Angela Poirrier, CAPS, isn’t just a designer. According to her peers, Poirrier – owner and designer, Acadian House Design + Renovation, in Baton Rouge, LA – is a leader in an industry that is constantly evolving. She loves learning as well as passing along her expertise to others. From attending KBIS to more local NKBA and HBA meetings, she uses her insights to drive the industry forward. Among her initiatives are maintaining a regularly updated blog and hosting over 100 seminars to keep both peers and clients abreast of the latest trends and developments.

Within her own business, she has developed a system and process for every step along the project timeline. She then monitors and analyzes these processes to ensure they remain both effective and profitable for her team. Meanwhile, her marketing plan has allowed her to know the return on investment of every dollar spent and to forecast well into the future.

Although it may not come with a title, being recognized as a leader among her colleagues is among Poirrier’s proudest accomplishments. Through her own drive to learn and grow within the kitchen and bath industry, she has become a go-to for others seeking to understand everything from successful marketing and client relations to hiring employees and subcontractors.

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The figures are shocking. Less than 25% of Americans trust the federal government to do the right thing, according to a recent Pew survey. And it’s not just Uncle Sam. Approximately a quarter of the U.S. population does not have a religious affiliation. One-third of Americans don’t trust the media to tell the truth, reaching a historic high, according to Gallup. 

Can you blame people for being skeptical, weary and trust adverse? There have been monumental failures of leadership, deceptive practices, the use of “alternative facts” and outright deceit from brands, the government, public figures and media outlets that at one time offered a definitive perspective on the day’s news. Unfortunately, Walter Cronkite is not around any longer. 

Becoming a Trusted Resource

How does a kitchen and bath showroom, in the midst of ongoing pandemic concerns, booming business volume and never-before-seen supply chain challenges, earn and maintain the trust of a skeptical customer base and market?

In her new book Trustworthy: How the Smartest Brands Beat Cynicism and Bridge the Trust Gap, Margot Bloomstein provides a process for becoming a trusted resource for a showroom’s client base. That road map has three parts: voice, volume and vulnerability.

Voice refers to the consistent and familiar way in which a brand engages with its market both verbally and visually. A brand’s voice elevates a showroom or design-build organization’s most important qualities and characteristics. 

Volume refers to the amount of information that a brand produces and determining how much content is enough. If you review kitchen and bath showroom websites, most will feature a portrait or project gallery with lots of kitchen images. Where this use of imagery falls short is that there typically are only images without explanation of anything. It’s volume for volume’s sake, and too often it’s mind-numbing. Do you really believe that posting pictures of 50 different kitchens shouts to your customer base, “trust us”? 

Showroom customers want and need affirmation. They want to feel confident in their knowledge and ability to make the right decisions for their project. They need for showrooms to make them smarter. Showrooms can earn trust by teaching their customers to trust themselves by providing information and resources that make decision making and working with a showroom easier.

At TraVek (Scottsdale, AZ), teaching customers to trust themselves begins and ends with strong communication and education. The showroom establishes trust with its market by offering monthly remodeling seminars in the showroom, sharing dinner with a crowd on average of 20 to 25 homeowners and explaining what’s involved in the renovation process, information that they need to know, expectations, timelines, how to interview and evaluate contractors and price points to consider.

TraVek’s Susan Raisanen explains that trust building begins with an initial meeting with a client at their home with all decision makers required to attend. Timelines are explained and agreed to, which is especially important in today’s environment when many showrooms may not be able to supply product or start projects for four to six months from the time a contract is signed. TraVek continues to communicate with every client that is waiting weekly with a phone call, email or text depending on how the customer prefers to receive messages. “Even if the message is nothing has changed, reaching out and having a weekly touch point says to the customer ‘you have not been forgotten, we still care about you,’ and that helps to reinforce the trust factor with our showroom,” Raisanen said.

At Murphy Bros. Design, Build, Remodel (Blaine, MN), the new supply chain paradigm has changed the sales approach. John Murphy explains, “We are completely transparent with customers, especially at initial meetings. Realistic timelines are presented, goals are established and market conditions are shared. We’ve even modified our proposals to highlight in the project scope the potential for delays at the start, in the middle and even before a project can be completed. We found that if we set expectations at the front end of projects, clients understand and they realize that other industries are experiencing similar challenges.”

