What I keep in mind when serving customers for the first time in store.
When most people visit our store for the first time, they are unsure of what kind of furniture is available, what they will need for their future home, how much it will cost, and what kind of furniture will suit them.
As I've written before, I don't think people have many opportunities to come to interior design shops to look at furniture, so it's natural that when you actually need furniture, you might not know what to do, and that's when the interior design shop staff come in to help.
First, I show them around the store and ask them about the furniture they are considering, allowing them to experience the furniture firsthand.
At the same time, we will also ask you about the items you are considering purchasing.
Living room sets, dining sets, storage shelves, beds, lighting, etc. We will also ask about your furniture preferences.
What kind of style do you like? Modern, Scandinavian, Japanese modern, etc. Some people have a clear preference beforehand, but by actually seeing the products, your image becomes more realistic and you can narrow down the number of products available. In the case of sofas, if you have time, we would like you to try out everything in the store, even sitting on it.
Even within the same brand, different models can offer completely different comfort levels. Some offer a firm, secure seating experience, while others offer a soft, enveloping feel. Some have a deep seat that allows you to lie down or assume various positions, while others are shallow and allow you to sit in a proper posture. Some have a high backrest that supports your head, while others have a low backrest that makes the space look neater and more spacious. The comfort also differs depending on the height of the seat, so you really won't know until you try it for yourself.
Of course, it's not a matter of which is better or worse.
We would be happy if you could decide on one go, but please come and try it out several times until you are satisfied.
Size is also important when buying a sofa.
It's hard to imagine the size of a sofa in the space you have in mind.
If you have a floor plan of your house, we can plot the sofa onto the plan and suggest placement and how much aisle space it will create.
However, it's hard to understand just from looking at paper, so we also move the sofas in the store to recreate the room.
He actually measures the dimensions with a tape measure, figures out the distance to the wall, and asks people to think of him as the wall, lol.
We are often asked, "Will a room feel smaller if I put a sofa in it?", but most customers come to see the room empty before coming to our store, so we are sure that putting a sofa in the room will make it feel a little smaller.
We are trying to strike a fine line between creating a comfortable space and avoiding a feeling of oppression.
When choosing a sofa, we will ask you about your preferences for comfort, size, design, and approximate budget, but we will also provide you with a general guide at first.
Of course, we also tell you about the advantages of the product, but we also try to tell you about the possible disadvantages.
For example, sofa covers made of linen or other materials are smooth and comfortable to the touch in the summer, but may be a little prone to wrinkling.
As with anything, there are advantages and disadvantages, so I think it's best to let you know both and have you consider them, and then hopefully the advantage of the feel being so important will outweigh the disadvantages.
For other furniture, go to a store and try out a variety of items. You may be able to find out about products online, but you can't really know how they feel, what their texture is like, or how comfortable they are to sit on.
Recently, I've heard from some people that as people are spending more time at home, there's been an increase in demand for new furniture and maintenance of existing furniture. Even in times like these, I hope that this will be an opportunity for everyone to think about their living environment and that more people will become furniture lovers.
(text: Doi)
DOI KOUHEI
Born in Toyama Prefecture, currently living in Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture, 40 years old
After becoming interested in furniture, I wanted to work in the interior design industry, so I went to an interior design school in Kanazawa. After working at a store interior design company, I started working at an interior design shop when I was about 23 years old.
Currently, I work at an interior design shop in Kanazawa City, doing everything from sales, corporate sales, furniture planning, and occasional delivery.
My hobbies are moderate running so I can drink alcohol without gaining weight, and simple cooking because I enjoy cutting vegetables with a knife.