Smarter showroom enhances customer experience
Bath Fitter creates a self-guided showroom experience with Axis panoramic cameras, door controllers, audio bridge, video intercom, and video management software. Remotely monitoring the unmanned showroom cuts operating costs and boosts sales by 15%.
Innovative bathroom renovations in a day
Bath Fitter franchises have been reshaping the bathroom remodeling industry since 1984. Known for their innovative one-day tub and shower overlays, the company offers a personalized home service that has turned their niche concept into a household name. When a potential customer calls, the franchise sends an estimator to their home who takes measurements, consults on designs, and gives them a quote.
As a complement to home sales calls, most franchises also maintain showrooms with full-size models on display. “Sometimes homeowners visit a showroom before they call us for a quote,” says Rick Vanden Boomen, a Bath Fitter franchisee with locations in Utah, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, and Minnesota. “Or they might come to a showroom after the home visit to confirm the selections they picked.”
We’re dedicated to making the unstaffed showroom a great customer experience. With Axis and Pro Edge Technology, we’ve been able to create a secure and informative solution that uses our resources more efficiently and satisfies our customers’ needs.
Designing a self-guided showroom with technology
Operating fully staffed showrooms can be an expensive proposition, especially in sparsely populated areas. “We wanted to give those smaller-city customers the same experience as those in major markets,” shared Vanden Boomen. “But we had to rethink how we’d secure and support those showrooms.”
Vanden Boomen brought in Axis partner Pro Edge Technology to design a solution that would give customers a seamless showroom experience without dedicated staff on-site. Since Bath Fitter was already planning a new franchise in Nampa, Idaho, a suburb 20 miles outside of Boise, it was a perfect opportunity to build the solution from the ground up.
“The challenge was to create a customer-facing solution that tied to a call center in Salt Lake City,” explains Mike Dearing, general contractor for Pro Edge Technology. “Bath Fitter wanted cameras and access control for security. They wanted customer-controlled informative audio in each display zone, and they wanted an intercom inside the showroom for customers to communicate with the call center when needed.”
Securing the site with smart access control
To ensure the safety of the unstaffed showroom, Pro Edge Technology designed a robust, multilayered access control system. This solution seamlessly manages public entry into the main showroom while restricting access to private, back-of-house areas.
An Axis network video intercom and network door controllers manage entry into the showroom. “The video intercom has a motion sensor message that detects someone approaching the door,” explains Vanden Boomen. “The message thanks them for coming and instructs them to push the intercom button for access.”
The button rings the call center where staff can screen whoever is at the door and gather basic contact information before providing an access code for entry. Alternatively, the person can scan the QR code mounting next to the door, enter basic information, and get the access code on their smart phone.
“Our goal is to get the customer into the showroom as quickly as possible without sacrificing security,” asserts Vanden Boomen. “This process takes less than 30 seconds.” For added security, Bath Fitter periodically changes the entry code.
Axis electronic readers at interior doors restrict public access to the business office and warehouse areas, as well as the closet housing frequently used tradeshow materials. Employees, installers, and event staff simply enter their assigned access code on the reader for authorized entry to those restricted areas.
Creating an interactive customer experience
Beyond security, Bath Fitter prioritized crafting an engaging and helpful experience for visitors in the unmanned showroom. This involved integrating advanced technology to provide both on-demand information and real-time support, ensuring customers felt guided throughout their visit.
Real-time customer support through intercoms
To keep camera count to a minimum without sacrificing coverage, Pro Edge installed nearly a dozen Axis multisensor panoramic cameras inside and outside the premises. Call center staff remotely monitor the cameras through tablet computers equipped with AXIS Camera Station Pro video management software (VMS). Without appearing intrusive, support staff can see exactly where visitors are in the showroom and offer targeted help or answer questions through one of two intercoms on the showroom wall.
Speakers for in-showroom messaging
In addition to the cameras and intercoms, the showroom houses a 200-inch television that plays an information video loop about the Bath Fitter process. Fifteen full-size bath and tub displays cover the showroom floor. Each station includes a button customers can push to play prerecorded audio from the closest ceiling speaker that explains the products in that zone.
“To avoid a cacophony of sound in the showroom, we programmed audio priorities into the system,” explains Dearing. “For instance, when a customer pushes a button for more information at a display station, the TV volume automatically lowers. The same happens if a customer initiates a live conversation with the call center – the audio from the zone speakers and the TV automatically mute.”
Call center staff also have push-button control over audio volume from their tablets.
Capturing valuable customer data
Gathering contact information during the entry process helps Bath Fitter better serve customers with current projects as well as identify visitors just beginning to explore bathroom remodeling companies.
“Collecting contact information as visitors enter helps us follow up with existing customers as well as build a prospect list from new people walking through the door,” states Vanden Boomen.
Maximizing efficiency through intelligent technology
As Vanden Boomen explains, running a fully staffed showroom from nine to five typically requires at least two full-time employees on-site and a third on standby in case one of the regular staff members needs to take a sick day or goes on vacation. “Given how few walk-ins we get throughout the day, it wasn’t a very good use of our resources,” shares Vanden Boomen. Moreover, Vanden Boomen notices that visitors tend to linger longer in the Nampa showroom than in the franchise’s more traditionally staffed showrooms.
With the Salt Lake City call center supporting the new unmanned showroom, Vanden Boomen has been able to keep the Nampa showroom operating for a full 12 hours without straining resources.
“Our goal has been to make it as easy as possible to visit our showroom,” asserts Vanden Boomen. “Operating from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. allows people to pop in before or after work when it might be more convenient for them.” Since the Nampa showroom opening, Vanden Boomen has watched Bath Fitter sales in the Nampa area increase by 15%.
Reach more markets, effectively and efficiently
“Operating unmanned showrooms in our smaller markets just makes good business sense,” contends Vanden Boomen. “It differentiates us from the competition, gives customers a chance to see full-size displays of the selections they picked during the sales calls in their homes, and doesn’t strain our limited resources. None of that would be possible without the technology and support from Axis and Pro Edge Technology.”
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