The kbbreview Podcast

Welcome to the kbbreview Podcast, this is episode two of Season Four.

Today we’re going to look at a couple of opportunities for retailers, or at least things that should be if the way to crack them can only be found.

First up we’re talking about the small builder market, and that’s not big contracts or developers, we mean the builders that will do the extensions and the relatively small refurbishments that will almost certainly involve a trip to the single biggest kitchen retailer in the country – Howdens. Can independent retailers get in on some that action rather than just leaving them to it?

We're talking to Elizabeth Pantling-Jones from Lima Kitchens in Milton Keynes

And then we’re talking sustainability – it’s the single biggest issue that will dominate all our lives in the next 20 years and there’s no question it’s high on the agenda of manufacturers – but for consumers of kitchens and bathrooms and the retailers that serve them it just doesn’t seem to be registering – and that could be a real problem if the government introduces laws to force them to make it a priority in their projects.

So we’ve got a panel of bathroom retailers - Justine Bullock from The Tap End, Sam Colwill from BathroomsByDesign and Angus Kerr from The Bathroom Company as well as Tom Reynolds from the Bathroom Manufacturers Association to talk through just why that interest isn’t there and what can be done about it.

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Welcome to the kbbreview Podcast, we’re back and this is episode one of Season 4. We hope you all had a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. 

If you heard the last episode of season three you’ll know that this is actually a double milestone – not only is it the beginning of season 4 it’s also our 100th episode overall so we’re kicking off with am absolutely fascinating discussion about that most fundamental element of running an independent retail business – getting the money off the customer. 

How do you as retailers decide what pricing structure you use with your customers? What deposit do you take and when do you take it? When and where do you ask your clients to settle the balance? And how do you arrive at the right permutation for you?

To talk it all through – we have Toby Griffin, very experienced retailer and now consultant and Dan Stronge from retailer Jones Britain in East Sussex.

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Welcome to the kbbreview Podcast, this is episode 23 of Season Three and your host as always is Andy Davies.

Really interesting episode this week as we delve into a couple of very different issues that have one thing in common – they are both incredibly important factors that will shape this industry for the next decade

First up we’re talking the environment and with the whole world focussed on Glasgow and the COP26 conference we're catching up with Richard Hagan from Crystal Doors who is there in the thick of it – what’s happening, what’s it like to be there, and what does it all mean for the KBB industry?

Richard is, of course, an evangelist for making this industry much more sustainable and his company has become an incredible example of just what can be done. If you want the background on his and Crystal Doors’ journey then go back to Episode 5 of Season 2 where we go into it in-depth, really inspiring it is too.  The link to that is here.

Then we’re revisiting the shortage of installers – still a massive issue of course – and we're talking to BiKBBI CEO Damian Walters and Quooker MD Stephen Johnson about the new KBB Fitted Interiors Apprenticeship – a real solution that maybe the answer to making sure we’re never in this position again.

It’s also now less than TWO WEEKS before entries close for the kbbreview Retail & Design Awards 2022. The official closing date is November the 16th and there will be no extensions. It’s totally FREE to enter and we have categories for designers, retailers, suppliers, manufacturers and service providers and installers so there’s no excuse!

For everything you need to know go to kbbreview.com/awards

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Welcome to the kbbreview Podcast, my name is Andy Davies and you’re listening to episode 22 of Season 3.

This week we’re talking about high demand – most people are experiencing it thanks to the boom for home renovation that kicked off during the lockdowns and now beyond.

And there’s no question that demand has shielded this industry from the turmoil experienced by so many other sectors

But, the big question is, how long is it going to last. Plus, equally as important, are the current supply issues hamstringing retailer’s ability to cash in fully on  that demand while it lasts?

We're talking to two people who are very much on the front line – first up we’ve got Bill Miller, the md of the Kitchen and Bathroom Buying Group – and he pulls no punches in his evaluation of how suppliers are handling the current problems .

And then we have Tom Setchell, the MD of retailer RFK in the Midlands, to give us the shopfloor perspective on the current boom.

Don't forget, entries are open for the kbbreview Retail & Design Awards 2022. It’s totally FREE to enter so if you’re a designer with a fantastic project to show us, or a retailer with a great showroom, or a supplier with a hard-working team or an installation company with a top track record, we want to hear from you!

The clock is ticking though as the entries close on November 16th and there will be no extensions!

All the info on the categories and how to enter is at kbbreview.com/awards

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Welcome to the kbbreview Podcast, this is episode 21 of Season Three and your host as always is Andy Davies.

We’ve got a really interesting episode for you this week as we look into how kitchens can help people live better lives.

The idea that your kitchen can improve your quality of life may sound a bit fanciful, but actually the kitchen is becoming the central hub that plays a massive part in how sustainably you can live day-to-day, how healthy you are in terms of what you eat and how you cook, and how happy you are in the space where you and your family spend most of your time.

And all those elements have become more and more  acute and front-of-consumers’ minds thanks to the pandemic and lockdowns.

