Ripples' Alfie Guard – Lessons I've learned from my career in bathroom retail

After 7 years at Ripples, senior designer & showroom manager Alfie Guard has had time to reflect on what drives success in the showroom – here are his 7 key takeaways.

Alfie Guard's experience as a showroom manager and bathroom designer highlights that, from the first consultation to the final sign-off, bathroom design is as much about people as it is about products. Here, Alfie shares the 7 biggest lessons he’s learnt so far.

1. Projects are 95% sold at the consultation stage
“The consultation is, without doubt, the most important part of the sales journey,” Alfie says. “It’s where you excite the client, understand their needs and set out the road map for the project ahead. If you treat a consultation like a presentation – showing them who you are and what you can do – you’re much further along than you think. It’s your chance to sell yourself.”

2. Listening sets you apart
Alfie says one of the most consistent pieces of feedback he hears from clients is how refreshing it is to be “understood and listened to.” He adds: “It sounds simple, but a lot of competitors don’t always get it right. At the end of the day, it’s the client’s bathroom, not yours. If they want something bold or something incredibly pared back, that’s their decision. Your role is to deliver that – and ideally, deliver more than they imagined.”

3. Hit the reset button
Another key lesson has been the importance of starting fresh with every client. “Every consultation is a clean slate,” Alfie explains. “Unlike other industries, your next client doesn’t know how the last 10 appointments went. But they will pick up on your energy immediately. Clients are perceptive – they can sense if you’re positive and confident.”

4. Stick to the process – it works
 For new designers in particular, Alfie stresses the importance of sticking to the Ripples sales process “It’s there for a reason – the process has been tried, tested and proven to work. If you study it and apply it, your conversion rate will improve.”

5. But remember, every client is different
That said, no two projects are the same. “Some clients need reassurance and support, while others just want to know the price,” Alfie says. “Your approach has to adapt to the person in front of you. But what should never change is your service level – that should always be consistently high.”

6. Knowledge is power
While design flair is a given in this industry, Alfie believes it’s often the technical know-how or product expertise that secures the sale. “Sometimes it only takes one piece of information for the client to think, ‘okay, this person really knows what they’re talking about.’ That reassurance can make the buying decision much easier.”

7. People buy from people
“Clients don’t just buy bathrooms – they buy from people they trust,” Alfie says. “Yes, price is a factor, but service and professionalism are huge. If you create a welcoming showroom, go the extra mile and treat every client with the same enthusiasm, they’ll have no reason to look elsewhere. People buy people – it’s as simple as that.”