Julie James: ‘It used to be simpler, but not half as much fun’

As kbbreview turns 40 this month, we spoke with Julie James, showroom manager at Plumbits Stafford, about how she's seen the very nature of bathroom design and the KBB industry evolve over that period

How did you come to enter the industry? What was your role and when was that? 

My first job was at Leisure, the sink manufacturers, in 1983 as an office Junior in the sales office. Then I went on to H&S Distributors, one of largest distributors of bathrooms and kitchens in the UK at the time. Then, to Graham’s at Derby, Travis Perkins in Stafford then to here, where I’ve been for the last 21 years!

Looking back, how have products changed? 

When I started at Graham’s, the colour of bathrooms was pampas, damask, peach and mostly white bathrooms. All baths typically came with bath panels and I do not recall any freestanding.  Most bathrooms were close coupled WC, and basins with pedestals. I do remember the siphonic toilets that flushed with a horrendous amount of water usage.  Bathroom design wasn’t really a thing, it was more about a replacement bathroom, like for like.

Is there more choice now in terms of product diversity? If so, was it simpler when there was less on the market? 

There is so much more choice now. So many different colours for furniture, so many styles of baths – from freestanding in acrylic to stone baths and then bespoke colours available.  Back in my Graham, days it was chrome plated taps or lustron gold. Now it is chrome, brushed gold, brushed brass, black, copper and so many more choices.

I think it was simpler but not half as much fun, now I feel like we are interior designers rather than a “Bathroom Sales Person”. We can create such amazing images on Virtual Worlds and the customer is blown away with what they can have.  Yes, you do have a lot more choices to remember, but so many more choices to offer clients.

On a related note, is the customer experience different now, do you think? Are they still shopping in the same way? 

When I started here 21 years ago, we did do site visits but it was always supply only and not a whole installation package. We used to draw around Armitage Shanks 1:20 scale toilets and basin templates and pop onto graph paper to make sure they would fit!  The initial consultation takes a lot longer too, customers expect so much more. They expect design, they expect a CAD drawing.

With the internet, I feel sometimes the showrooms are used for the design and product knowledge and to see the product then the customer goes online to order if cheaper.  However, I think selling products exclusive to showrooms helps stop this.  I think with mobile phones, customers can simply take a picture of what they like and find it online. 

Finally, what advice would you give to yourself if you could go back in time to when you were just starting out? 

Make sure you have a sense of humour!  Make sure you learn about the products you are selling and can answer the technical questions; it is not just about selling a bathroom but you also have to have excellent customer service skills.

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