Murphy Bros. also encourages its clients to select a plan B for each product type in case there are unexpected production delays and steers clients away from products that it knows can’t meet deadlines. The company also created a small woodshop in the back of its facility and retained a full-time woodworker to build custom cabinets if product is needed immediately that cannot be obtained through traditional channels.

Vulnerability refers to the uncertainty that comes from exposing your business to risk and criticism in the hope of improving, finding support or connecting with those who share similar values. Bloomstein claims that vulnerability is a corporate strength. It trades the safety of sure bets and certainty, such as three-week lead times, for choices that open the organization to risk, such as we can’t tell you definitively when your cabinets will arrive, that results in potentially greater rewards because you are being honest and setting realistic expectations.

Vulnerability is how a business makes its values visible, how it owns mistakes, how it deals with the unexpected and how values are expressed and why.

Richard Campbell (Bath, Kitchen & Tile Center with three showrooms in Delaware and one in Maryland) did not receive a positive reception from his builder clientele when he informed them of product delays and unidentifiable delivery dates. “Almost all of our major builder clients told us they were walking away, only to find that other destinations had the same problems that we were experiencing. We understand what our builders’ priorities are and started crafting solutions to meet them, such as ordering cabinets before a house is framed and working with the builder to adjust the framing to accommodate cabinet dimensions.”

Bath, Kitchen and Tile has crafted stronger partnerships with its builder clientele by working together to develop supply chain solutions. “You build trust by recognizing and explaining to clients that we are in this together. Let’s develop solutions and provide options that work, when others in the industry are resigning themselves to the belief that there is nothing they can do,” Campbell stated.

Tom Caruso (Caruso Cabinets, Avon, OH) shifted his business model to take advantage of the surge in new home construction. He, too, is ordering cabinets before a home is framed and ordering truckloads of product weekly. This has provided Caruso the flexibility to pivot when necessary and supply product based on the progress of a project, client needs and highest priorities. 

Bellmont Hardware showrooms in the San Francisco Bay area have personalized communication with customers by moving to appointment only. “This enables our sales team to provide undivided attention that results in more credibility and trust with customers,” related company general manager who also happens to be named Rich Campbell.

Bath Kitchen & Tile, TraVek, Caruso Cabinets, Murphy Bros., Bellmont and others all are advising their customers not to start demolition until all product has been delivered. Most customers have resigned themselves to the longer timelines and to be patient. Bath Kitchen & Tile has been promoting a financing option to its clients that has been well received because payment does not begin until products are delivered. The company also is developing an automated communication system that updates clients on the status of their project every two to three weeks with varying messages that keep enthusiasm high, telling customers how important they are and encouraging outreach to the showroom if there are questions. The message is that Bath Kitchen & Tile wants to hear from its clients and talk to them during the wait period.

You can’t have too many touchpoints in this environment, claims Brendon Murphy (Charleston Cabinetry & Countertops, LLC). At initial client meetings, he explains the 10 stages of a project from the initial design consultation to customer sign off at the end. “Reviewing each stage of the product sends the message that we want our customers to understand what is involved and demonstrates that our approach is well organized and thoughtful, which helps to build trust,” Murphy said.

Many showrooms have found that there is a silver lining to the supply chain’s dark cloud. Tom Caruso explained, “Because of lead times, our attention to detail has never been stronger. We check and double check every order to eliminate mistakes because if there is a problem, it may take four months or longer to resolve.”

Brendon Murphy sends the message to his clients that he needs their help to get them what they want. At initial meetings, he asks clients how much they want to invest in their property and explains that, at the end of the day, his goal is to add more value to their home than the amount of their investment.

Kitchen and bath showrooms can build trust with consumers by effectively managing customer expectations, by using their voice in the right volume, making it easy to do business with them at every stage in the customer journey and to allow themselves to be vulnerable by explaining how they are addressing challenges and responding to problems with transparency and honesty. And the entire industry can benefit from the sage advice of Mark Twain, who said, “If you tell the truth, you don’t have to remember anything.”

Tom Cohn serves as the exec. v.p. of the Bath & Kitchen Business Group and president of Cohn Communications, Inc., a full-service strategic marketing and public relations agency headquartered in Bethesda, MD.

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Taking pride in custom designing each kitchen so that each has its own identity, Ginger Rabe, founder of Ginger Rabe Designs, LLC, in Carlsbad, CA, focuses on current trends as well as what is timeless.

