For dealers and designers, incorporating technology into their business models can offer many benefits: more professional presentations, greater efficiency in design development, improved implementation of designs, greater ease in making design changes, improved record keeping and better communication with clients, subcontractors and other allied professionals.
Likewise, incorporating technology into their clients’ projects can offer a powerful ‘wow factor,’ enhance efficiency and time savings, provide increased profit opportunities, draw younger, tech-savvy clients and create the perception of being on the cutting edge.
However, the fast-changing nature of today’s tech – a big part of what makes it so exciting to many – is also one of its weaknesses, according to many designers. As Shelly Preziosi of Interiors by Shelly Preziosi in Boca Raton, FL sees it, “With the speed of which things change, today’s technology is almost obsolete by the time you learn it or buy it.”
Bruce Albert of the Ramsey, NJ-based Alcraft Inc. agrees, worrying about the dangers of pairing big-investment projects that people tend to do infrequently with tech that changes practically at the speed of light. He explains, “From a consumer standpoint, we are matching the longevity of a wood and metal cabinet and design product of 20-40+ years with an ‘out the door obsolescence’ one.”
This is especially important because, in many cases, designers are driving technology choices for their clients. Indeed, in a KBDN spot survey, nearly 41 percent of those polled said fewer than 10 percent of their clients were actively asking for technology in their projects, and another 22.7 percent said only 10-25 percent of their clients were requesting technology (see Graph 1).
That means, for many design professionals, the job of introducing and recommending new technological additions to their clients’ kitchen and bath projects falls on them – and if that technology becomes obsolete too quickly, clients’ disappointment may be transferred to the design professional, rather than the tech itself.
Additionally, support can be a concern – as one survey respondent pointed out, “A consumer’s concern about new technology that I’d recommend is whether or not I would provide 24/7 support for it, and [whether I would be] helping them continually to stay informed and knowledgeable about it. Nope, not my job!”
To address these concerns, some designers are partnering with technology specialists, while others are being more careful about what technology they recommend their clients invest in. They say they are also looking at ways technology can be integrated that would allow it to more easily be changed out as things evolve.
Source: KBDN Survey 2019
PRIVACY CONCERNS
While obsolescence is always a concern with technology, privacy concerns are also increasingly in the spotlight (see related story, Page 22). Dealers and designers may worry about private information being sold, divulged or otherwise used without permission through companies that fail to adequately protect their info, while clients may worry about automated products “knowing” too much about them, collecting and sharing their personal info or being accessible to hackers who could conceivably use these smart products to break into their homes or access their personal or financial data.
Indeed, a third of dealers and designers polled by KBDN noted that they were “very concerned” about privacy issues relating to technology, and another 23.8% said they were “somewhat concerned” about this (see Graph 2).
Part of the problem, dealers and designers believe, is the large number of apps and platforms in use, which come from a wide variety of sources, some of which are more secure than others. Additionally, many of these don’t connect well with each other, requiring still more parties to be involved in sharing their data, creating greater risk.
As Paula Kennedy, owner of Timeless Kitchen Design in Seattle, WA says, “My clients are concerned about privacy, [but] mostly hoping everything will be integrated together through one source, not a dozen different apps on different platforms. Everything needs to work seamlessly on any of the three main home hubs – Alexa, Google Home or Apple. The appliance manufacturers need to make their apps and tech work on all three of the main platforms.”
Recent privacy breeches among even some of the biggest companies – ranging from Google and Facebook to Apple and Amazon – have also created concerns about safety issues, according to dealers and designers interviewed. While that doesn’t necessarily deter consumers’ interest in technology, it does create more questions that industry pros may have to answer, especially when specifying products that include cameras in personal spaces, or that involve home security systems that could potentially be breached.
Source: KBDN Survey 2019
SAVING TIME
Time savings has long been touted as one of the greatest benefits of technology, and this has become increasingly important in the face of industry labor shortages. But while some dealers and designers love the ease of sharing design files on Dropbox, communicating with clients through Messenger, creating detailed design drawings using various design software programs or helping clients visualize their dream spaces using virtual reality, not all technology saves time.
Bill Weeks, manager of Coastal Kitchen Interiors in Naples, FL, is one of many design professionals who relies on design software to enhance his firm’s efficiency. However, he notes, “Our major concern is with the current design software having numerous bugs and issues that cause unnecessary re-work and delays.”
Steep learning curves – both for software and for new software updates – are also problematic for some design professionals, especially in cases where employees wear many hats.
Patrick Kennedy, v.p. of Superior Woodcraft in Doylestown, PA, says, “Our staff doesn’t want to take weeks to learn software when they could accomplish the task faster without learning the software. Ease of use and making life better for the staff must be evident very quickly or the staff will not invest themselves in learning how to use the programs and they will fail.”
Sometimes, the technology is great, but designers will forego it if it leads to more time and work that doesn’t ultimately enhance the bottom line. For instance, at WS Dennison Cabinets Inc. in Pembroke, NH, residential designer Monique St. Laurent claims her clients “love the 3D design as part of their presentation.” However, there’s a downside to that: “I’ve found that, if I show them [the design] in color, they will often make time-consuming changes to have you show them new paint colors/floor colors, etc. Just selling cabinetry and countertops, this isn’t a productive use of [our] time.”
Another challenge for designers using technology in their drawings and presentations is that they sometimes find themselves competing with what consumers see on television. According to Ingrid Fraley, president of Design Services Inc. in Gaithersburg, MD, “Consumers are being ‘wowed’ by HGTV client projects and expect to have the same level of computer renderings, virtual walk thrus, etc., while assuming that they are inexpensive and easy to do. They have no comprehension regarding the labor intensity required to ‘build’ the room/house, much less the addition of finishes and furnishings. We have a condo board that wants virtual concepts at all three phases of the project – preliminary, revised and final. Since they do not understand the complexity of the request, they balk at the costs involved…where in HGTV land, everything is for free.”
Other industry pros, like David Svitak, owner of Svitak Custom Woodworking in Spirit Lake, ID, worry that technology sometimes comes at the expense of the craft itself. As he sees it, “More and more time is spent sitting behind a computer [rather] than actually doing the physical work to produce a product.” While design programs have evolved to produce ever-more-realistic high-quality drawings, learning the programs and keeping track of the updates take time, and in the end, he feels, “My clients don’t care about how fancy drawings might look; they care more about the finished product and finding a person who is capable of providing that for them.” Svitak worries that an over reliance on technology has, in some cases, caused some professionals to focus less on their actual craft and, as a result, he finds himself moving away from some of the new technology, which he’s come to believe sometimes wastes more time than it saves.
Robert Johnson, owner of SoHo Kitchen and Bath in Dalton, GA, on the other hand, says, “We have no issues and we try to utilize [technology] as much as possible.” However, he admits that it’s not always easy to get clients to recognize and accept the costs associated with the added value that technology adds.
Ultimately, though, while most designers are excited about today’s technology, they still wrestle with the challenges of time, training, cost and speed of change. Just as with any product they use or sell, they want to make smart choices that will enhance their business, and improve their clients’ projects and lives. ▪