A Financial Directors view of KBSA

Again the industry is throwing around the “should I shouldn’t I be a member of KBSA” who are now recommending that customers only buy from their members as they are the only ones offering “vital protection in volatile market.”

As the finance director of an independent kitchen studio here is my view

I have always thought that for the KBSA to work it would have to have the same public recognition as ATOL and ABTA. But we all know why we choose to purchase from ATOL/ABTA members it is because we half expect problems with late or cancelled flights overbooked hotels or lost luggage so we protect ourselves.

I have had customers ask me “how do I know you will be here in 6 months” and to this I have replied with honesty that as I do the finances I can guarantee that we will be here  and If  I thought the company wasn’t financially viable then I wouldn’t take the order.  Also by keeping a good set of accounts I am aware of the state of my suppliers which allows me to be vigilant regarding their stability.

I would not want a customer to choose my company over another because I had certain letters of insurance. I do not want to advertise myself as the company who might stuff it up but its ok I’m covered.

So in conclusion to my first albeit short blog the answer is quite simple customers do not need extra financial insurance from a well managed business with well managed accounts.

Diane

What is our worth.

I have been in the kitchen industry since 1984, I started at MFI as a part time furniture sales assistant and quickly grasped that the kitchen side was more lucrative and rewarding than writing out a sales docket for a "Nest of tables". I have worked at all levels of the industry from like I said the MFI's of this world to Studio Manager/Designer at John Lewis of Hungerford, as you know Diane & I opened our own family run kitchen studio in May 2007.
Let me be the first to say that I do not profess to know everything there is to know about kitchens and the industry, one reason for this is it's a fast paced moving business with some fantastic developments over the years and innovative developments for the future just over the horizon, also it is impossible for one person to know everything about everything life is for learning and we all learn everyday.

The reason for this blog is to give you an actual customer account of how they think our worth is and how we are all tarred with the same brush. the customer is not in any way to blame for this perception it is what we are deemed to be in fact in the transcript of the one of the emails later on in this blog it is evident that he now appreciates what I do.

Several weeks ago a local builder who we have worked with before asked me to look at a project for one of his clients that was planning some alterations to his kitchen and to the extension on his kitchen that the said builder had done several years ago. My brief was a white gloss slab kitchen, a list of required appliances and prices for three types of worksurface, laminate, granite and quartz. it also had to have informal eating for up to four people. I spent a day or so deciphering the builders rough measurement along with making some educated assumptions as to what some of the dimensions were and then came up with a basic un-annotated un-accessorised 3D CAD drawing and a worked out costing based on the brief. In all this was approx two full working days work. I emailed everything over to the builder who was really happy with what I had come up with. Two weeks or so later the builder telephoned me and said the the client wanted to meet with me and come and look at our products, being given the clients details I contacted them and made an appointment for them to come into the studio.
The day came five weeks ago for the client to come in, as always I set out the door style, a handle choice and worksurface sample by my workstation so that when the client is looking at my CAD drawings they can actually see the in front of them what is on the computer, this is a great visualisation tool. During my two and a half hour meeting with the clients and several cups of coffee later we had made extensive changes to the original design because the original brief was in fact just that "brief", I had discussed in great detail the reasons for the way things need to be designed the way they where, I.E working triangle, aesthetics, ergonomics and anthropometrics. I did explain to the client that I would need to site measure myself because with all due respect the measurements I already have in some cases do not add up, I then made an appointment for a couple of weeks time to do a site measurement.
During my site measurement which took approximately two hours, because when I measure I take every conceivable dimension at three different heights, then add up all length and width dimensions to see if they tally up to the overall dimension, also during my meeting I will discuss certain points about what should go where, explaining the reasons why, I would then inform the client that about a week later I will have their design and cost ready, bearing in mind I had already spent days on this project.
One week later as promised I had the clients back in to go through in great detail the new design fully accessorised 3D images (photo realistic), this time again spending over two hours and lots more coffee showing them in the studio set up what I meant by a particular point I was making, at the end of the meeting the client was really happy and was then just waiting for the builder to give him some costs so he could move forward with the project, I left it with them to come back to me to confirm the order in due course. I was really surprised a couple of days later when I received this email:

Dear Russell,

We are definitely interested in your offer.

However, in order for us to undertake a good quality comparison of the different offers and designs can you please provide me with the dimensioned plan and elevation of the kitchen and also some of the cad pictures ( can they be dropped into adobe or a format that I can read without the program you use?)

We are due to have all offers in by 10^th Dec and will decide as soon as possible after that date.

