Kitchen & Bath Design News is the industry's leading business, design and product resource for the kitchen and bath trade.
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May 2015 | ForResidentialPros.com | 5 Editorial { Janice Costa, editor } Facebook.com/KitchenBathDesignNews @KitchenBathDesignNews I t doesn't seem like so very long ago when the economy was considered a four-letter word. But the National Kitchen & Bath Association's recently re- leased State of the Industry Report paints a very diferent picture – one where deal- ers and designers describe the economic landscape with such words as "growing," "hopeful," "optimistic" and "positive." Through a survey done by the Re- search Institute on Cooking & Kitchen Intelligence (RICKI) in conjunction with KBDN, the NKBA found the majority of to- day's kitchen and bath dealers and designers saw increased revenue in 2014 as compared to the previous year – and an even greater number are pro- jecting increases in 2015 (see related story, Page 37) . The study also indicated strong growth in the areas of storage and organizational features, lighting and coun- tertops, among others, along with a growing Baby Boomer demographic. But even though business is on the upswing, price sensitivity remains an issue with many consumers. And every- one knows the post-recession consumer is very diferent than the pre-recession consumer. So, how do you take advantage of a more positive economic climate and maximize your success despite lingering cost concerns among clients? Part of the solution lies in really think- ing about how things have changed in the past few years, and making sure your business is in tune with those changes. It's not so diferent from the experi- ence I had adopting a new puppy earlier this month. Initially, I was pretty conf- dent I had a handle on things – after all, I've had dogs my whole life, and I have another dog who, at age fve, isn't so very far removed from puppyhood herself. But as I started my journey with my new four-legged friend, I was amazed by how much had changed since the last time I'd raised a pup. Feeding options, vet care, vaccination protocols and training meth- ods have evolved considerably over the past fve years. Several longstanding dog food brands had changed ownership, re- quiring me to re-evaluate their oferings. New technology – like the smaller, more streamlined cable remote, which it turns out is not only a better ergonomic ft for one's hand, but also perfectly sized for a puppy's mouth – created its own set of challenges. And even simple things like what age to spay or neuter have come into question recently due to new vet studies looking at the long-term impact of these procedures. I quickly came to realize that what I knew then didn't always translate to what's happening right now. The same is true of the kitchen and bath industry. Web sites have changed dramatically – not just how they're de- signed and viewed by Google, but also how consumers use them, how mobile applications come into play and how people interact with them through social media. So even if you had a great Web site when you frst started building your online presence, you may need to rethink or revamp your site for how today's con- sumers shop (see related story, Page 32) . Some trends, like the sustainable de- sign movement, have merged into the bigger design picture, with consumers simply coming to expect designers and manufacturers to keep the environment in mind and minimize their carbon footprint – without necessarily labeling them as "green" (see related story, Page 40) . Kitchen and bath product manufacturers have moved, been acquired, changed product lines or, in some cases, folded; and new com- panies have come into the market as things have picked up, many offering unique products that could be great diferentia- tors for your design frm. But if you're using the same old products from the same companies you've always used, you might be missing out on some of these. Indeed, this is one of the reasons KBDN publishes its Annual Directory & Buyers' Guide – so readers can get up-to- date information about companies, both old and new (see Directory, Page 50) . While it's easy to get a bit lax when the market is showing growth, that's ac- tually the perfect time to "tune up" your business to help maximize your success. Tuning Up Your Business In a Growing Economy Thinking about how things have changed in the past few years, and making sure your business is in tune with those chages, will help you take advantage of a more positive economic climate and maximize your success. How do you take advantage of a more positive economic climate and maximize your success despite lingering cost concerns among clients? ® Publisher Paul DeGrandis Publisher Emeritus Eliot Sefrin Editor Janice Anne Costa Managing Editor Anita Shaw Senior Editor Andrea Girolamo Group Editorial Director Patrick O'Toole Contributing Writers Kim Berndtson Joe Dowd Jamie Gold, CKD, CAPS Elizabeth Richards Denise Vermeulen Columnists Ellen Cheever, CMKBD, ASID, CAPS Hank Darlington Leslie Hart Bruce Kelleran, CKD, CPA Stephen Nicholls Ken Peterson, CKD Mary Jo Peterson, CKD, CBD, CAPS Sarah Reep, CMKBD, ASID, CMG, CAPS, IIDA Bryan Reiss, CMKBD Eric Schimelpfenig, AKBD Creative Director & Production Manager Tracy Hegg Editor, ForResidentialPros.com Andrea Girolamo Circulation Manager Mike Serino Reader Service Manager Jeff Heine Digital Programs Manager Tim Steingraber Operations Manager Marie Snow Copyright © 2015 by SOLA Group Inc. All rights reserved. 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