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