It’s time again for us to focus on other key supplier within our design world! We love to find out more about the suppliers we work with, as it strengthens our knowledge and relationships within the industry! See below what Becky Greenin from Crosswater had to say in her Q+A!
How would you sum up your company in three words?
Strong, Innovative & Exciting
How long has the company been established and how long have you been working for them?
Since 1998 and I have been there 10 months
What is your role at the company?
London Projects Key Account Manager
What is the best part of the job?
Working within a great team with a product that excites me with global options
Do you have a best-selling product?
Yes lots but most popular for London is definitely our Mike Pro range! Along with our collaboration with Kelly Hoppen for brassware.
Where have you been most proud of seeing your brand in-situ?
Hard to choose favourites as there are many, but some are the Mondrian at Sea Containers House, Greenwich Peninsular, The Ampersand Hotel, Laslett Hotel, Blake Tower Barbican, Ballymore London projects but also, we have lots of exciting new projects currently in supply!
What has the most influence over your product design?
Our founder Dave Hance has always had a very hands on approach but also listening to our customers and their wants and needs as well as keeping an ear to the ground for future bathrooms trends.
Do you have a favourite new product this year?
We have the new shortest projection WC in our Pier range which we recently launched, along with stunning new enclosures within our Zion collection. But hands down I think our new designer range of urban industrial style of brassware which is called UNION launching very soon! It’s just wow!
How do you promote your brand to make sure it stays in the mind of your buyers/consumers?
We use selective marketing ad campaigns that are in keeping with each of our brands and their market sectors. We’re relatively new to promoting products regularly with social media but we’re gaining momentum. We try to stay relevant in choosing which exhibitions and events we attend – we do love to be social though, so it’s likely you’ll see one of the team popping up in most networking events or inviting you along to something new! We try to stay in touch with our clients by regularly stopping by with updates, samples, snippets of info about upcoming products. Most importantly to us, we like our clients to feel like they’re a part of our team and are able to come to us for any bathroom requirements and you’ll just know that we will do all we can to realise your vision.
Are there brands in the industry that you admire, what makes them great?
I admire any brands that offer constantly evolving and innovative products. Brands that think outside the box and bring something new to the table. Dyson I feel is a company to look up to, just a simple way of re-inventing the hairdryer but the Supersonic was launched as a ‘game changer’ which really did live up to the hype. To some it’s just an overpriced hairdryer, but the technology behind it, along with sales support and quality of product speaks for itself! One of their sales points was “real change isn’t about appearance, it’s about engineering from the inside out” which I think is so relevant in today’s hard sell, cheap alternatives market where sometimes quality and long-term benefits are lost in favour of a short term financial gain.
The design calendar seems to grow every year. Do you have a favourite interiors/design exhibition?
I have always been a big fan of SLEEP (and not just because I have a lack of it at home!), I feel that within the hospitality sector this gets the largest client base out of their offices to come and see what’s on offer. I also like to see what’s being promoted by my competitors. The EHDA’s are always a fun preceding evening event (intrigued to know how much the change to AHEAD makes to the event).
How much travel is involved with your job, do you have a favourite country to visit? Why do you enjoy it?
For me not so much yet, but my colleagues have projects all over the world so can be seen jetting off to the Caribbean, USA, Ibiza and Asia!
How do you see your company evolving over the next few years? Do you have any plans you can share with us?
Last year we launched Crosswater London into the USA so this has been an exciting new venture for Crosswater and we have recently employed some new American team mates so we’ll hopefully see this arm of the business develop and grow. We’re hoping to become more of a global brand and are making waves to establish the Crosswater brand far and wide. On the contracts side we are now able to offer specifications from our Bathroom Brands partners which essentially just makes our sweet shop even bigger to choose from. And we will continue to develop innovative new products to keep our clients interested!
Tell us about your HQ, Lakeview House, we love the sound of the “man cave!”
Lake View House opened just over 2 years ago and was purpose built for a Crosswater HQ in Dartford – overlooking a lake! The location is ideal, its easily reached from central London in less than 20 minutes on the high-speed train from St Pancras to Ebbsfleet, and then we’re just a few minutes’ drive from the station. If you’re driving we have plenty of parking and we’re so easy to find right next to the Dartford Tunnel / Bridge – you can even see the building to your right as you’re coming over the bridge. Its 131,000 square feet of distribution, office and recreational space! The Man Cave is a recreational space used for events by both Crosswater and our friends in the industry when needed. It’s a little gem, nestled on the 1st floor of the building, decked out like an old American 50s diner, complete with juke box, pool table, tennis table and fully stocked bar! Employees are allowed to use the man cave when not booked out. But the real star is The Gallery! We commissioned Coppin Dockray Architects to design the finest bathroom showroom in the UK and no expense was spared! The Gallery is the length of a rugby pitch, decorated with a trail of over 5,800 hand blown golden glass baubles. There are 32 room sets, a dedicated area showcasing the length and breadth of Crosswater basin mixers range, a working brassware section, working digital showering display and meeting spaces. Well worth a visit if you want to be truly inspired. It always gets the same ‘wow’ reaction when people see it for the first time!
Your employees seem to be extremely important to you, how would you describe your company culture?
If summed up in one word, it feels like a big FAMILY, (slightly dysfunctional at times but that’s what brings variety and a different opinion to the table!). The senior management team are approachable and they listen, they like to be involved in what you’re doing without being on your shoulder. More as a way of what can we do to be better. Moving here last year has been very refreshing and a great choice for me. We have summer and Christmas social gatherings so the workplace can be seen as a fun environment too, there’s little breakout spaces if people just need to unwind for a little so the company culture is definitely to create a happy workplace where people are working efficiently to have the best work life balance we can get. But family is a word you hear a lot in our business.
Many thanks for taking the time to answer our questions Becky! It’s been great learning more about Crosswater.
For more information on Crosswater please visit their website www.crosswater.co.uk