Can you also confirm the normal lead time for delivery. This is not to look for a faster completion, but to ensure we can link in with our planned vacation and the building works that would be required. We have not discussed with the builder yet his timings but if you are successful the provisional  and approximate timetable would be:

Building works and making good, installing all electrics and plumbing between Feb  8^th to 21^st  (approx. 2 weeks)

Kitchen installation after that. (How long to install please)

We will give you a call in the next 2 weeks to visit and go over any further details/changes we may have.

Many thanks

Now this above email really threw me back due to the fact the amount of time and effort already spent on this project. This just shows that no matter how much time and advice you give in the end you are just a commodity and not of any real worth.Through all the meeting and conversations with the client I was always given "buying signals" and they did not speak in generic tones nor did they say at any time they where getting other quotes/designs. I do know who the other companies are and one is a shed and one is a multiple. I was a bit taken aback and had took some time compose my reply email below:

Thanks for getting back to me.

As I am sure you can appreciate, we put of lot of time into each potential client that we see, from meetings in the studio to extensively measuring the kitchen area and offering excellent unrivalled advice with regards to their kitchen projects. We also produce photo realistic CAD images that we know other companies cannot and will not do. With this in mind we do not release any CAD images or plans before the purchase of the kitchen. As set out in the companies terms and conditions, there is an option for potential clients to receive all copies before ordering which incurs a £250 design fee which is refundable on purchase of their kitchen. Also our CAD system is set up by 2020 fusion to not reproduce images via computer exporting this is to ensure that their rights are protected.

We again would like to thank you for considering our company & hope that you can appreciate our response.

Very kind regards.

When I sent this reply I wondered what type of response I would get if any but I waited with baited breath for a response in the hope that my belief in people would be redeemed, I did receive a reply and here it is:

Hi Russell,

I fully understand your position and protection of your proprietary knowledge.

I do however need you to give me some information to assist me in getting an accurate quote from The builder. I attach an excel spread sheet and ask you to comment on the items marked in blue in terms of locations and dimensions and your opinion on such items as the number of down lighters and positions. For example how many sockets have to be moved and by how much. 

Additionally we will very probably wish to visit again to tweek things – e.g. if the prices of the total job are within budget we will probably go for the combi microwave.  If it easier to get all this information at you premises we can drop by this week some time.

Thanks and regards

This response renewed my faith that not all potential clients are the same and that once I had pointed out out my position it was reasonably thought about and it was agreed after some thought that my time and expertise are appreciated and also maybe the light bulb moment hit home about how much honest and correct advice they had actually received against the two other companies that they had received quotes from. Just for the record and again how much effort we actually put in to our clients I emailed back the requested electrical requirements:

Electrics for kitchen design.

The double socket currently 354mm left of hall door architrave, move towards door by 150mm and just above skirting board.

Double socket currently next to existing cooker socket needs removing (new socket further right see last point)

Existing cooker socket can be left at its current left/right dimension but needs lowering so it sits in back of pan drawer base 368mm off floor 65mm off back wall so sits on back panel (but replace cover with new small shallow depth)

A 2^nd cooker point needs bringing in from the fuse board and fitted just left of the 1^st new positioned cooker socket. (65mm off wall) 368mm off floor

Spur for gas hob ignition required just left of 2^nd cooker socket (65mm off wall) 368mm off floor.

Extractor socket needed 2338mm to the centre of the socket from hall door architrave door 125mm from ceiling, you can also add a switch spur next to new double socket if you wish.

Junction box for under wall cab lights on top of cooker tower 880mm from hall door architrave 2150 from floor.

2^nd junction box required for remainder under lights 2150mm off floor 3916mm left of hall door architrave.

Junction box on floor where utility radiator is now this is for plinth heater, also fit fused switch spur at double socket height to switch on and off.

Reposition existing double socket on back of utility room wall 420mm to the right and at normal socket position.

Socket required for USA fridge 300mm from left side of utility room wall (back door side) 300mm off floor (65mm off wall)

Reposition outside light switch to new position.

Reposition boiler timer to inside 1^st 300 larder unit on back panel (65mm off wall) at accessible position to use.

Socket for dishwasher required centre of kitchen window approx 1510mm from back door reveal 300mm off floor 65mm off wall on back panel.

Socket for pope up worktop socket 1200mm from soil stack box 600mm off floor on loose cable so can be fitted inside corner base back panel or side panel.

1 new double socket 1265mm from left of back of utility room wall at normal socket height.

1new double socket 1280mm from hall door architrave at normal socket height.

This does not include replacing any existing sockets with new ones  that are not being moved.

I have put in all the copies of the emails and content just to show the difference between what we actually do for our clients compared to the majority of multiples, sheds and local independents. To end on a nice note today we received a box of chocolates, bottle of wine and a thank you card from one client who's kitchen is now finished and another elderly client came in by bus from distance to tell us how pleased she is and how all her friends and family love the kitchen and the thought put into the design and to ask us what wine we drink.

