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CKCA Column: Showroom Style

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CKCA by Caroline Castrucci
Caroline Castrucci is CP/Owner of Laurysen Kitchens Ltd. & President of Canadian Kitchen Cabinet Association. For more info email ccastrucci@laurysenkitchens.com

Whether you’re working in 400 square feet or 20,000 square feet, use your showroom to help make yourclient’s dream kitchen a reality

Whether a customer comesto your showroom basedon a builder referral, theadvice of a friend, or a first-class website, that first physical interaction is key to building a positive relationship.In addition to strong customer service, all aspects of showroom presentation and design will contributeto the customer’s experience and ultimately their purchase decision.

The buying experience starts even before a customer sets foot in the showroom. The space outside of a showroom helps create a positive first impression. For example, adequate and professional signage that can be seen easily from the street should indicate the showroom’s location. Ample parking close to the showroom, a walkway clear of snow or debris and a doorway clear of posters and clutter will help set the stage for the experience a customer has once they are inside. Beyond the front door, adequate lighting, a pleasant atmosphere and a clear view of an uncluttered reception area will add to the customer’s comfort and confidence level. It should be clearly demonstrated that every effort is being made to make their visit convenient and enjoyable.

The customer should be welcomed by a staff member who can temporarily assist the customer until their designer is available. Many customers may only need to be offered a cup of coffee and an invitation to explore the showroom, while others may require immediate attention. Whoever is responsible for the first contact with a potential client should not only be personable, but also able to determine those preliminary needs and convey them to a designer with the appropriate level of urgency. Keeping in mind that occupied wait times are perceived as shorter than unoccupied wait times, a customer left standing at a reception desk while waiting for their designer will believe they have waited longer than someone kept busy preparing a beverage, browsing through the showroom or viewing stain and door samples.

A display area dedicated to available door styles, stain colours, countertops and decorative hardware options should be clutter-free and allow enough space for customers to pull samples from the wall and compare them side by side while making their selection. Since it’s unlikely that those desiring a sleek modern look will want a raised panel hickory door, providing separation between various door style options will prevent the customer from becoming overwhelmed by options that are of no interest, thereby facilitating their selection process.

Customers will always range from first time home buyers to retired couples, so offering design styles and features to satisfy such a widely varied customer base can be difficult, but it’s not impossible. Set up displays that vary in size and style from those representing small modern “condo-sized” kitchens to traditional spacious kitchens like those found in high-end show homes. The consumer wants to be able to imagine the display as a room in their home so staging the space with items such as canned goods, utensils and the like will not only create that feeling of reality but will provide a sense of storage the cabinets will provide. Displays can even be geared to highlight specific customer needs, such as pull-down shelving which provides easier access to upper cabinets for those with limited mobility, or recycle centres for those with the environment in mind. Demonstrating the ability to accommodate a customer’s needs further contributes to their positive experience.

A minimal kitchen display in an inexpensive door style and finish can be loaded with interior organizational accessories, lighting and even soft-close or self-closing drawers. As long as the accessories are noted as additional costs, the simplest displays can be useful tools in demonstrating how accessories can improve any kitchen. To further illustrate the usefulness of interior organization accessories, consider two small displays, placed side by side: One loaded with slide out shelves, Lazy Susans, recycle bins and tilt out “under sink” trays and one without any accessories. It would be impossible for any customer to argue how much a relatively inexpensive item like a Lazy Susan improves access to a corner cabinet when seeing the item installed in a cabinet right next to a display without one. Even those on the tightest of budgets will be more likely to pay for organizational extras when they can see them “in action”.

There is so much more to a showroom than the cabinets that are on display. All aspects of the customer’s experience will contribute to their final purchase decision and from the first impression to the final sale, the showroom is a key tool. It not only presents the products that you offer, but also acts as the stage for your customer to imagine how their new kitchen will look and feel after selecting their personalized options.

 

 

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