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14 | Kitchen & Bath Design News | February 2015 Inside Today's Showroom { Sarah Reep, ASID, IIDA, CMKBD, CAPS, CMG } S howrooms remain in flux from the effects of the Great Reces- sion. One of the common trends today is creating new, scaled-down showrooms that difer from their pre-recession versions. Most industry leaders I meet are moving their loca- tions to realize lower costs and/or a new environment that is more conducive to selling to today's changing consumers. If moving isn't practical, many owners are scaling back by renting or selling of a portion of their space, or by sharing their space with a strategic partner. Their aim is to make better economic sense of their large 1990s invest- ment. I'm not suggesting that the industry itself is dwindling in size. In fact, quite the op- posite is true. But owners are looking at their showrooms more strategically through the eyes of the new consumer. Over the last five or six years, the unstable economic climate and market changes have caused many showroom owners to put brick and mortar upgrades on hold. Meanwhile, under the threat of being left behind in the movement to attract a new generation of consumers through the use of information technology, astute owners recognized the need to invest in attractive, informa- tive and easy-to-use Web sites where their businesses could be discovered and vetted. Recent market changes have created a business climate that appears more promising than it has in almost a decade. Our industry is now drawing young and talented designers who are positioned to use the latest technology to optimize the business and its consum- ers' shopping experience. It's time to bring our show- rooms up to date to support the talent and technology that we're now working with. VIRTUAL FIRST IMPRESSION Investing in a cleaner, user- friendly site and learning to take advantage of new technology has been a posi- tive – and necessary – move. Younger consumers are increasingly using mobile devices to get a feel for the market before making the trek to visit a physical show- room. Even if they're not your customers today, it's impor- tant to impress the younger generation because of its influence on parents and grandparents with relation to the new way to shop. So today, many kitchen and bath frms have created a wonderful online presence using aesthetically exciting Web sites, often supplemented with informative videos and compelling images, and sup- ported by social media sites. We're seeing more businesses making dramatic frst impres - sions even before they meet their customers face to face. But can you hold them? Once they're lured by your digital showroom to your "live" experience, what will buyers see? Will your showroom meet their digi- tally enhanced expectations? After more than a half- decade of cautious spending, now may be the time to think about bringing your physical showroom up to the standards of your digital presence. That could entail anything from relocating to a new, more vibrant location, to a major revamping, to simply upgrading the displays and product samples to reflect today's design trends. Does your showroom design resemble the 1990s styles that today's Gen Y consumers grew up in? Or are you presenting the clean lines and contemporary modern style lines in warm and cool materials that are more likely to appeal to them? Are you in- triguing them with the tones, styles and looks that consum- ers are viewing on popular home decorating sites? After all, our younger buyers won't buy their mother's kitchen; they will want their own look. A RICH EXPERIENCE Because the online experi- ence is so rich today, the experience of the physical showroom needs to follow suit – and complement it ap- propriately. The showroom must be a place to see, touch and discuss. It will certainly be a place where consumers will evaluate you as an indi- vidual as well as a business. Are you the "real deal?" Do you have something that "speaks to them?" Can and will you be their partner who will see a project from the perspective of their needs rather than your own? The changes you make to your showroom don't have to be expensive. In fact, quality will trump quantity as we move forward. While the trend today is toward smaller, more intimate spaces, display areas and floor plans are becoming more open, mobile, changeable and fexible. With that in mind, I'd like to suggest some insights to prevent a consumer letdown upon comparing your physi- cal showroom to the digital frst impression. 1 What's your sales process? Commit it to writing and au- thorize it as your process. What is core and what will be in fux? Having this clarity is necessary to create a show- room space that supports your selling process. 2 How will your displays behave? Will they be working displays – at least one that includes real appliances with space for holding in-store events? You want to drive people back into the showroom. Give customers a reason for en- gagement with you and your staff. A thought-provoking showroom is an ideal space to keep them with you and allow them to dream about upgrades instead of remain- ing at a transactional level. 3 What's your meet- and-greet protocol? Make sure the shopper feels connected as soon as possible after entering the showroom. Don't hide the service desk and staf in the back. Be able to casually con- nect in the spaces where the customer will shop. Note all the ways you intend to con- nect with customers to drive your brand at the front door entry, within displays and around loose samples. Make a conscious decision and tie it to your sales process to unify the brand experience. This will also be a great way to train new employees. Provide them with guidelines and boundaries of professional organizational standards. 4 Be physical with samples and ideas If your location is in a smaller, walkable community or totally urban, that may mean smaller footprints. Function will be at the top of consumers' minds. How do they get more from their investment with smart storage decisions? Don't forget, if they've been on your site or checking out your oferings on Houzz, they will want to touch and feel physical samples – the real things. So, having an of- fcial, well-organized selection area will support your show- room as the destination to "get it right" or convert their dreams into reality. 5 Meet the need Yes, even in this emerg- ing new self-serve society where we're all so busy fnding out how to do it ourselves, cus- tomers are in the showroom because they need somebody. Be the human connection to your products and your cus- tomers' projects. This will take a professional salesper- son who understands design. That means you need to teach, mentor and grow your staf to ensure that your brand is well cared for. People are the heart of our business. Styles evolve and change over time. I realize that al- locating time for training courses or peer-to-peer men- toring can be challenging. You're probably understafed enough as the market comes back. Look to your manu- facturers to support you in professional selling tech- niques along with knowledge of product details. Your Web Site Really Rocks; How About Your Showroom? Your online presence provides consumers' frst impression of your business, but your 'live' showroom must be just as appealing. Read past columns and Geatures and send us your comments about this article and others by logging onto our Web site www'orResidentialProscom