Garry Milligan: How can we ensure our designers are up to scratch?
Frustrated with the lack of an industry body to officially certify designers, Garry Milligan CEO of the Federation of Kitchen & Bathroom Designers (FKBD), explains why the industry should get on board with the organisation
Ensuring top-notch expertise in kitchen and bathroom design isn’t just about fancy certificates. It’s about ensuring that when customers come knocking, they get solid advice and designs they can trust. But here’s the thing, in our industry, there aren’t any strict rules saying who can call themselves a designer.
Efforts have been made to address the issue over the years. Conversations and initiatives about training programs and qualifications have circulated, but the slow grind of bureaucracy and inflexibility in government departments has impeded substantial progress. Also, time commitments and costs have been a barrier for many. So, let’s be real, many of us work long hours in the kitchen and bathroom business and maybe aren’t exactly swimming in cash, hence any viable solution needs to be affordable and manageable alongside our daily workload.
That’s why I started the Federation of Kitchen and Bathroom Designers (FKBD) a while back. I wanted a place where people in our industry could get together, share ideas and maybe even get some recognition for their skills. But, getting official qualifications turned out to be a bureaucratic nightmare, and funding dried up pretty quickly. I had to return to a retail job to get by.
A professional force
But now, retired from retailing, I’ve got time to dust off the FKBD and give it a fresh start with a brand-new website. It’s a modern site that you can access on your phone or computer, with a section for consumers to get tips and inspiration, and another private area for us professionals to chat and learn from each other.
If you’re in the industry, you can sign up as an associate for free. And if you’ve got the experience, you can apply for full membership. We’ll go through a vetting procedure to ensure you’re genuine, but it won’t be an arduous process.
Looking ahead, we’re hoping to add some online courses and a CPD program and I’m a big believer in apprenticeships. Learning on the job can teach a newcomer so much, especially when it comes to something hands-on like design.
But, of course, none of this is possible without support. That’s why I’m reaching out to the industry – and manufacturers in particular – for sponsorship. It’s only fair that the whole industry pulls together in this effort to ensure a competent design and specification service which our customers can trust. A professional retail force helps consumer confidence, reduces poor specification and minimises returns; everyone wins.
Industry credentials
So, I’m sure you’re asking: who’s Garry Milligan? How am I qualified to manage a design organisation?
Well, I guess that’s largely down to experience. I have worked in and around the KBB industry since the mid 1970s in a variety of roles. I have worked with kitchens both at a design and sales level and also as part of an installation team, seeing projects progress right through from the initial customer contact to inspecting the finished job and collecting the payment. Experience of fitted bedrooms came as well, again at design, sales and installation, and later in my career I gained an interest in the bathroom business, again seeing the process through from start to final inspection.
I have worked for companies at various levels and also established and managed my own showroom. I spent several years designing for an award winning bathroom retailer specialising in high level products, and most recently in a mid-level outfit who supply and install both kitchens and bathrooms.
The bottom line is that I love the KBB industry and have seen and experienced its ups and downs over the last 45 years or so. I’m passionate about offering first-class service and now I’d really like to share my enthusiasm with others – particularly the young people entering the sector.
While I’ve experienced and learned a lot, I never forget that every day is a school day, there’s always something new to learn. That’s really what the FKBD is all about, it’s a community where like minded people can help each other through the maze which is the KBB industry.
In conclusion, if you’re passionate about keeping our industry standards high, check out the FKBD website. Together we can make a real difference to design and customer service standards.
Visit the FKBD website at www.fkbd.eu