With a Master’s Degree in architectural building within sustainable design from Jefferson University in Philadelphia, Rabe is now a professor of the Master’s program at the Design Institute of San Diego. This position allows her to share her knowledge of the kitchen and bath industry and sustainable design.

Rabe is on the board of the NKBA of Southern California chapter, and is also on the speakers bureau for the San Diego Green Building Council and the advisory council for Palomar College Interior Design Department. In addition, she gives master classes on kitchen design, and is a TedX speaker on healthy spaces.

In 2020, she received the Power Business Woman Award, and in 2021 received an award for the San Diego Favorite in Kitchen Design and Construction.

Proficient in design-build, Rabe reports that she will be getting her general contractor’s license this year, as her firm also builds custom homes. Her furniture line includes five unique pieces – each named after someone in her family – that pair perfectly with her cabinet designs.

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HACKETTSTOWN, NJ — A revised set of health and safety protocols, including COVID-19 vaccination requirements and/or proof of a negative coronavirus test result, have been issued for the 2022 Design & Construction Week (DCW), the annual three-day event that encompasses the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS) and the International Builders’ Show (IBS).

The National Kitchen & Bath Association, which owns KBIS, and the National Association of Home Builders, owner of IBS, last month released the revised protocols for DCW, scheduled for Feb. 8-10 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, FL. The guidelines apply to attendee and exhibitor registrants for both KBIS and IBS, and are subject to revision, event sponsors noted.

“The safety and wellbeing of our attendees, partners, exhibitors, site workers and staff remains our top priority, said DCW organizers, adding that they are “working with our vendors, partners and the Orange County Convention Center to … deliver a safe and productive environment in which to conduct business.”

“As we get closer to returning to an in-person event, we continue to update our health and safety policies based upon current recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the state of Florida and local Orlando health authorities, event organizers added. “We will continue to monitor their recommendations and will update relevant information as needed.”

Guidance related to large gatherings relative to COVID-19 and associated variants continues to change, DCW organizers said. “What will remain constant,” show officials said, “is the commitment of the NAHB International Builders’ Show (IBS) and NKBA’s Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS) and to the health and safety of attendees, exhibitors, partners and staff at our shows.”

Details regarding the health and safety policies for Design and Construction Week can be found at: http://www.designandconstructionweek.com/healthsafety.html.

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WASHINGTON, DC — With builders continuing to grapple with lumber price swings and supply chain disruptions, the National Association of Home Builders has once again appealed to the White House to redouble its efforts to address lumber price volatility and address supply chain bottlenecks for lumber and other building materials.

The Washington, DC-based NAHB this week sent a letter to President Biden, requesting that government officials address three key issues that, if unaddressed, “will severely hamper the ability to provide affordable housing and provide jobs to strengthen the economy,” said the association, which has already conducted several meetings on the subject with top administration officials.

“While lumber prices have fallen precipitously since peaking in mid-May, prices have been moving upward over the past month,” said the 140,000-member NAHB, urging the Biden administration “to make it an important priority to address lumber and building material supply chain issues that are contributing to price volatility and harming housing affordability.”

The NAHB urged U.S. officials address the current congestion at the ports and to “return to the negotiating table with Canada and develop a new softwood lumber agreement that will end tariffs on lumber shipments into the U.S.”

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Most microfiber cloths are eco-friendly and come in several sizes to help them pick up small dust and bacteria particles. Larger clothes are suitable for heavier, messier cleanups, while smaller and fine fibers are suitable for computer screens and glass tables.

But not all microfiber cloths can get the work done the way you want it done. So, what are the best microfiber cloths? This article outlines some of the best microfiber cloths based on their quality, affordability, and durability. Let’s get started!

1. AIDEA Cleaning Cloths

AIDEA Cleaning Cloths are highly durable and have been processed to be extra soft so that you can get a safe and reliable clean for your laptop, cell phone, or other electronic devices. The specially crafted fiber is 100% polyester blended with a mixture of micro-polyester and polyamide, allowing the cloth to pick up dust particles much more efficiently than ordinary fabrics. You can use AIDEA cleaning cloths on your laptop, cell phone, and clean electronics without fear of scratching their surfaces.

AIDEA Cleaning Cloth’s durability has been tested in a laboratory to ensure that they will hold up against repeated washing. 

The AIDEA cleaning cloths have also been UV-treated which means they can be used in direct sunlight and will not damage the screen of your electronic device. They contain antibacterial properties, allowing you to clean surfaces throughout your house without worrying about building up bacteria or mold. 

