Kitchen & Bath Business January/February 2023 - 18

INDUS TR Y
CHALLENGE S
Pledging Allegiance
A designer's perspective on overcoming unexpected issues and brand loyalty
I'VE BEEN DESIGNING HOME interiors for more
than 40 years, and never has our industry experienced
what it's facing now. Despite that, our fi rm has continued
to grow and meet our obligations. Most importantly,
we are keeping our partners in the design
community well informed and consistently serviced.
Over the years, Wellness Within Your Walls has
instituted best practices to help designers determine
which products to source. We won't certify suppliers
that aren't completely forthcoming about the
health-impacting attributes of their products.
Our certifi ed designers are fully transparent with
their clients when framing expectations, too. Prior
to specifi cation, they always investigate a manufacturer's
full range of off erings and capabilities.
Th e brands they recommend must not only be true
to design intent but also honor the project vision.
After meeting our requirements, a manufacturer's
capabilities are vetted based on two key
criteria. Is this product available now? And is
there adequate inventory to ensure it will be consistently
available in the future?
I reached out to two brands to see how they've
responded to these diffi cult conditions when it
comes to providing products in a timely manner.
INCREASED CAPACITY MAKES THE DIFFERENCE
I'm a big fan of quartz surfaces. Th ey're easy to
sanitize, sustainably sourced and beautiful - a
healthy addition to any kitchen or bath. Vadara
is unique because the material is handcrafted,
and the veins in the quartz extend into the slab,
providing greater design opportunities. I spoke
with Ed Rogers, Vadara's executive vice president,
about how the company has weathered the
supply chain storms.
" When the world was beginning to shut down
in the winter of 2020, we expanded our manufacturing
capacity threefold, " he said. " Fortunately
for our customers, when it became obvious there
was a problem with international shipping, our
product was already in ports on both U.S. coasts. "
Several brands have reacted to product availability
challenges by raising prices. However, that
hasn't been the case with Vadara.
18
/ JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2023
" We didn't want to take advantage of the situation, " added Rogers.
" While it's true the cost to ship around the country increased signifi cantly,
we felt it was a better business decision to absorb a lot of those costs and
instead expand our capacity and run our operations more effi ciently. "
I appreciate that thoughtful decision and the focus on the customer.
BUILDING A BRIDGE, LITERALLY
With fi nishes and designs to meet a range of aesthetics, Amba heated towel
racks piqued our interest. I reached out to Peter Manidis, Amba's marketing
manager, to get some insight on how the company managed to transform a
logistics nightmare into award-winning customer service.
" We inventory our full line just north of Atlanta, based on the transportation
advantages of the location, " said Manidis. " In 2021, our area was
hit by storms that not only knocked out the power, but the ensuing fl ood
washed out the bridge connecting our facility to the outside world. Th ere
were no deliveries in or out, and we didn't know how long that would last. "
" The key to meeting and overcoming difficult
situations is a combination of planning ahead
and having solid, trusted relationships in place. "
Being committed to meeting customer needs meant the Amba team
had to pivot immediately.
" We needed to fi nd ancillary warehouse space fast, " added Manidis.
" Two storage facilities provided some fl exibility and redundancy, but some
orders required us to leverage our existing facility - the one on the wrong
side of a washed-out bridge. Th is involved our team navigating a makeshift
highwire walkway to hand-carry boxes one by one. Pulling together to stay
in business, maintain our schedule and keep commitments to our customers
was always our primary focus. "
Fortunately, Amba is once again in a single facility.
EXPECTING THE UNEXPECTED
Th e key to meeting and overcoming diffi cult situations is a combination
of planning ahead and having trusted relationships in place. At Wellness
Within Your Walls, the work we've accomplished has helped prepare the
channel for the current environment. We're committed to doing business
with integrity and with like-minded partners, and I feel confi dent that this
disciplined approach will see us all through whatever the future may bring.
By Jillian Pritchard-Cooke, founder and CEO of Wellness Within Your
Walls, a wellness education and certification company for the home industry,
wellnesswithinyourwalls.com


Kitchen & Bath Business January/February 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Kitchen & Bath Business January/February 2023

Kitchen & Bath Business January/February 2023 - Cover1
Kitchen & Bath Business January/February 2023 - Cover2
Kitchen & Bath Business January/February 2023 - 1
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Kitchen & Bath Business January/February 2023 - KBIS1
Kitchen & Bath Business January/February 2023 - KBIS2
Kitchen & Bath Business January/February 2023 - KBIS3
Kitchen & Bath Business January/February 2023 - KBIS4
Kitchen & Bath Business January/February 2023 - KBIS5
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Kitchen & Bath Business January/February 2023 - KBIS7
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Kitchen & Bath Business January/February 2023 - Cover3
Kitchen & Bath Business January/February 2023 - Cover4
https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/kbb/20241112
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https://www.nxtbook.com/emerald/kbb/janfeb_2024_KBISDirectory
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