Richard Coles, Showrooms Business Development Manager at Plumbase, explains five key ways in which showrooms can benefit both the installer and their customers.

While the bathroom showroom is often perceived to solely help homeowners in getting a feel for how their new bathroom could look, it can also be an incredibly useful business a tool for installers.

Experience the whole bathroom

With a wide range of solutions available and manufacturers offering products via a series of channels, it can be easy for homeowners to become overwhelmed by the choice of bathroom products available to them. Offering the complete bathroom solution in one place, the showroom experience allows consumers to see the latest products in person.

Not only do showrooms inspire homeowners, but they also set realistic expectations in terms of the types of products that will be feasible in their own bathrooms in terms of space and style. For example, while freestanding baths might be a desirable trend, after seeing the space they take up in person, a homeowner may realise that this option is not suitable if their bathroom is particularly small.

Additional accessories from lighting, tiles, and mirrors through to toilet roll holders, towel rails, and robe hooks have a dramatic impact on the overall finish of a bathroom – all of which are often on display in showrooms to help give end-users the whole bathroom experience.

Seeing how products work together, in terms of the space they take up, and the look of accessories alongside fitting and fixtures is invaluable.

See the latest trends

Most homeowners will have an idea of the overall bathroom look they desire well before approaching an installer. They may have even drilled down into the detail of which products they’d like to go for.

As such, expectations are high and installers are under pressure to keep up to date with the latest trends so they can advise their customers on suitable products and solutions, as well as any challenges which need to be considered when trying to achieve a particular look.

Thankfully, the best showrooms are continually updated and expanded, making them a hotspot for the latest bathroom trends, product ranges, and styles, and a valuable point of reference for both installers and homeowners.

Take advantage of planning, design, and quotation

Many showrooms, include those at Plumbase, offer a free planning, design, and quotation service, benefitting both installers and end-users. Showroom designers can take measurements of the room in question and offer expert advice on what will work well within the space, in line with a customer’s objectives and budget. From this stage, the customer and installer are effectively on the same page before any work has even begun.

Speak to knowledgeable staff

Merchants work closely with suppliers to ensure thorough and appropriate product training. As such, trade professionals and consumers alike can rely on the product information and advice from showroom and trade counter staff, whether it’s offering knowledge of the latest trends or practical installation tips.

For installers, this means that a customer’s queries can essentially be answered before a job starts.

Touch and feel

It can be difficult for consumers to visualise a new bathroom, particularly if their current bathroom is being reconfigured. As such, the opportunity to see mock-up bathrooms and products in the flesh cannot be underestimated.

While many homeowners are interested in having the latest technology, explaining the options available and how they will be used on a daily basis can be tricky for installers if they don’t have a physical product in front of them to demonstrate. Showrooms present the perfect opportunity for installers to explain certain products, such as digital showers, in more detail.

Ultimately, showrooms help installers to meet the expectations of their customers by presenting solutions which are equally practical and stylish. What’s more, given that merchants and their showrooms are generally open to the public, it isn’t unusual for consumers to turn to merchant staff for recommendations for local installers.

With the chance for additional business and to keep current customers happy, installers should be celebrating the showroom and using it as an integral part of their toolkit.