What Do You Say To A Customer When They Ask If You Have A Showroom

2429 Views 15 Replies 15 Participants Last post by TNTRenovate, Apr 10, 2014

tonyc56

Discussion Starter · Apr 8, 2014

Often customers have asked if I have a showroom. When I tell them I don't many times they just lose interest. Is their anything I can say that'll keep their interest.

1 - 16 of 16 Posts

PoleBarnsNY

· #2 · Apr 8, 2014

Here is a few.

"No because the substantial unnecessary expense of maintaining a showroom is a direct conflict my offering you the absolute best value in my industry. "

"I have found coming directly to my customers in their homes offers a much higher level of service than sitting in an expensive showroom that would require higher prices for my customers.

"I couldn't in good conscience expect customers to fund unnecessary expense for my business. It just doesn't seem right when the best service is always offered in my customers homes so their site conditions and lifestyle is best understood so we can help them enhance it with our industry leading products and services."

I got a million of them

Reactions: 5

tedanderson

· #3 · Apr 8, 2014

My story is,

"uh.. yeah.. I had a showroom many years ago but it just didn't make much business sense. Nobody would come simply because because their home was different from the showroom.. and you certainly understand that your home is really the best place to determine what looks the best, right? Riiiiiight????? RIGHT!" as I nod my head.

Inner10

· #4 · Apr 8, 2014

I tell them no but if they want to see a complete installation I can show them a client's house.

slowsol

· #5 · Apr 8, 2014

tonyc56 said:
Often customers have asked if I have a showroom. When I tell them I don't many times they just lose interest. Is their anything I can say that'll keep their interest.

You could lie and tell them you did. Hopefully they don't ask to see it. Or if they do, you could say, "This whole town is my showroom!"

Stephen H

· #6 · Apr 8, 2014

A show room is ir- relevant for me

However, I notice the O.P. is in the Awning and retract. screen business.
speaking for myself-------- the company I bought OUR awnings from-has a show-room of sorts-and really a rather large facility.
they Manufacture the awnings at their facility---and they also offer a service where they will put up the awnings each year, take them down each year, store them through the winter and CLEAN the awnings.

A lot of the houses they go on here- were built in the 1910-1920's and the company has records going back that far. Chances are- they can tell you EXACTLY what awning and what color was originally on your house .

It's a specialist thing-and I would not have remotely even dreamed of going anywhere else.
Definitely seems like the sort of operation that needs a physical presence-perhaps a substantial presence-----and NOT the sort of thing 1 guy working out of his garage can pull off.

just my opinion
stephen

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Tom R

· #7 · Apr 8, 2014

The simple answer, - - "No, I don't charge enough to have a showroom."

pinwheel

· #8 · Apr 8, 2014

Not a question I've ever been asked or felt the need for one.

I do invite clients to the shop with an offer to play with stains & design ideas & make samples for them to take with them

CompleteW&D

· #9 · Apr 8, 2014

Our office is located in the building of our sister company - a wholesale, molding, millwork, stair parts, interior doors etc. I do have a small section of their showroom, with a few things on display. When someone asks me about coming to our showroom, I explain to them that I carry more samples in my vehicle than I have on display in my showroom.

Although, one couple insisted on visiting this past Saturday, after I had been to their house and measured everything sometime before. Our appointment was at 6:00 and they didn't leave until after 8:00. :blink: Of course, they signed an $18K+ contract before they left. :thumbsup:

Their new home was basically being gutted and re-done. So, comparing actual window choices in our showroom, was MUCH easier on them in this case. If I didn't have a showroom (as small as it is), I probably wouldn't have gotten the sale. Plus, it very likely secured some business for my sister company as well, because there were several things of theirs on display that they were quite interested in.

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flashheatingand

· #10 · Apr 8, 2014

To the op, don't they have any idea about the contractor they are dealing with (I am assuming you are small outfit)? Most prospects are aware that they are either dealing with a larger company or not.

If they are turned off by the showroom thing, they couldn't have been a strong prospect in the first place.

MarkNoV

· #11 · Apr 8, 2014

If it happens often, get a showroom.

My window manufacturer has a showroom, when necessary, I meet my clients there.

Mark

huggytree

· #12 · Apr 10, 2014

i get asked that a few times a year...my answer---no

then i send them to one of my suppliers show rooms.....its never a big deal

if your not large enough to have a show room and you have customers looking for a larger builder w/ a showroom then these customers were never yours anyways...who cares if you lose them...they quicker the better

Reactions: 1

jamestrd

· #13 · Apr 10, 2014

tonyc56 said:
Often customers have asked if I have a showroom. When I tell them I don't many times they just lose interest. Is their anything I can say that'll keep their interest.

No, not if that s what they want.

In many instances I just tell them i bring the showroom to them with sampling.
I also can work out of my distributors show rooms..let them spend the dough..they can put more in it than I ever can.

at that point, whats the difference?

TNTRenovate

· #14 · Apr 10, 2014

PoleBarnsNY said:
Here is a few.

"No because the substantial unnecessary expense of maintaining a showroom is a direct conflict my offering you the absolute best value in my industry. "

"I have found coming directly to my customers in their homes offers a much higher level of service than sitting in an expensive showroom that would require higher prices for my customers.

"I couldn't in good conscience expect customers to fund unnecessary expense for my business. It just doesn't seem right when the best service is always offered in my customers homes so their site conditions and lifestyle is best understood so we can help them enhance it with our industry leading products and services."

I got a million of them

Inner10 said:
I tell them no but if they want to see a complete installation I can show them a client's house.

A combination of these.

Patrick

· #15 · Apr 10, 2014

I just give them the address of our showroom . Has helped seal up a lot of deals

TNTRenovate

· #16 · Apr 10, 2014

Patrick said:
I just give them the address of our showroom . Has helped seal up a lot of deals

How can you have a showroom and be so clueless?

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