With driving showroom to consumers 

Quality of advice up immediately

Visiting At The Kitchen Connoisseur

He doesn't have his own showroom. Or ... does it? It all depends on which definition you give to the term 'showroom'. The 32-year-old Paulo van Bezooijen from IJsselmuiden seems to be becoming better known in the Netherlands as 'The Kitchen Connoisseur'. With a showroom on wheels. Or, call it a 'driving showroom'. So consumers who are considering investing in a new kitchen no longer have to leave the house. The showroom is simply in front of the door. With a keenly advisory Paulo there.

"Actually, the idea came about a few years ago out of a 'confluence of circumstances,'" says the visibly enthusiastic Paulo, who has worked in various positions in the kitchen industry and thus gained a lot of knowledge about kitchens and cooking. "Anyway, I am not someone who sits in a showroom 40 hours a week waiting for a customer to come in. In addition, I am convinced that as a kitchen salesman it is much better to have the conversation on the spot in people's homes. It becomes more personal and, not unimportantly, I literally see the setting in people's homes. What is the family make-up, how does the customer cook, are there any structural issues. This immediately raises the quality of the advice. And the consumer also sees the colors in his own home much better in the atmosphere that is already there. It comes to life."

Questions

When Paulo sits in the consumer's home, of course, the laptop does get opened immediately. "Because after a conversation, I start visualizing it on the spot in 3D. During that visualization, many other practical questions arise. The questions I ask go far, maybe further than average. For example: which pans does the client use? What type of oven fits best? We don't go for the easiest, but for the best solution. At the table with the consumer, in their own environment, you come up with much better ideas." 

That then at some point the "mobile showroom" parked in front of the door is also visited is obvious. "In the van we can show an awful lot. I have practically every color of countertop. Sometimes it takes us an hour to get into the van. Paulo does acknowledge that he cannot show kitchen appliances. "Those are not displayed in my cart but it's not a dealbreaker for consumers, in my experience so far." People also really enjoy the relaxed way to go and make a choice. One is dry and the space is heated, if necessary."

Accessibility

According to Paulo, this way of working is very approachable. "There is a lot of convenience for the consumer, for example, if they have children. They don't have to arrange a babysitter for that." He also wants to be distinctive in accessibility. Customers can also reach the Keukenkenner in the evening via email, phone or Whatsapp.

When Paulo is asked what "type" of customer is interested in this mode, he sees that it is mostly young people with busy jobs or who are in the rush hour of their lives. "Often these are consumers looking for a kitchen in the middle segment with a budget of about 10,000 to 25,000 euros. I also work with interior designers who like to support their creative ideas with reliable kitchen advice for their client."

How 'The Kitchen Connoisseur' will be in the market 5 years from now? Paulo has to laugh. "I do have an idea about that. For the first few years I mainly want to build a good name and make sure everything runs smoothly organizationally, and after that I hope to have room to express my ideas. So I have every confidence in the coming years."