Kitchen & Bath Design News

SEP 2015

Kitchen & Bath Design News is the industry's leading business, design and product resource for the kitchen and bath trade.

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September 2015 | KitchenBathDesign.com | 5 Editorial { Eliot Sefrin, Publisher Emeritus } Facebook.com/KitchenBathDesignNews @KitchenBathDesignNews T here's a revolution underway in- side a growing number of kitchen and bath showrooms. It's a revolution that mirrors the sea change impacting businesses, house- holds and people all across America. And it's a revolution that promises to change the look, feel, size and capa- bilities of brick-and-mortar showrooms, enhance the client buying experience and transform how kitchens and baths are designed and sold. The genesis of the revolution, not surpris- ingly, is technology. I n fac t , ac c or d- ing to the fndings of a major new survey conducted for Kitchen & Bath Design News by the Research Institute for Cooking & Kitchen Intelligence (RICKI), a signifcant percentage of design firms that maintain show- rooms report they're currently adding – or planning to add – a wide range of technological tools aimed at enhancing every aspect of the client experience, from initial contact through fnal con- tract (see story, Page 36). Among the enhancements being contemplated are tablets, informational kiosks, interac- tive displays, virtual reality, Skype/video conferencing and big-screen TVs for product/design videos and Web-based presentations. Technology, of course, is already being utilized by most design frms in the form of smart phones, desktop and laptop computers, and CAD and product- ordering software. But that's only the tip of the iceberg in terms of the technological tools in the pipeline, and the speed at which they're being leveraged. To wit, when asked about their showroom plans, here's a sampling of designers' comments: » "While showrooms will never be obso- lete, they need to be more interactive. Customers will continue to want to touch and feel products prior to purchase, but they'll want more inter- active tools to assist with selections." » "Showrooms are going to have to balance keeping up with technology trends, while at the same time accen- tuating the personal customer service that sets them apart from online re- tailers and 'design-yourself' options." » "We're designing our showroom to enhance the experience the client has when they work with us. People appreciate meeting with designers and having the ability to see render- ings and beautiful elements pulled together. We're planning to enhance that experience." Those comments, and dozens like it, point to the same conclusion: that brick-and-mortar showrooms will likely remain central to the kitchen/bath con- sumer buying experience, a critical sales tool that enables prospects to touch and feel products in traditional displays and vignettes. That said, though, there's little doubt that technology will be increasingly used – by frms with and without showrooms – to enhance the client experience. New showroom models are constantly being created, equipped and marketed, while a concerted focus on new technologies is resulting in new ways to present prod- ucts, designs and company capabilities. Design firms will need to rethink and rec- reate their showrooms going forward, adopt- ing a distinct focus on cutting-edge client- engagement strategies if they want to remain comp et it ive i n t he new digital age. Others will need to go entirely virtual, or collaborate with showrooms that are equipped with advanced techno- logical tools. That's the way the new generation of kitchen/bath consumers will be buy- ing. And that's the way they'll need to be sold. Editor's Note: Enhancing the client ex- perience – whether in brick-and-mortar showrooms, cutting-edge digital environ- ments or collaboration with other design professionals – will be the focus of a new Kitchen & Bath Design News seminar program, to be rolled out in key markets throughout 2016 and '17. Keep your eyes on future issues of KBDN for information about this exciting educational initiative. Enhancing the Customer Experience in Showrooms The current revolution in technology promises to change the look, feel and capabilities of brick-and-mortar showrooms, and transform how kitchens and baths are designed and sold. "Design frms will need to rethink and recreate their showrooms, adopting a focus on cutting-edge client-engagement strategies if they want to remain competitive in the new digital age." Publisher Paul DeGrandis Publisher Emeritus Eliot Sefrin Editor Janice Anne Costa Managing Editor Anita Shaw 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 Graphic Designer Cathy Petersen 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. No part of this magazine may be produced in any form, including electronically, without written permission from the publisher of Kitchen & Bath Design News . ®

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