Q: From the perspective of the showroom, how influential do you feel pattern books are in terms of the selling process?
A: It terms of how the showroom works, I think it quite important because at acts as a library in some sense. You walk in and the first thing you see are the books, display lengths and panels of specific fabrics. In terms of building a scheme, putting colours together, putting designs together, it is all in the book.
We do have sales reps who go out to our accounts who show them the books, and again that is extremely important for them. So, without our books we wouldn't visually be able to display every single fabric in the showroom.
Q: How do you pick the hangings?
A: So we normally pick 1 design in 1 colourway, so we have to make sure that every design is up at least once and then it holds one colourway and then for example on the panel we will have what we call a waterfall which shows the colourways. And generally each book will have 6 to 7 colourways. We have a few planes that hold about 100 colourways so they will refer just back to the book.
Q: So do you feel the customer prefers to see the book or the hanging?
A: It is a real mixture, they definitely prefer to see it up in a big piece. The eyelets, which are the long drops, visually they want to open it up and to see, because some people need to see more visuals as opposed to just in a book, and they will see the drape and how it will work. Panels are extremely important, because its just the case of them flicking through and knowing every single design that we hold in the brand and then they've seen everything. Instead of picking up every single book.
Q: What about the inspiration behind the collection, do you say that verbally or in the books? Do you customers care?
A: Yeh, I think it is important. More so for our trade accounts as opposed to the retail. Without sounding patronising, because with the trade customers, they are more interested in where the fabric came from, what its about and I think its a selling point for them and for us to their clients, what its about and why it has been designed. I think this is played through our photography,art brochures - its definitely a big selling point for us. And its important for us as a company to show people what we are about, where our inspiration comes from I suppose.
Q: Are there any disadvantages to the pattern book?
A: I think you were to ask the reps, they might give you a different answer! For us, we have a lot of space. I think the only reason where books would be become non-existent, like a library would stop holding books, I think is if we have less room, if we had more continuation of the brands to grow, but that will never be an issue for us. I think we will always hold book in here. I think for some companies if they have little space, they don't have the room to hold everything, they might just use panels. Designers prefer small swatches, because they have to take that in their car to show clients and depending on what the client is looking for, they can't fit every single book in their car.
Q: In terms of having an online presence, do you feel that your clients use that as well as coming in store?
A: It is a new thing, we have always had a website, but we are starting to show all colourways of every single design. Marketing wise, we have definitely improved vastly on that. They can basically shop online if they want as opposed to coming into the showroom. I think a lot more retail tend to use it than trade because our trade accounts come to see us weekly. So its not really an issue. From a retail side, it works quite well.
Q: We've seen other companies having an app, is there anything that you have similar?
A: Well our reps use an app (website?) when they go to see each of our accounts, so visually our clients can see it that way. I think for any other customers that aren't coming in here or our reps can't see them, they can view it online. Just through our main website, but our reps use it on their iPads yeh.
Q: Do you feel that there is a future for pattern books?
A: Oh gosh, in terms of the showroom or?
Q: Either.
A: I think potentially it could faze out like a library, it could become non existent. I think they might start referring to swatches, large made up swatches, just because visually as long as customers are able to see it in a length, that's what is most important to them when you're visiting accounts.They know how our books work. Eventually maybe.
Not in terms of our showroom, they will continue to have that in here. For us, I think we will always hold books, it our selling point, its they way our fabric is sold. And if we didn't have books, I wouldn't see how we could possibly display every single design or whether we would want to do..ermm...no. I think we will continure to use pattern books for a long time I'm sure.
The trade know what the pattern books are about, so perhaps immediately go to the large drops on display. With members of the public/retail, I think its almost quite overwhelming, so they'll revert straight to the books. And if members of the public want to put one design with another then the books work perfectly. In our books, how we display them, for each scheme we put the colour blocks together. So if you're wanting upholstery curtain cushion variations, you've got all the designs there.To pick out bits and pieces.
So perhaps, retail customers find it more useful.
Q: Do you tend to find that your customers tend to go for more matching styles?
A: Yes. Especially with members of the public, its a safe option.
Q: As opposed to mix and match?
A: I think so, yeh. But again that's quite regimented.
Q: Do you attract a certain age?
A: Nooo, a complete mix. We are 6 brands and each brand is completely different, which is the great thing about it. We deal with residential to contract, so pubs and bars to high-end housing.
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