A peek into Main Line Kitchen Design’s inbox.

 Why do red flags go up when Main Line Kitchen Design receives an email like the one below?

How did you hear about us:

Friend or Family Referral

Message Body:
Hi- I love your blog and have spent hours reading your web site. We are located in Northern New Jersey. Can you help us?
We will need about 18 cabinets and the other trims of course. 
We had to return an entire American Woodmark (Home Depot) purchase yesterday due to paint and construction issues on 50% of their cabinets. We are concerned that the pandemic is impacting the quality. 
We do not want the cheapest cabinets but we do want quality plywood construction.  My wife is an architect and has the drawings of what is needed. I am off from work on June 9 and we can come visit your showroom.  Thank you.

I’m going to dissect what’s troubling to me with this email line by line.

1) Someone that spends hours on our web site should know that Northern New Jersey is out of our service area. The emailer also later asks to make an appointment in our office first. Scheduling a measure appointment and paying a $150 deposit is the first step stated on our main page and described clearly on the contact form they filled out. So I worry that this potential customer doesn’t listen and doesn’t want to follow directions.

2) I worry when I’m told that a customer needs around 18 cabinets, as this implies they aren’t looking for design advice. And when they say “of course” they are putting their expertise on a level with us as professionals kitchen designers. A professional in another field might take offence to this. For example, if I told my mechanic I needed a new fuel pump “of course” – before he examined my car.

3) Telling the next company you want to buy cabinets from that you “had to” return an entire kitchen from the last company, because YOU judged that 50% of the cabinets were defective, is off the charts disturbing on many levels. Working with the first company to address the problems would have been wiser.

4) Telling us “you know what you want”, before we speak and show you designs and cabinetry, is a common frustration all kitchen designers endure. Stating that your wife is an architect and has the drawings of what is needed confirms that you don’t want our design expertise and believe you know better than actual professionals. Architects are not professional kitchen designers. Read why here

5) Because you are off of work on a certain day doesn’t mean we are available, and as you should know from the form you filled out, this is not how our design process works.

How did Main Line Kitchen Design actually respond to this email?

Thanks for contacting Main Line Kitchen Design. We only work with customers that contact us at the beginning of their projects. We wish you the best – Paul

Almost everyday someone calls or emails Main Line Kitchen Design because of our reputation as knowledgeable designers or because they love our website, our blog, or the kitchens we display online. However, they have already designed their kitchen and begun demolition. I can’t help but shake my head and wonder why they are looking for an expert after they have made decisions and begun their project, and not before.

Main Line kitchen Design hopes to help you sooner rather than later. . . and as always . . .

Bon Appetit!

Below are two relevant blogs on this topic that may make you smile:

https://www.mainlinekitchendesign.com/general/every-day-as-a-kitchen-designer-is-a-test-of-patience/

https://www.mainlinekitchendesign.com/general/whos-the-best-kitchen-designer-in-philadelphia/

If you would like to check out all of our kitchen design topics, please visit the Reference Library

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