| 95 T T Virginia Wright Co-operative approach working well Kitchen Studio has showrooms spanning the country from the North Shore of Auckland to Dunedin. Above, franchisees with, at right, CEO Dawn Engelbrecht . JOINERY Kitchen Studio “We design kitchens according to what people want and need. We don’t have any standard off-theshelf solutions so everything is created for the customer.” Having been involved in franchises of one kind or another for the last 20-plus years, when Dawn Engelbrecht says the franchise she’s been CEO of for the last 15 months is different to most, she knows what she’s talking about. Whereas a typical franchise system is owned by a person or entity (the franchisor), who simply licenses the franchise to others, Kitchen Studio is a co-operative franchise which means that every franchisee is also a shareholder in the franchisor. “They get to share in its profitability beyond their own territory, they also share in the profits of the Head Office or the brand overall, but the biggest difference is that they have more of a voice in the direction of the brand,” says Dawn. Having that brand ownership and sharing in any rewards means that the franchisees have more emotional investment in the growth and success of the brand, and the Head Office that runs things on their collective behalf. It’s been that way at Kitchen Studio since the franchisees bought out the original franchisor 40 years ago, and some of those original franchisees remain in the Kitchen Studio network. “It’s really cool and shows how well it works. Like in any business partnership we occasionally have to agree to disagree but the better I do the better they do and we’re all working towards the same goal,” says Dawn. That goal is to continue their business of making ‘beautiful kitchens’ as Dawn explains. “We design kitchens according to what people want and need. We don’t have any standard off-the-shelf solutions so everything is created for the customer. “We have designers working from each of our 16 showrooms who work with customers individually to design the kitchen of their dreams and then we have it manufactured to exacting standards and we install it for them.” The company has showrooms spanning the country from the North Shore of Auckland to Dunedin and so comes with some serious buying power. It also offers a 10-year guarantee that remains regardless of whether the house is sold, and provides deposit security, so customers know when they have paid their deposit it will be honoured regardless of what happens to any individual franchisee. Expertise is something the Kitchen Studio brand takes pride in and there is significant investment in in-house training. “Our Operations Manager is one of New Zealand’s top designers and he used to teach kitchen design for NKBA (National Kitchen and Bathroom Association). We have monthly designer forums with all the designers to talk about different techniques and any challenges they might have with a particular design, plus we have quarterly design days with guest speakers. For us the more we upskill our designers the better designs they can create for our clients,” says Dawn. Functionality is a clear pre-requisite for any of their kitchens along with aesthetic beauty, and when their clients arrive with beautiful designs and mood boards they’ve put together from magazines and the internet, Kitchen Studio brings in the professional, practical knowledge that ensures the kitchen will work day-to-day for the client’s lifestyle. “Our designers come to your home and take the time to understand what your needs are whether you have small children to take into account, or maybe you’re like me and you’re five foot two and it looks beautiful but will you ever be able to reach that cupboard without a stool? It’s the one place where most positive and joyous memories will be made and so we know we have a duty to get it right, first time, every time.” Kitchen Studio franchises pride themselves on offering high quality design at a fair price and given that they’ve won the Readers Digest “Most Trusted Brand” for kitchen manufacturers for the last eight years straight it seems their customers agree. Offering premium quality sinks, tap and benching for over 75 years, each Kitchen Studio customer has the peace of mind that brand including BURNS & FERRALL stainless steel, ELLECI granite, and CHAMBORD butler sinks will exceed their expectations for the whole like of the kitchen. 2024 celebrates 5 years of our Zomodo colour PVD sink range – Gold, Bronze and Gun Metal Black. Visit your nearest kitchen Studio outlet to see this amazing sink & taps, and appreciate the difference they can bring to your next kitchen design project. 0800 MY SINK | www.rewardhospitality.co.nz | sales@rewardh.co.nz Reward Hospitality, proud to support Kitchen Studio nationwide!
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