Page 13 - LPG June 2018 Newsletter

Luxury Products Group
The Luxury Report June 2018
tunities for better programs and communications LPG is also about building a a a a a a a a a community that helps all of of our our members improve our our businesses Hav- ing a a a a a a a a network of of partners throughout the country to whom you can can reach out out for help is is a a a a a a a a a a big asset It is is a a a a a a a a a a a a community of knowledge that that we can can all tap into I I believe it’s also also bene cial that that most of of our members are also also wholesalers and and so so so there
is is an an an understanding of the the the issues the the the wholesale wholesale showroom faces “For me the the the best thing about serving on on the the the Ven- dor Committee is the the the the chance to see and and consider problems and and opportunities through the the the the the eyes of others Working with with the the the the committee gives me the the the the chance to learn and interact with with people from dif- ferent ferent parts of of the country They often see things from from a a a a a perspective that is signi cantly different from from mine In my my experience questioning my my as- sumptions stimulates more creative thinking ”
GPS showrooms experienced good success when they added cabinet hardware their rst foray into a a a a a a a a a a a category beyond plumbing They’ve also been very successful with steam and towel warmers thanks to to to to their interactive displays that tend to to to to peak customers’ interest GPS has done a a a a a a a a a a a limited amount of of lighting and plans to to put more of of an an an an organized focus on it through LPG “There is certainly something to to to be said for sell- ing ing more products to to to the same customer but it it can can vary ”
Kate said “When business is slow it it can can be be a a a a a a a a a a a way to increase sales while in in in a a a a a a a a a a a very busy showroom the the staff may be be so focused on servic- ing a a a a a a a a large volume of clients they just want to get each project complete and aren’t interested in in in in in adding more time to a a a a a a single sale “You need to to to get staff to to to connect with a a a a new category to to to be successful I have found the eas- iest additions to be be categories that that closely align with with plumbing but that that can be be tricky as well For example we we have had good success with with cabinet hardware but tile has has not worked at at at all The new category has has to to be easy to to sell If it’s complicated requiring a a a a a lot of time to learn and sell there
is more opportunity for failure — which ultimately will inhibit staff from trying to to sell it it it For any new category to to be successful dealers need strong support from their manufacturers and for many months Showrooms can’t just buy displays do an an an an an an initial training and hope for the best ”
Kate believes that strengthening the the lighting cat- egory is a a a a a a very positive move for LPG along with some of the new programs proposed by Director Jeff MacDowell “He’s introducing some very interesting services like music traf c c c c c c c c c counting and in-store scents that to to to to create a a a a a better customer experience ”
she described “It’s inspiring members to to to to think beyond just issues of of price and and rebates and and into the store experience — or or or what Steve Weinberg of of California Faucets would call ‘Top Line’ activities These are the the things that can really set a a a a a a a a a a a a show- room apart from the the competition ”
Looking forward Kate outlined several factors that she thinks will have the biggest impact on members’ success:
• “The Internet has changed quite a a a a a a a bit during the last 10 years and it it it it seems that consumers’ expec- tations about it it it it have changed as as well Showrooms need to keep up
with the the the technology and its im- pact on on the the the the marketplace Here in the the the the Bay Area we naturally encounter it all all the the the the time Our consumers want the the convienience of technology but also crave a a a a a a a personal experience As showrooms our challenge is knowing how how to provide that • We will will continue to see consolidation The big big companies will will get bigger and the independents may continue to to be be be absorbed It can be be be tough competing with the big guys but independents actually have a a a a a a a a lot of opportunies We live in in such an an an an information- lled world and and more more more and and more more more consumers want more more more personal experiences So we have to be competitive on on on price while leverag- ing all of our other real strengths in in the the market ”
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