2. Polyte Microfiber Cleaning Towel

Don’t let go of this microfiber cloth when you lay your hands on it. It comes with quick-drying cloths of natural bamboo fiber and a special quality microfiber. It ensures that your device will be clean and free from bacteria. You can wash it in a washing machine and can be reused up to 300 times, making it very cost-effective in the long term. It’s suitable for both household and automotive use.

3. E-Cloth Microfiber Home Cleaning

This type of microfiber cloth is designed for deep cleaning. The brand boasts of eliminating 99% of surface bacteria, mold, and pollen. It does this by locking contaminants inside the dense fibers until they are washed thoroughly in the machine. This cloth is made in Korea and comes in nine different purposes: dusting, polishing, drying, wet polishing, and much more.

It covers a wide range of home cleaning needs such as kitchen cloth with scrubbing pocket, a range, and a stovetop cloth. It also covers two glass polishing cloths, a bathroom cloth, a window cloth, a dusting cloth, and a stainless steel cloth. Each of these cloths comes with a different pattern and color to shine any room and appliance in your home.

4. MagicFiber Microfiber Cleaning Cloths Review

The microfiber cleaning cloths are great; they take out all the dust and dirt even from the hardest-to-reach places. It is a must-have for everyone who likes an extremely clean home. This set of IXL Korean extra-thick 9-piece Microfiber Cleaning Cloth Set is as useful as it is beautiful as it is durable. 

You can use it either wet or dry, for any job in the home you may have. This set includes one multipurpose cloth, two glass polishing cloths, a stovetop cloth, a bathroom cloth, a window cloth, and a dusting cloth in addition to the stainless steel cloth.

You can also use it as an eyeglass cleaner. MagicFiber cloths are good for most delicate surfaces, especially computers and smartphones. Each pack of MagicFiber comes with a protective bag, making it stay clean and ready for use. You should thoroughly clean microfiber cloths and follow the care instructions carefully. These finely woven cloths should be washed gently without harsh chemicals.

5. Kirkland Signature Ultra High Pile Premium Microfiber Towels

These microfiber towels are great for cleaning cars and trucks because of their high fiber density and affordable price. With their thick and plush weave, they can absorb liquids such as oils quickly and completely. You can also use them with or without water for a gentle, deep clean. It’s also the best microfiber cloth for glass.

The company claims that its fibers can get rid of up to 99% of surface bacteria. You can reuse them even a hundred times, and their care is quite easy- you just machine wash in cold water and tumble dry on low. It’s also designed for automotive use and the set of 36 will also protect other delicate surfaces such as car panels and interiors.

6. CleanGreen Microfiber Cleaning and Dusting Gloves

Do your cleaning with microfiber by using a pair of gloves made of this super soft material. They are perfect for dusting TV and computer screens, blinds, photo frames, and other small surfaces. These microfiber cloths are reusable up to 500 times, so you can forget about buying paper towels, window cleaner, or any other cleaning product.

7. AmazonBasics Microfiber Cleaning Cloth

These microfiber cleaning cloths are Amazon’s best-selling cleaning cloths. They contain 90% polyester and 10% polyamide, making them super absorbent. They are great for a gentle clean and are also affordable and eco-friendly solutions for your cleaning.

They have also accumulated more than 9300 positive reviews on Amazon. So, what are you waiting for? Get yourself this cleaning microfiber cloth and save a little cash plus the environment.

8. Meguiar’s Water Magnet Microfiber Drying Towel

These microfiber towels are super absorbent, well made, and great for drying your car. It has a special weave to soak up water quickly and easily. They are also quite affordable compared to other microfiber cloths in the market because they offer you 16 different sizes to choose from, making them ideal for any use.

They are super absorbent, meaning that you can use them too quickly to clean off a car without any soap and water and without leaving back any streaks. It’s capable of absorbing up to twice as many traditional terry cloth towels. Apart from detailing cars, you can also use these microfiber towels to clean other areas in your home.

9. Microfiber Wholesale Microfiber Glass Cleaning Cloths

These are some of the best microfiber cloths in the market today. They are made from high-quality materials, making them soft and durable at the same time. They are great when it comes to cleaning glass and polishing.

The eight-piece set comes with a total of four 16-inch microfiber cloths and four 12-inch microfiber cloths. You can use them to clean windows, mirrors, lights, and many other surfaces in the house. They are also great for removing stains and marks from wallpaper without leaving any scratches behind.

