There’s a lot of chatter hitting the wire these days about innovation – and how as human beings we aren’t really geared towards taking the risks we need to take because we have an inherent fear of losing, which overrides our desires for gain. This was first...
Many think KBIS is dying a slow, ugly death. Just about everybody has mentioned it at one point. So is that the case? Are we seeing less and less each year or will KBIS make a recovery? Here were my random observations as a last minute exhibitor at KBIS this year:...
It’s a sad day, really It seems censorship reared it’s ugly head in the kitchen and bath industry as some LinkedIn groups deleted people’s opinions after we posed a question of how relevant people thought the NKBA is (or is not). And the discussion...
Last weekend I had the pleasure of ushering in my fortieth birthday with two shots of cortisone in my lower back. I guess it was either that or a trip to the islands for some free diving. When you step back and look at it…I mean who can resist long epidural-like...
The world of kitchen quoting is one that revolves around speed. Consumers expect it and even demand it. Your ability to quote lands you jobs. Your ability to quote faster means you can take swings at more opportunities. The problem designers have today is there’s...
These days it seems like the next big trend is to announce software products that are coming soon. You know, just around the corner. It’s called vaporware, and it’s one of the oldest tricks in the book. And So It Starts Microsoft was one of the pioneers of...
In Part I of this two part series, we touched on the never ending search for a perfect accounting solution that integrates flawlessly with your design software, while solving all of your other business needs. The truth is, you’re not going to find it – because it...
I feel so old even saying this but back when I was dating (I was just married this year on June 2nd so as Brent always tells me: I’m not a real man until I have kids), I always found it interesting that with each new person I met, they were always perfect. ...
Way back when I was a child burning ants with my magnifying glass (hey, I’m a boy you know), you guys were submitting purchase orders with no costs because it was just too time consuming to manually figure out line item level costs on the order. This cabinet has...
After you place an order with a manufacturer, we all know you get the dreaded confirm back which salespeople never check. The order is released from the manufacturer and the product is shipped to you. On the truck, a piece of paper called the bill of lading...
I love that show “America’s Dirtiest Jobs”. I get so grossed out by what it actually takes to make everything work sometimes. I also find it fascinating that people actually do those jobs for a living. Then it made me think about our industry and...
The problem with most cabinet dealers is that owners and managers rarely realize the minutiae that their employees have to go through on a daily basis. They look at costs, sales volume and other things their employees don’t see. You know, business stuff. Take...
No force has had a bigger, faster growing influence over home designing than the television. Over the years, television has become more and more of an influence when it comes to your customers’ kitchen cabinet design choices. Due to the popularity of networks...
By now you may have heard the much over-used acronym CRM (customer relationship management), or in layman’s terms: software for tracking your leads, opportunities and sales activities. You know, getting your sales team organized. When times were great, not many...
It’s the most vile word ever created. Younger folks have no problem saying it and the older generations steer clear of it like the plague. This little word is the dirtiest, most offensive word in the kitchen and bath industry. It turns heads, creates negativity...
One of the most common questions I get from kitchen and bath professionals is how to become more competitive. Especially when dealing with competitors who are undercutting bids. Your typical textbook responses would be to focus on better service, sell value instead of...
It started back in the 90’s I think. We’ll call him John Doe and he worked for a cabinet manufacturer. John looked at the dealer channel back then and realized it was a bit of a mess. John wanted to help cabinet dealers, but he couldn’t quite...
The team at BreakFront (formerly CompanionCabinet) recently analyzed dealers and the challenges they identified (from their perspective). The sample set we chose was made up of approximately 10,000 unique individuals who work in cabinet dealerships and whose roles...
Trust Software Companies to Make Software & Cabinet Companies to Make Cabinets A manufacturer’s worst nightmare is when you (the dealer) drop their line. When a manufacturer fights so hard to sign you up, it’s awful when you leave and go with another brand. It...
In part 1 of this series, we presented a viewpoint we’ve had for many years of living in the dealer channel that ordering from design software would never help the cabinet industry communicate electronically and it certainly wouldn’t drive costs out of the...
Green is just about the most over-used color these days. It’s like organic – it sounds great but there’s no standard definition on what is “organic,” so even those products with one ingredient like barley are now organic. I remember...
If you missed Karen Strauss’ state of the industry address, below are the key points from her presentation at KBIS. And if you missed KBIS this year in Vegas, don’t worry — I lost a little bit extra this trip to cover you. Karen started her...
One show I’ve enjoyed a lot is MythBusters. Why? Because there is certainly no lack of popular misconceptions, myths and urban legends to debunk. The other day I watched one particular show which really made me laugh. I think it was so funny to me because I...
Any kitchen and bath professional knows the occasional (or maybe the not so occasional) prospect can be hard to deal with. Maybe the prospect loves the feeling of control, maybe they are bent on taking advantage of the salesperson, maybe they aren’t ready to...
In our little town called the Kitchen and Bath Industry, there are some new cabinet manufacturer houses that are being built. There are still some larger mansions on the corner, but you never really see much of their owners. They stay mostly indoors, struggling with...
