Premier Kitchens and Bedrooms in Peterborough has already taken a bite. By introducing Hitachi’s special Buy Now Pay Later options, the company has increased the value of each order and is selling more of its top quality ranges as a result.

Hitachi Capital’s bite

Hitachi Capital was introduced to Premier Kitchens & Bedrooms as a result of their home improvement finance partnership with Consumer Credit Solutions (CCS). CCS saw two promising ingredients in Premier and Hitachi Capital in that both companies are loyal to their suppliers and benefit from fruitful, long-term business relationships.

It was the perfect recipe. Hitachi’s ‘Buy Now Pay Later’ deal has brought real bite to the business generating £2.5 million worth of credit sales in the first eight months, while Hitachi Capital’s commitment to service – for example, providing laptop ‘ready reckoners' that calculate deals instantly in front of customers, and a dedicated Hitachi Capital representative processing applications in record-breaking time – has allowed Premier’s sales people to focus on product and design – the bits they do best!

Interestingly, it is the 12-month payment deferral period that attracts Premier’s customers, as opposed to interest free. A year without payments gives invaluable breathing space, allowing many to invest more in their new kitchen or bedroom than initially budgeted for. While the deal is interest-bearing once repayments kick in, purchasers do have the option of settling after 12 months, interest-free. Most, however, opt for the flexibility of staged payments up to 60 months.

Hitachi Capital’s impact

You could say that with Hitachi’s ‘Buy Now Pay Later’ finance in place, Premier is cooking on full gas. Here are some examples:

• £2.5 million in credit sales in less than 8 months
• Conversions rates risen – fewer people ‘go away to think about it’
• Acceptance rates higher than ever – helped by Hitachi’s dedicated in-house sales team
• No awkward number crunching – Hitachi sorts this out, leaving Premier sales staff free to talk ‘product’

"Thanks to Hitachi Capital and CCS, we have had a major re-think on the value of offering credit. In the past, it has seemed an administrative chore, whereas now we see its huge potential – not just in allowing us to upsell on most orders, but in offering greater choice to customers. The support provided through CCS and Hitachi’s partnership is invaluable. Both are professional, responsive, and exceptionally helpful." Steve Harper, Commercial Director, Premier Kitchens

About our customer

Since Premier began in 1992, the company has installed over 5000 quality fitted kitchens and bedrooms, designed and supplied to precise customer specifications. Premier prides itself on exceptional customer service, offering a full 3D computer plan and design service free of charge, a full technical survey prior to installation
and free after sales care.

Believing that the kitchen is the ‘soul’ of the home and the bedroom your ‘escape’, Premier’s 70 staff are dedicated to getting it right. On their website, they claim to ‘seek perfection’ with every order, checking and double-checking each tiny detail from the initial 3D design, through to the last fixing. To meet their own exacting standards, they supply only solid, well-made cabinets, many of them award-winning in design, and use their own qualified fitters, while incorporating some of the best worktops, appliances and accessories on the market.

The company has six showrooms in Cambridgeshire and surrounding areas. An imminent move to a prestigious purpose-built £2.5 million head office in Peterborough will provide a gleaming 4,500 sq. ft. showroom housing over 30 different kitchen and bedroom displays and a proper working kitchen for cookery demonstrations.