They are made from a blend of polyester and nylon. They have a very high absorption rate, making them great for cleaning surfaces without leaving streaks behind. The towels also have a plush microfiber pile that traps dust and other particles to make the cloth more effective when polishing surfaces. These microfibers cloths are also reusable and can be machine washed.

Microfiber Wholesale Glass Cleaning Cloths come in four different colors: blue, yellow, red, and green. This is because different colors work best for specific purposes. For example, the blue microfiber towel is excellent for polishing chrome surfaces such as your car’s headlights or trim pieces since it has a very high luster. The green cloth is best to help you clean windows and mirrors since it produces a high level of transparency, allowing the glass to sparkle when dry.

10. SimpleHouseware Microfiber Cleaning Cloth

This is another small microfiber cloth. With their small and mighty towels, they can hold up eight times their weight but still dry quickly. They’re smaller than human hair. These microfiber cleaning cloths are made up of 85 percent polyester and 15 percent nylon for a soft, non-abrasive material that can clean your surfaces at home.

These highly adaptable cloths come in packs of 5, 10, 15, 20, and even 150. But it’s up to you to decide on what number seems good to you. It’s always difficult to know how many microfiber cloths you’ll need in a pack, but for a long-term supply, this microfiber cloth will give you more than enough.

The set includes 50 packs, each measuring 12 by 16. Other than sheer quantity, this microfiber cloth is good for larger cleanups around your home electronic cloth that might fail to clean. The set comes in four assorted colors, including green, yellow, orange, and blue.

11. Mr. Siga Microfiber Cleaning Cloth

This is also the best choice if you’re looking for something colorful. The cloth measures 12 x 16 inches which are just enough to fit into your hand and cover larger spaces. It’s made with 80% polyamide and 20% polyester material, which are safe, especially around electronic devices. 

This microfiber cleaner can be used for dusting and cleaning. This is the best choice if you need a cloth that can remove tough stains because it has greater absorption capabilities.

If you’re looking for an affordable cleaning cloth that can work on shower tiles, car windows, and anything in between, then a multi-use towel is the right choice. It can absorb five times more liquid than traditional towels, and it dries faster than a regular towel. This microfiber towel is made from 100% microfiber material, making it safe to use on electronic devices such as smartphones, cameras, and other valuables.

They’re absorbent and are scratch-free microfiber with high-quality stitching and reinforced edges to ensure they will not fray after repeated use.

12. Buff Microfiber Cleaning Cloth

Buff microfiber cleaning towels are made of 50/50 polyester and microfiber blends to help with deep cleaning. This durable material is designed to continue working, even after 500 washes. Each set comes with 12 pieces of clothing, so you don’t need to replace them any time soon. They are also easy to wring out and dry quickly after use. They’re so perfect for heavy-duty cleaning.

13. Unger 18-Inch Microfiber Cloths

The Unger microfiber cloths are perfect for windows, bathrooms, or anywhere that needs a deep cleaning. They are quite big so that you can use them on large surfaces easily. The material of the cloth is very absorbent, making it useful for drying wet floors as well.

They are highly flexible and adaptable to keep your home’s hard surface clean. Whether you’re cleaning your kitchen surfaces, bathroom, floor, glass window, and hardwood floors, this cloth stands out to get the job done.

The cloths themselves are made with a unique weave of tiny, strong microfiber strands that hold effectiveness when used with conventional cleaning fluids. Even without chemical cleaners, it’s eco-friendly and inexpensive to use. Designed for wet and dry use, you can keep this three-pack set around your home for natural, chemical-free cleanups when necessary.

FAQs on Best Microfiber Cloths

Are some microfiber cloths better than others?

Microfiber technology is a relatively new cleaning product, which was not always available for purchase. Today, countless companies sell microfiber products, and competition has driven many of these companies to create innovative and high-quality products. 

Microfiber goes through several steps in the process before it becomes a cloth. So, you should look for a company that takes the time to produce high-quality products.

How often should I wash my microfiber cloth?

It is best not to wash your microfiber cloth too frequently, as this causes wear and tear on the fibers.

Final Thought on Best Microfiber Cloths

There you go! There are so many amazing microfiber cloths on the market. So, take your time to choose the right microfiber cloth for your needs. There are so many brands available in the market at an affordable price. Also, make sure you keep them clean to serve you for many years to come. Do not use fabric softeners if you want them to last for long.

 

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