Should We Give a Personality Test to Our Kitchen Customers?

We have considered giving personality tests to customers to assess the likelihood of a successful relationship.

Occasionally we run into people with completely unrealistic expectations about their kitchen renovation.

These customers feel they should experience no inconvenience during a major construction project.

Conversations often begin with these customers saying “I feel…” as if feeling something—no matter how unlikely—gives their beliefs merit. For example, we have had customers mistakenly feel that moldings should come to them pre-cut to the unknown lengths that will be needed on their particular installation.

No amount of explanation will satisfy people who didn’t listen the first-time things were explained to them.

Often they believe that they should have been informed about every aspect of their complex project that they didn’t foresee. There is always information that customers aren’t aware of. Especially for customers that took very little interest in becoming informed prior to their project beginning.

Needless to say, these customers are also rude and impatient, and they have difficulty grasping that they are not our only customer and responsibility. If there are small problems with their installation, such as a scratched door, they can be upset that replacing that piece takes time to order, build, ship, and deliver.

The last thing I say to all my customers before they order their cabinetry is that our 20-page detailed contract boils down to this sentence:

“We do not want you or expect you to accept anything less than perfection. However, we cannot tell you in advance exactly when you will get perfection and there is no compensation for waiting.”

A kitchen renovation is an expensive, complicated, inconvenient, and detailed project. There are nearly an infinite number of pieces to it, and dozens of people that all need to be working together. We can help you make your renovation something you will be proud of and that will last, but as the saying goes, “you have to break some eggs to make an omelet!”

Here is our true or false personality and intelligence test. If you answer true to more than a few of these questions, please spare us your business.

1. I know more about kitchens than my designer or contractor.
2. There is no reason a kitchen renovation should have any delays or inconvenience.
3. Once I finish working on my design and finally pay my deposit to order my cabinets I expect the cabinet dealer to place my complicated order that day and tell me when my cabinets will be delivered.
4. All cabinetry pieces should come pre-cut and ready to install such as plywood for back panels, moldings, and toe kick.
5. Half walls behind islands and peninsulas arrive built in advance by the cabinet company.
6. Electric and lighting come pre-installed in my cabinets.
7. My contractor who has never worked with Main Line Kitchen Design doesn’t need to check my design to make sure he or she understands what assembly is expected of them. He or she has no responsibility to measure and check the design.
8. Farm sink cabinets, range bases, and all oven cabinets come pre-cut for my particular fixtures.

9. I should be able to meet with a designer today or tomorrow to start my project.

10. I know what I want and don’t need any help from a designer.
11. The first step to starting a kitchen renovation is doing the demolition.
12. If I do the demolition first on my own, it will save me money and speed things up.
13. Getting the most competitive pricing, fast turnaround, and customization should not be mutually exclusive.
14. I have done a kitchen renovation before, so I know exactly what to expect.
15. I have a party, baby coming, move-in date, or another personal deadline that needs to be met. I should still be able to order and get anything I want at the same cost independent of my timeline.
16. How I feel about what timelines should be or how things should be done has merit above what professionals tell me should be realistic expectations.

Hoping you are the kitchen customer we are looking for. If so . . .

. . . We look forward to working with you!

Paul, Julie, Chris, Lauren, Ed, Jeremy, Camilla, Juliet, and Mark

Main Line Kitchen Design

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