The kitchen and bathroom sector is driven by design. It needs showrooms and warehouses, deliveries and installations, but it all starts with design.

The creative concepts that go first into the products and subsequently the whole projects are what make it all possible, but to tap into that imagination, designers need tools at their fingertips that allow them to turn ideas into tangible plans. And that’s where Cyncly comes in.

Cyncly is the company formed from the merger of two of the biggest names in design and business management software – 2020 and Compusoft. It then added Virtual Worlds to its portfolio which means, with Compusoft’s Winner and EQ in the mix, the majority of kitchen and bathroom independent studios will now be using at least one product from the Cyncly stable.

But what does that mean for those designers at the front edge of the industry talking directly to the consumer. How does Cyncly software help them make the journey they take with their clients as smooth, creative and collaborative as possible?

Over the next three months, we’ll be teaming up with two fantastic designers – Hugo Castro from Wilson Bathroom Company in Glasgow and Manish Hirani from Moiety Kitchens in London to find out.

For Hirani, the tools available to him through Cyncly are simply essential to his business: “They are of utmost importance, there’s no question that my company relies on them. I create beautiful CGIs of room designs that I then sell the reality of for tens of thousands of pounds so these tools are absolutely crucial to our success.”

So let’s start at the beginning of the customer journey – the initial consultation. For Castro at the Wilson Bathroom Company, the journey starts with
the gathering of essential details

“We build relationships with our clients from day one”, he says. “We try to understand who they are, how they live, and how they use their space. By asking questions about usability, daily routines, and lifestyle, we can create a design that suits their needs. Listening to their requirements is essential for designing a perfect space.”

Trust

This idea of building trust with the customer is what makes visiting an independent retailer such a special experience. Castro, for example, doesn’t start a design before he’s done a full site survey and that includes much more than just measuring spaces.

“I don’t see the bathroom or kitchen as isolated entities but rather part of the overall puzzle of the home. I look for continuity and elements that reflect
the client’s personality throughout the house. Once I gather all that information, I jump into Virtual Worlds and start putting the puzzle together.”

“The software helps me visualise the space, including colour palettes, materials, lighting, and the best layout. It’s easy to drop objects, rotate them,
and see the space take shape on the screen. Virtual Worlds also helps me determine if less is more and allows me to discuss it with clients right away.”

Putting the pieces of the puzzle together is an interesting description and it underlines that software should be a tool that supports creativity without getting in the way.

“That’s so important,” says Hirani. “Kitchens are the heart of the home but they’re also very functional spaces so the design process is always a balance and we need to provide customers with an accurate visualisation that reflects the heart and the head. Winner is vital in helping us achieve that.

“I don’t sell individual items; I sell a lifestyle,” agrees Castro. “Virtual Worlds helps me create that vision. Customers analyse how everything works together. They consider the overall concept and how it makes them feel, and the software is crucial in that process.”

Listen to the full interview with Hugo and Manish discussing the customer journey in a special bonus episode of The kbbreview Podcast. Listen using the player below or go straight to it in Apple Podcasts, Spotify or YouTube.