoroughly.
Our designers prepare for their customers'arrivals
strategically, pulling products they know would
interest them.This helps our customers avoid feeling overwhelmed during the remodeling process."
Although the showroom's location is off the beaten path, it is a destination shop, meaning walk-ins
are more likely to come in and form a relationship.
"If you come here, it's because you're seeking
OHi out specifically, which gives us a huge advantage when it comes to striking up a relationship,"
said Basinger."Our walk-ins are in the market for
remodeling, know what we offer and choose to
take time out of their day to find us."
In terms of staff, there are multiple layers. The
relationship manager communicates with the client from start to finish, ensuring all details are
covered and the customer is always comfortable.
Kitchen and bath designers do the drawings and
manage the selection process. The company also
employs project managers and craftspeople to
bring the designs to life on the construction side.

session on home design trends after the annual
Kitchen & Bath Industry Show. Another is an
annual Memorial Day event to benefit veterans,
active military and first responders.
The showroom offers working tables so customers can interact with designers and pull tangible samples during the selection process. Four
TV stations using Apple or Roku allow designers
to connect wirelessly and show customers 3D
renderings of their spaces via Chief Architect.
In terms of marketing, OHi uses a combination
of social media, snail mail, email and TV ads. The
company also uses multiple digital marketing efforts, including SEO, retargeting and geofencing,
which serve up impressions to targeted audiences,
allowing OHi to get its message to the right people at the right time. The company does not do
ecommerce, as putting offerings online takes away
from its value proposition.
"When it comes to remodeling, it's personal,
and there are a lot of variables," said Basinger. "By
bringing our customers into the showroom instead of allowing them to simply buy products
online, they get what is truly our value add. We
help our customers make smart decisions, put
together beautiful designs and manage the peaks
and valleys that come along with remodeling."

KOHLER, International

Globally, the company has more than 4,000
showrooms, and in North America there are just
under 900 locations. These are a combination of
multi-line showrooms and the Kohler's branded
Signature Stores, of which there will be 31 by the
end of this year.
"Our strategy is to go to market with trusted
partners that have a local community connection
with trade and consumers,"said Michelle Kilmer,
director of showrooms. "We feel the ability to see
product is really important; choosing to go to a
store is more about the experience and Kohler
expertise. Our local partners'ability to get products
to customers quickly and our distribution network
are to our advantage."
CURATING THE SHOWROOMS

Kohler feels it's important to have a consistent
look and feel for its brand in its showrooms. And
although traditional plumbing showrooms may
be more static with discontinued products, the
company works with its distributors to make sure
its displays are updated at least twice a year. In
terms of its own Signature Stores, Kohler curates
its products in those locations based on that â
particular demographic.

STANDING APART

The OHi showroom hosts educational events
about once a quarter - one of which includes a

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