But the question is, are retailers, designers and manufacturers doing enough to help people lead better lives in this way? Is there enough broad understanding of how people are living their lives and what motivates them.

Is the kitchen industry ahead of, or behind the consumer?

We're discussing all this with Erica Husain, a 'Better Life Consultant' for kitchen, bathroom and home retailer Day True based here in London.

This was originally recorded for a series of webinars that Hettich hosted as part of its excellent Experience Days programme a few months ago – I’m sure many of you will have seen at least some of them – but it was such an interesting chat that we thought it was worth putting it up here as a podcast – so thank you to Hettich for giving us the nod to do that.

Entries are flooding in for The kbbreview Retail & Design Awards 2022. You’ve only got a few weeks left so make sure you don’t miss out. If you’re a retailer, a designer, installer, or supplier, we have categories for you.

It’s totally FREE to enter but what many don’t know at this stage is that, unlike other awards, if you’re shortlisted you get to come to the event in March for FREE too.

The closing date is November the 16th and thee will be NO extensions so head over to kbbreview.com/awards now to get all the details.

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Welcome to the kbbreview Podcast, your host as always is Andy Davies and this is episode 20 of season three.

We’re rounding up our coverage of the kbbreview Retail & Design Awards 2021 this week with the full version of the interview with Keith Myers that you might have heard an excerpt from a couple of episodes ago.

Keith is, of course, from our Kitchen Retailer of the Year 2021, The Myers Touch in Winchester. It’s such a deserved winner and what we get to hear in this interview is Keith‘s underlying philosophy of not only what makes a successful retailer but also the value he puts on truly understanding who the client is and, in turn, how you can only do that if you understand who you are as a business.

This is really insightful stuff from someone at the top of their game so you don’t want to miss it!

Keith is one our 2021 winners but it could be you in 2022. Entries are now OPEN for the kbbreview Retail & Design Awards 2022 and it is, as always, totally FREE to enter. There are categories for kitchen and bathroom design projects, showrooms, all round retailers, installers and suppliers. So whatever you are, there’s something for you.

The closing date is November 16 and all the info you need is at kbbreview.com/awards

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Welcome to the kbbreview Podcast, your host as always is Andy Davies and this is episode 19 of Season 3.

We've literally got a very special interview for you this time around as we talk to the recipient of this year’s Special Achievement Award Johnny Grey.

We handed him the trophy at the kbbreview Retail & Design Awards up in Liverpool a couple of weeks ago so we thought we’d dust off this interview we did with him a couple of years ago where we walk through his career highlights and really get to hear him talk about his philosophy and approach to design.

It’s a really interesting discussion and, to put it in context, we spoke at a residential weekend for the Bucks University kitchen design degree where he was lecturing and curating the content for the students – it was, of course, all pre-lockdowns.

Don't forget that the kbbreview Retail & Design Awards 2022 entries are now open!  All the info is at www.kbbreview.com/awards

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It's a very special episode all about the kbbreview Retail & Design Awards 2021. We hear from the Liverpool Cathedral ceremony itself, including all the winner reveals as well as some key interviews with winners Keith Myers, Steven Pepper, Carl Terlecki and David Hall.

And we're afraid you can't avoid a bit of Andy's speech either.

It's a big bumper episode so sit back and enjoy!

You can see all the photos from the night at www.kbbreview.com/awards and you can also use that site to find out all about the kbbreview Retail & Design Awards 2022!

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Welcome to the kbbreview Podcast, your host is Andy Davies and this is episode 17 of Season 3.

We’re jumping head first into the still very difficult and complicated issue of supply and the very real problems many retailers are continuing to experience just getting the stuff they need.

In fact, in a very rough kbbreview poll, 54% of retailers said the problem was getting worse as time went on.

It’s a really nuanced and thorny issue full of finger pointing and very thin patience on both sides so in this episode we’re looking at the suppliers to try and understand just what is going on.

First up we have Danny Lay from Caple – an appliance brand that is somehow bucking the trend and delivering virtually everything on time and to order, so we're asking him what they’re doing right.

Then we’ve got the return of Tom Reynolds from the Bathroom Manufacturers Association and Paul Hide from the Association of Manufacturers of Domestic Appliances and asking them what exactly the current situation is, why it’s happening and – the thing everyone wants to know – why accurate and reliable communication from some very big brands is so difficult.

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Welcome to episode 16 of season three of The kbbreview Podcast with your host Andrew Davies.

This week we’re going to talk retail psychology again with the return of behavioural science expert and all round retail consultant Phillip Adcock.

And we’re talking about your showroom and how, from a retail psychology point of view, retailers should dress and prop those sets AND create a narrative journey around the showroom to lead customers through each one

What catches the eye with key POS in that environment? What can lighting do? How do you encourage interaction with working displays? What props should be on those displays to draw people in? What’s the thinking behind messages on saving energy and sustainability?

All this and more in this absolutely fascinating discussion.

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