Director of Park House Kitchens, in Surrey, Emily Rowland says it’s not too hard for independent to take down the ‘big boys’

“We weren’t very impressed with the designer” is the most common complaint heard from customers who have previously shopped around at the bigger retailers.

If you can provide excellent customer service and demonstrate exceptional product knowledge and guidance to your customers, then you are already two steps ahead of the big, national kitchen and bathroom retailers.

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It’s important as a small business and independent retailer to really make the most of these, especially if they are the very things your target customer is looking for.

When it comes to renovations for the home, people want good quality, longevity and reliable project management.

And if you can present these to them, with strong product knowledge, a flair for design, and trust in your own product, then your customer will be happy and willing to pay for them.

Selling not designing

What retail giants tend to lack is salespeople who have a passion for the industry, good knowledge about the product and the availability to offer a personal approach to project management.

And with sales targets to hit, it becomes less about the customer and more about the bottom line.

So the salesperson will often upsell products that may not work particularly well for that person, or their home, and it will often result in an unhappy experience for that customer.

There will always be a market for cheap and cheerful kitchens. But when the DIY and retail giants say they are offering a luxury product and a bespoke service, it should really be taken with a pinch of salt.

Market yourself

However, what the retail giants lack in customer service and good quality products, they make up for in their national marketing campaign, which the independents just cannot compete with.

But as a local, independent retailer, if you can offer high quality product, excellence customer service and exceptional project management, then your incomparable reputation will become the most powerful marketing tool there is.