Platform about design and technology in the kitchen, home, and bathroom industry
The number of consumers visiting a showroom, whether for a kitchen or a bathroom, is currently declining. This is not a feeling, but a development that is becoming increasingly visible. At the same time, the expectations of that same consumer are rising. Those who walk into a showroom today have often already done extensive research, know what they want and expect a solution that is right, down to the last detail. This makes every potential customer who crosses the threshold more important and interesting than ever.
This is precisely why it is striking that opportunities remain in many showrooms. Not because it cannot be done, but because it simply does not happen. Cross- and upselling are still too often seen as just ‘selling more’, while in my opinion it is all about adding value for the customer.
In the bathroom industry, for example, you can see this in lighting. Good lighting makes a world of difference in both functionality and atmosphere. Yet in many showrooms this is still insufficiently included in the overall concept. The same applies to relatively simple additions such as an extra cabinet, clever drawer layouts or small comfort-enhancing solutions. They are usually not major investments, certainly not on the total amount of a bathroom, but they do have a major impact on the daily experience of the user. And that's exactly where the crux lies, if you ask me.
Because consumers are quite willing to invest more, provided they experience the added value. Not if it is presented as ‘more expensive,’ but as ‘better. As something that makes their daily use more comfortable, practical or beautiful. The only problem is that this added value is by no means always named or made visible.
In practice, showroom employees are already happy if a sale comes about. Understandable, especially in a market where things are quieter. But this quickly shifts the focus to price, while that is by no means always the decisive factor. In fact, it is often a missed opportunity to make a difference.
There also lies an interesting parallel with the kitchen industry, where thinking in total concepts is already more advanced. Because the kitchen is increasingly becoming part of the interior, it is being fully incorporated into the design. In the overall picture. You don't see the same approach everywhere in the bathroom, even though the potential is there.
Above all, it requires a different mindset. Daring to advise rather than just sell. Enhancing the experience, showing what is possible and starting the conversation about comfort and use. And perhaps most importantly: daring to ask. Because you can always say no. But not asking is, by definition, a missed opportunity.
The role of the showroom is thus slowly but surely changing. No longer a place where only products are sold, but a place where trust is built and where consumers are helped to make the right choices. Those who only want fast and cheap will probably buy online. Those looking for an appropriate solution are more likely to come to the showroom. The only question is: Are we as an industry ready for this?
Rob Groen, Country Manager Dansani Netherlands
