KBB - April 2014 - 14

DEALER DISH

Look but
DO Touch
Functioning showroom displays
outfit consumers with the tools
to choose the best product fit
Caveat emptor is Latin for "let the buyer beware," which is a doctrine that
often places on consumers the burden to reasonably examine property
before purchase and take responsibility for its condition. However, reasonably examining something in a showroom is not possible without
functioning displays. Without them, it is difficult to explain to clients the
difference between polished nickel and chrome or antique bronze and
oil-rubbed bronze. Even a choice as simple as whites can be daunting
as the shade can differ significantly from one manufacturer to the next.
We now have the ability to choose from different finishes, materials
and even more importantly, functions. It is impossible to describe to a
consumer what benefit he or she will get from a lighted rain showerhead
without a functioning display. A functioning display will allow the client to
not only see the product changing color, but to hear the gentle patter of
the rain and feel the strength of the water volume.
In the beginning, all toilets were pretty much created equal; they all
worked basically the same way and were fairly close in price. Today, we
have a myriad of toilets with price points from $100 to even $10,000+
(Dagobert's wooden toilet throne by Herbeau is one example). This price
differential is only the beginning when one considers the multitude of options: single flush, double flush, eco toilets, pressure-assisted flushing, wall
mount, concealed trap, special height, etc. And that is just touching the
surface, as there are different sizes and finishes of traps, as well as dozens of
map ratings. How is the consumer to know which toilet to specify?

How Functioning Displays Can Help
Ergonomics are extremely important in design, and a good example of
an ergonomic bathroom product is the comfort-height or right-height toilet.
Some of these toilets - at 17 inches off the ground - are anything but comfortable for a person of less-than-average height whose feet won't even
touch the ground while sitting on one. An interactive showroom display
can combat this problem by allowing consumers to actually experience
for themselves whether or not the product is a good fit for them.
The digital age has contributed to the consumer's knowledge database. They can research a product online and get an idea of the price
they can expect to pay, and when they have done enough research, they
want to see the product in person. It's kind of like buying a new car. Consumers don't look in a catalog and buy a car, they actually want to see
the inside, sit in it and test drive it. Why should purchasing a $7,000 jetted
tub be any different? Having a functioning display in your showroom will
also give you the opportunity to show a prospective purchaser the difference between a lower-end product and a quality piece.

+
K BB

The Delta booth at KBIS 2014 featured many working displays,
including this bank of showerheads.

Although the initial expense for functioning displays may seem prohibitive, the benefits to the client and the business far outweigh these
costs. Most companies still believe in customer service; it is the engine
that builds our reputation and our referral base. A client who makes a
decision to purchase in the absence of a functioning display is a problem waiting to happen. Each person's individual senses differ (something
one person may find scalding another may find merely lukewarm), and
what one person may deem an acceptable level of noise, another may
not. A client who has purchased a jetted tub or a pressure-assisted toilet
- without having the opportunity to examine a working model - may find
the level of noise unacceptable. When this happens, the company will
do everything in its power to find a solution, which may include service
calls that eat up the profit in trying to rectify what the client perceives as a
problem. The outcome of this scenario is a lose-lose situation, as the client
is dissatisfied with his/her purchase, and you have lost money.
This short commentary has only allowed for a few of the many examples of the benefits that functioning displays can provide - for both the
business and the final consumer. A functioning display in the showroom
allows a consumer to experience things that cannot be done justice by
mere descriptors. From cabinets to drains, there are aspects that cannot
be explained without showing the consumer what the differences are,
how a certain model will make their life easier or why they should pay
that extra money to get a product with which they will be happy. The difference between beige and eggshell, the texture of chrome and polished
stainless - these are essential elements to consumers' choices that will
leave them satisfied with the product they have purchased, as well as the
company with which they have done business. n
- Susan Mitchell, CKD, is a bathroom & kitchen design consultant with
Distinctive Bathrooms & Kitchens in Orleans, Ont.

April 2014 / www.kbbonline.com / The Official Sponsor of KBIS www.kbis.com

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KBB - April 2014

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of KBB - April 2014