Faith is restored and I move onto my next project with the same trials and tribulations but this shows the need for respect for the good guys in our industry and there are many of them, but while potential clients tar us all with the same brush it will be a battle until we can get an industry standard on planning of kitchens etc..The design side of things will come in time and design is one persons perception of how something looks.

Russell

Homebase "Make a house a mess"

A lady came into our studio today and wanted a price for an integrated fridge she said" I don't want a kitchen just the fridge because Homebase are doing my kitchen. At first the reaction would be to politely tell her to go to Homebase to buy the fridge but when she started to explain why she was having a Homebase kitchen then you will be as gobsmacked as we were it even pales my last blog about incorrectly measured Magnet kitchen into significance.

The lady began to explain that she purchased a fitted bathroom from Homebase recently and in all spent around £7k, she had concerns whilst it was being installed and mentioned her concerns during the installation to the 'Trustmark' Homebase registered installers who assured her that it was being installed correctly.

Shortly after the bathroom was completed she heard a dripping noise during the night and in the morning went downstairs to the kitchen to find the kitchen ceiling on the floor, wall / base units and worktops, everywhere else was wet even the walls.

After complaining to Homebase they agreed to replace the kitchen units and worktops but she had to buy her own appliances. She was wondering whether to ask if she could be given the money instead so she could choose her own kitchen company to buy it from.

We felt really sorry for this lady and hope that she gets sorted to her satisfaction.

The lesson to be learnt here is; even if the company seems to be reputable they may not be. If you are a member of the public and read this blog may I suggest before you make a major purchase such as a kitchen, bathroom etc.. then please look up that particular company on the internet first to see what experiences other people have had, just type into the search bar "Problems with.....such and such a company, only then you will be armed with the information required for you to spend your hard earned money.

Russell

Magnet mismeasures kitchen

Just listen to this.

A customer came in to my studio last week armed with a Magnet kitchen plan and 3D drawings, the customer asked me if I could give her a price based on what Magnet had planned, I did this and the price came in £3k cheaper for better quality cabinets. I proceeded to tell the customer that before placing an order I would need to check the measurements myself as I would never trust another persons perception of a dimension of the room.
I went out and measured the kitchen on Monday evening and was absolutely astounded but not surprised that the measurements that magnet had taken two weeks earlier had measured the room over two foot longer on one wall than it actually was, plus there was a boxed in lintel that had not been accounted for and then to top it off the actual ceiling height would have left the extra tall larder units in the void space between the kitchen and the above bedroom.
I never made any assumptions that this had been previously measured by a "Professional Designer" thinking that the measurements could have been taken from assumed architects drawings or even taken by the  customer, so I asked the question "Had Magnet actually been out and measured this room and if so was all the work complete to as it is now" the customer told me that the Magnet Designer had measured up and that all the work was complete.
Now I am not making this up I actually have a copy of the plan in front of me. This would have meant the customers range cooker being installed over the doorway from the hall and on the opposite side where the breakfast bar is situated people would be sitting on stools with their backs up against the larder unit behind them.

I did not know whether to laugh or cry. This is not the first time the Designers from this particular Magnet store have made measurement errors, and these are only the ones I have seen what about the ones that got away.

I felt I should go over to Magnet in Bromborough and speak to the manager and let him know what is happening in his store but that is not my responsibility. This is why there needs to be some legislation on who is allowed to take responsibility for measuring, planning and designing peoples kitchens, bedrooms and bathrooms.
If anybody would like to see a twitter photo of the magnet planned measurements and the actual measurements please let me know.

Russell

Vodafone & customer service

I know this is not about kitchens but the issue is customer service, this is something we all deal with on a day to day basis whether it be in kitchens or retail in general.

I have been a very long standing Vodafone customer and in general have had very few issues that I can say would spring to mind if I was asked, however all the major problems have descended on me in one week:
Firstly I get a text message thanking me for my upgrade and my new phone will be with me as per arrangement. At this point I thought I had received somebody else's message but to be sure I logged into my online Vodafone account to find that my contract had been upgraded to a completely new price plan and that I have ordered a brand new phone, which incidentally will be posted to an address 90 miles away in Birmingham.
My question is this how could somebody order a new phone and price plan without going through some security questions, like mothers maiden name etc..This leads me to believe it is an inside job.
I telephoned the Police in Birmingham and gave them the address the phone was to be delivered to and also informed them of my suspicions of an inside job. They took the details and said "they would look into it" Hmmm.

As soon as I saw this I contacted the call centre and spoke to a pleasant guy who stopped the phone being delivered and cancelled the upgraded contract, he also said he would inform the fraud dept.. great service so far. He then asked me if I was actually interested in upgrading my phone and contract, I told him I was happy with my current phone and plan but that I have another contract that I would be interested in upgrading i asked if he could call me in an hour's time to which he did.

