After 29 years in the kitchen business, I've learned that the real relationship with a customer starts after they've paid their final bill, not before it.
When a customer rings me up six or seven years after their installation with a small issue, I make the time to pop out and see them. Sometimes it's a quick fix I can sort there and then. Sometimes it's something they've damaged themselves, but we'll still help them out. Other times it's just a matter of having a look and pointing them in the right direction. Either way, I'm there. Because that's what you do when someone has trusted you with one of the most personal spaces in their home.
Too many companies in our industry bury their heads in the sand once a job is complete. They see a kitchen sale as a one-off transaction. We're not like that. My whole team has been with me for many years, and we all operate the same way. We treat every customer the same, whether it's a straightforward job or a challenging one, because nothing is too much trouble.
I look at these visits as part of my marketing budget. When customers are out with friends and family and the conversation turns to kitchen renovations, you want your name to come up naturally. They don't need to give you a hard sell. They just need to mention you. And they'll only do that if they feel you've looked after them properly, not just during the sale, but years down the line.
Here's the thing: when you do that work upfront, when you build genuine trust and treat people right, something remarkable happens. When those customers come back to you for a second project, whether it's bedrooms, an office, or even a kitchen in their new house, they aren't getting three or four prices. They're coming straight to you. That trust is already built. The shopping around phase is done.
We've had customers come back for multiple projects over the years. We've done kitchens, then bedrooms, then home offices for the same families. We've even had customers move house and return to us for their new kitchen. There's no greater compliment than that, really. When someone moves and has the whole world of possibilities ahead of them, but they still choose you.
The truth is, we're a small town, and I want to be able to walk through Tesco and bump into customers I installed a kitchen for a decade ago and have a friendly chat. That's the difference between working for the big nationals where it's a nine to five job and being an independent retailer who's part of the community.
It's simple really. Give your customers your time. Treat them the way you'd want to be treated. The repeat business, the recommendations, and the customers who come back without shopping around will always outweigh that investment.
CONTACT:
01623 818808 or www.kbsa.org.uk
For further details please contact Sophie Baylis or Ruth Bell at Interiors InsideOut:
+44 (0) 7974 341446 or sophie@interiorsinsideout.com
+44 (0) 7718 900129 or ruth@interiorsinsideout.com
