There must be more training in the kitchen and bathroom industry to help raise standards of selling, was a suggestion of the live Twitter chat #KBNConvo on sales versus design.

“Think of the increase in sales if everyone was trained to the same high standard!” stated @TradingDepot.

Participants in the discussion disagreed with those who use pressure selling to close customers on a deal.

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@RichHibbert commented: “For me pressure selling, drop closing and other tactics are wrong.”

And @DesignByHelium agreed, adding: “I really despise it when companies use 50%+ off, free worktops, free ovens, free fitting etc.

“Nothing is ever free or reduced. They just hide the cost and it’s dishonest and makes people make uninformed and rash decisions because of the pressure of a time limit they usually add.”

Her view was echoed by @DadenAllie who said: “I think pressure sales is awful! We all need to know everything about a product in order to sell it to its best potential.”

Instead, they highlighted design and customer service as being paramount to securing sales.

@Conti-Plus commented: “They [designers] can make the sale by spending time with the consumer to design the perfect space for their clients’ needs, something an online retailer, for example, would struggle with.”

And @RussRB elaborated: “The design process is a subtle interpretation of selling but the difference is the clients’ needs are put before the £.”

@Designby Helium pointed out: “I was trained to design and I was trained to know a suitable range of products and brands and how to use them.

“I was trained to listen to a brief ad run with it and add my own creative ideas.

“I now run my own kitchen brand and never have to ask for a sale. People want the dream kitchens that I design for them and there is no hard sales, pressure or time limits involved.”

In fact, @RichHibbert  pointed to selling the skills of the designer and the company, advising: “Selling yourself, is a great example. Having a story, knowing what the company does or stand for are important in the customer journey.”

He added: “The biggest thing I have set out in our company is our culture and used my experience and the way I want to do business.”

So could we eventually see an end to the term salesperson and designer?

Not necessarily so, said @TradingDepot who commented: “We feel that certain customers prefer different terms.

“To some a salesperson seems like someone that is just there to push sales and not help you. Whereas to others a designer might seem to technically advanced and scare them off!”

In our last #KBNConvo we asked who in the kitchen and bathroom supply chain is responsible for educating consumers on sustainability?