Good to know

Great design: Why settling for less will cost you in the end

February 10, 2020
09:19
Good to know

If your first thought when designing a bathroom is to save money in the short term by selecting stock standard or dull interiors, you may end up losing much more than you save in the long term.

Many designers and planners are happy to use very run of the mill fittings and fixtures, which leads to bathrooms looking dull and unimaginative and becoming outdated and run-down very quickly.

Those who think more adventurously know that a little bit of money spent initially will reward them many times over and that is why they end up with loyal customers who reward the surprise and delight they experience on-board their cruise with loyalty, return visits, and great word-of-mouth.

Great design gives voice to your brand

To successfully deliver a holistic experience to your guests, your brand communication strategy has to be blended into your interiors. The bathroom’s look and feel is part of your voice and style.

Eumar has been in the bathroom design business for many years, and we know that there are many people who do not care about design. They think that the key consideration is cost and that counting savings are the most important thing.
But, as a company who has seen this approach backfire many times, we believe that the benefits delivered by investing for the long term far outweigh any short-term gains.

As a company who has seen this approach backfire many times, we believe that the benefits delivered by investing for the long term far outweigh any short-term gains.

The benefits of good design and professional suppliers

Those who ignore the principals of good design and quality products are not only missing out on beauty and ergonomics but often also on the pleasures of dealing with skilled professionals who understand their needs beyond just the numbers and the financial bottom line.

A smart approach means understanding that by investing more you will get exponential returns on that investment in the long run.

Do you know why? The initial cost will be forgotten very quickly, but you will keep your premises outstanding for 10 or 15 years.

Let’s look at a practical example. 10 years ago Eumar was contracted to furnish all bathrooms aboard the Oasis of the Seas, a Royal Caribbean International liner that is one of the largest cruise ships in the world. The entire ship was recently docked in Cadiz, Spain to undergo a complete refurbishment and Eumar immediately got the call to once again deliver the bathrooms. This means that the existing ones lasted a full decade, and they still looked great. This will never happen if you choose cheap, ugly design and materials.

Design is important to guests

When booking a hotel or a cruise, the first thing people do is go online and look at pictures. Only after they have been impressed with what they see will they move on to reading reviews and, eventually, booking. How often have you seen and old hotel with outdated bathrooms that look grotty and out of date get a high score rating on sites like Tripadvisor?

Customers certainly do consider cost, but if they have to choose between two options that are very close in price, they will always go for the one that looks better, cleaner and more modern.

So if your bathroom design is simply an afterthought and looks like a public bathroom in a government building, you’ll need to wait until your competitor who actually invested in design is fully booked before customers will start considering you. This means your initial savings may quickly be lost to empty rooms and half-booked cruises.

Consider your interiors as an investment tool, a tool to differentiate your business and gain better customer conversion and retention rates.

Think also of the staff hours spent cleaning outdated bathrooms that have not been designed to stay clean. Eumar’s patented Creacore production method means that our showers, basins, vanities and toilets are mostly cast as a single piece, leaving no cracks, folds, corners, or unreachable nooks where dirt, grime and bacteria are hard to clean.

Invest in amazing your customers

By giving your customers a fully luxurious experience in every aspect of their vacation, including the bathroom where they spend their most private moments, you will gain their respect and loyalty. Once this is done, you will have recruited an army of viral marketers who will tell friends and family about their wonderful holiday and leave great reviews online.

Can you really afford to focus only on short-term savings?