Silver Linings - Spreading Bathroom Positivity not Coronaviruses

We’re only just into the new decade, and what a start – not one, that you and I would have ever imagined, even in our wildest nightmares.

So, what does the Coronavirus crisis mean for the bathroom industry?

In the short term, it means survival - protecting our families, employees and our businesses.

There will, of course be casualties in the bathroom world. Struggling showrooms pushed over the edge and perfectly sound retailers, who through no fault of their own, will never re-open. Reaching out and supporting each other now, is what will get us through this. And, get through it, we will.

In the longer term, I genuinely do believe that out of this crisis, there will be silver linings for bathroom design

Why am I so confident…?

Their is a growing body of research about how our environment affects our wellbeing and the emerging trends influencing consumer behaviour. Having the right personal spaces in our homes is becoming increasingly important… which is where bathrooms have a real role to play.

This suggests that people are beginning to realise the significance of well-designed spaces for their homes, not just on an aesthetic level but how it affects them on a deep emotional one too.

The global pandemic will accelerate many of these trends.

People’s mind-sets and motivations will no doubt be impacted by recent events - revaluating their lives, priorities shifting and discovering what truly matters to them.

The trend for JOMO (the joy of missing out) was replacing FOMO (the fear of missing out). Staying in was becoming the new going out (although this is now a government imposed sanction).

The majority of the population are spending practically all their time within their own 4 walls and this is where they will have time to see how their home works. They will question how they can reconfigure the space they have to best work for their household situation. Can the disused storage area be turned into a shower room, is there space for an en-suite, do they need to upgrade their current bathroom…?

Those that are financially secure may repurpose budgets set for holidays and new cars into home improvements.

“It may be, that we start appreciating how our homes are at the heart of our wellbeing - investing in them to add value to our physical and mental health, not just to the equity.”

We know that the bathroom is so much more than just a place to wash: it’s so many things to so many people. It’s a place to relax, to retreat, to escape from the outside turmoil. The bathroom is quite possibly the only room in the house where you can be totally private and uninterrupted… and now, more than ever, having a sanctuary, a retreat, and escape which gives you even a few minutes of real ‘you time’ is a precious thing.

Insights

Understanding how the impact of the pandemic and the lockdown has affected the mind-sets and motivations of your customers is crucial to making informed decisions.

These insights and trends should be at the heart of your product and service development strategy. Creating bathrooms that are not only fit for purpose but look and feel wonderful, contributing to their physical and mental wellbeing.

How can we turn this crisis into an opportunity?

Crisis moments present opportunity.

Apparently, when the ravages of the Black Death finally passed in the 1350’s, spending patterns changed dramatically, with demand for luxury goods shooting up. I’m not suggesting the same will happen again. But we may decide to spend our money on what brings us most value. The values we held before the crisis may not be the same now.

In the current environment, retailers must re-imagine their businesses and what they stand for. Don’t see yourselves as sellers of the bath, basin and toilet. You are selling the wellness lifestyle, the experience.

When consumers return to bathroom buying, which they will, one of the first questions to ask them, is how did your current bathroom work for you during lockdown. Steer the conversation by asking lots of questions and really listening to the answers. Offer ideas, make suggestions – your customers may have never thought about a bathroom in that way before.

A final thought…

At Bathroom Origins, we're not just here to sell you aspirational bathroomwares, we're here to help, support and inspire you - especially now.

For an informal chat, message me or give me a call on 0208 599 8080.

Yours lovingly bathrooms