When he called me back he advised about the options on price plans available and recommended a Sony Xperia T phone, again excellent service so far. the phone was sent out and I received a series of text updates informing me of when the phone is to arrive, again great service. the phone arrived the next morning but it had an iPhone sim card in the pack, I rang the call centre who apologised and said they would send the correct sim out (upto 3 days). Two days later 2 sim cards arrive which I did not get until I got home from work so I thought I would sort it all out the next day (today Fri 12/10/2012). I followed the instructions on computer by transferring my old style sim details to the new micro sim but it kept coming up with error sim not transferred, I then phoned the call centre again for help, the operator went through a series of tests and telling me to do this and do that with the phone, the final conversation was to switch it off and leave it for an hour then switch it on again and the operator will phone me back which he did, he informed me that the sim card is live and activated bit thinks the problem is traffic, now I have been stuck in traffic many times but none have been as frustrating as this, M25 eat your heart out. I was then advised to switch it off again and switch it on every 2 hours to see whats happened.

I keep swicthing it on and off but nothing happens, I tweeted @Vodafoneuk about the problem and even gave them what the phone was saying, that was an hour ago 1.37pm it is now 2.50pm and they have not even acknowledged my tweet.

We are none the wiser do I have a faulty phone who knows. This is an important phone line because it is an emergency number for a vulnerable elderly lady from a help contact centre who will phone me if there is a problem and a school number for our daughter.

I am on the phone again to Vodafone now, and have been told that the sim is switched on and to just keep switching on and off and it will all be Ok.

If I was informed in the first place that it could take upto 24hrs for sim to activate then I would not be writing this blog.
Businesses need to manage their customers expectations. There is a say prevention is better than cure and I think Vodafone have not prevented or cured anything today.

Not happy with Vodafone.
Russell

Kitchen Comparison Website

People's hunger for viewable Internet price comparisons before deciding to purchase a kitchen should not even be the issue. In my opinion all this does is make the potential customers aware that it is all down to price; for example, they view the site and see that Such & Such is cheaper on a particular basket of goods than So & So. The potential customer will then go off to Such & Such down the road only to be given poor advice and the hard sell, this will leave the customer with a bad taste who then might assume that we are all the same, that same customer could have gone to another of Such & Suches branches a few miles further and might have seen different advisor who could have given them more sustainable advice with regards to their kitchen design and purchase.
You cannot assume that the current three companies that are on the comparison site all offer the same design service as each other, I know this for an absolute fact. Each of the three companies will have persons within their stores offering varying levels of advice & service and even within each particular store they would have more than one advisor working on the kitchen department and each advisor would offer variable levels of knowledge. So the only certain thing that this website will do is to drive potential customers into the lowest price store and even worse possibly into a Lions Lair.
On a bit more positive note if somebody who was looking at the website was a bit more savvy they may realise that the companies being compared are not the only ones out there and it may spur them to look around.
I do feel it is very important that the Kitchen Compare Website in question has the foresight to put a footnote at the bottom of their comparisons that says "Please note the above comparisons are based on a basket layout and that other multiple kitchen companies or independents may offer similar products for the same or similar prices, please also note that purchasing a kitchen can enhance your lifestyle and home and therefore it is important that you receive the correct advice before making a purchase"

It would be virtually impossible for independents to have their products put on a comparison website because the majority don't just sell boxes on walls, they secure products from various suppliers and put them together to suit a clients needs and each client is different along with the massive difference in the quality of the product.

Competition is a good thing for all concerned as it keeps everybody on their toes but in equal measure competition has to be to be able to offer customers an un-blindfolded view of what it is they are buying.

Beware induction hobs

Here is something that you might need to think about if you have an induction hob. After watching Jnr Masterchef Australia last week it became apparent that the induction hobs that they use for the show can cause a problem if you have not switched off your hob when you have finished (this is not a brand specific problem).
during the show one of the jnr chef's had stopped using the induction hob, they had taken the pans off but did not switch off, because the hob has pan recognition it did not look like the hob was on.
This is what happened next.
They were baking a cake in the oven below the hob, the cake was in a tin that was made of ferrous metal, when the cake was cooked it was taken out of the oven and placed on the hob above, ceramic hobs are good for an extra work space if needed and we have all probably used them as such, however what happend was that the jnr chef walked away and in seconds the cake burnt to a crisp because the tin it was in reacted to the induction hob.
This was a TV show so it was noticed before a fire would have taken hold but if this was yours or my kitchen and we walked away thinking all was safe then we could be looking at a major disaster. So next time you have finished using your induction hob switch it off rather than leaving it in suspend, If you don't, be thankful that the only thing that could be burnt is the food you put on top of the hob.

Russell