Steps To Expect During the Kitchen Sales Process – Part 1

When you meet your kitchen salesperson, the last thing you want is to be dragged through an unorganized sales process.  Not only can it get confusing, but can lead to missed steps, forgotten details and frustration.

Ask your dealer about their sales process when you first contact them so you can get an idea of what you’re getting into.  We recommend kitchen cabinet dealers who offer a process that falls into four main steps.  During this two part series, we’ll explain each of the four steps, beginning with the “Meet” and the “Measure.”

Step 1 – Meet

During the “Meet” step, the dealer you’re working with will obviously get to know you and will decide if they’re the right partner for your remodel.  It is during this phase that they’ll also ask you budget questions (be honest, they’re merely trying to find out what they’re working with so that they can come up with a solution that falls in range).

During the “Meet,” they should also ask you about your ideas and motivations for the kitchen project and some more background information, while educating you a bit on possible risks and pitfalls.  After these basics, your dealer should communicate next steps (this may include scheduling a trip to your current kitchen) so you and they both know what to expect.

Step 2 – Measure

Now that you’re well acquainted and your dealer has given you an initial plan of attack, it’s time to get serious.  During the 2^nd step of the sales process, dealers should be trying to find out exactly what it is you’re looking to get out of your project.  You need to be 100% honest once again, or you’ll only be hurting yourself.

Let your dealer know not only what you want, but why you want it.  They may just be able to come up with even better solutions than you thought possible, and they should be communicating their understanding of your situation and voicing possible solutions to you.

During the “Measure,” the dealer should physically send someone out to your home to do a measure of your kitchen.  It’s important that they complete the measure so that they’ll have an even better understanding of the preexisting layout and can see the flow of your home as well; so don’t hesitate to let them in.

Following the actual measure, it’s most beneficial to be open with your dealer about your thoughts to move forward.  They should let you know of expectations ahead, and may ask you for your commitment before continuing on to the third step.  This is a natural part of the process, and the dealer isn’t trying to be pushy, but just wants to make sure you’re serious, as their time is valuable as well.

Now that you’ve got 2 out of the 4 steps finished up, it’ll start getting fun and real.  During the next steps, you’ll see the plans for your kitchen remodel project unfold, and then you can move on to demolition and installation.  Stay tuned for part 2, where we’ll discuss the final two steps of the ideal kitchen remodel sales process.