Richard Hibbert, KBSA chair, looks at selling the benefits of smart appliance technology to customers who don’t think they’d use it…
Smart devices are impacting on life in the home in many ways: doorbells have cameras that allow you to see who is at the door, lights can turn on automatically, and you can remotely turn on your heating on your way home.
Embracing all of this technology is easy for some, but not for all. For many KBB retailers, with a large percentage of older customers, technology in the kitchen is not always an easy sale.
We are seeing a boom in the release of new kitchen appliances that are Wi-Fi connected, and the challenge for retailers is how to sell these products to those that think they are not for them.
As with most technological advances there is often a resistance to change, a fear of the unknown and a lack of trust that has to be overcome.
There is often a perception that many of the features are clever but not that useful or practical. Retailers that understand their products and have used them in their own homes or in the showroom will have the knowledge to demonstrate the really useful features, and link them to each customer’s lifestyle. Without experiencing the products themselves retailers can’t adequately deal with misunderstandings.
As with many other areas of life, there is often an app that needs to be downloaded to access the smart features. Whilst this can be seen as a negative, in our experience, these apps are nearly always intuitive, and much easier to use than control panels on appliances.
The challenge for retailers is how to sell these products to those that think they are not for them
Richard Hibbert, KBSA chairVoice control is also now an option. This makes switching things off and on much easier, which is great for energy saving. Whilst preheating your oven on the way home from work is not as necessary as it once was because of fast heating up times, switching the oven off after leaving the house is useful.
Even if a customer isn’t receptive to the idea of remote controlling an appliance, or the fridge automatically shopping for groceries, the ability for appliances to be updated remotely can be a huge selling point.
When a manufacturer is issuing updates on a regular basis there is less need for customers to wait at home for an engineer, or time wasted in waiting for parts.
Another positive is that with the cost of living crisis and increased awareness on sustainability, the environmental benefits of smart appliances come into focus. Some appliances can automatically turn themselves off after use, others can sense what is being cooked or washed and programme accordingly.
Fully embracing and understanding the technology is key to success for retailers. Updating showrooms to include these appliances and having the ability to demonstrate, inform and educate, will reap rewards.