Despite closing all franchise stores, the kitchen retailer has found success in virtual appointments and 3D planning
While lockdown restrictions are still in place, showrooms and stores across the country remain closed and unable to physically serve customers. To combat this, businesses are finding new and innovative ways to continue trading.
Despite closing all franchise stores, kitchen retailer Kutchenhaus has found success in virtual appointments and 3D planning. Since the first week of lockdown, and the inevitable reduction in activity due to the closure of stores, the company has since seen a 97 per cent increase in online enquiries, boasting a successful update in business model by adapting to new customer shopping habits.
Following an initial drop in sales when the lockdown was initiated, Kutchenhaus has been gradually bouncing back with a continuing increase in online sales over the past five weeks.
The national kitchen retailer has harnessed the latest technology to help keep its stores operating across the country. It ensured all showrooms were set up to work remotely and offer virtual presentations to customers even before the lockdown was fully implemented, allowing customers to send dimensions to a local designer who will then work on the concepts and present them remotely.
As well as this, Kutchenhaus has developed a new online 3D planning and design tool for customers to input dimensions and select units, appliances and worktops. When finished, a designer finalises the concept and makes any necessary technical tweaks.
With the success of virtual appointments, franchisee stores have continued trading and new showrooms are opening in the next two weeks in Shoreham-by-sea, Altrincham and Southend-on-sea.
Sean Ford, national head of sales and operations for Kutchenhaus, said: “Kutchenhaus is on an ambitious growth path over the next two to three years, however, being in the grip of a global pandemic has certainly presented some challenges and even positively altered the way we do business in some cases. We anticipate that even after the lockdown measures are eased we will see a continued change in consumer behaviour and therefore the new method of transacting remotely will become a permanent and vital element to our business.
“Supporting our franchise owners is a top priority and we’re delighted that all stores have continued to trade during these difficult times. We’ve seen a huge shift in customer shopping habits and thankfully the business was able to react to this.”