As the CEO of Lixil Asia Pacific, Bijoy Mohan has a huge task on his hands. Not only does he have to turn the bathroom space, an oft-underappreciated part of the home, into the centre of attention, Mohan also needs to change the way consumers shop for and select sanitary fittings. Yet, if the recent opening of the Grohe duplex-gallery at Shaw Centre is anything to go by, it seems he is all set to take on the challenges.
Located in the heart of the shopping belt in Singapore, Grohe Spa is a beautifully decked-out 6,000sqf gallery featuring some of Grohe’s most innovative water technologies. While some may question the logic of a sanitaryware brand setting up shop in the middle of Orchard Road, Mohan believes Grohe is at the right place, at the right time.
The ground floor of Grohe’s expansive duplex gallery is filled with the brand’s latest sanitaryware products.
“Grohe is part of Lixil, which happens to be the largest company in the industry and, as the biggest player in the market, we told ourselves a couple of years ago that it’s time to raise the industry to the next level,” he explains. “In doing so, we needed to consider two critical issues affecting the industry – enhancing the shopper experience, and finding a way to compete with other lifestyle products for the customers’ attention,” he adds.
According to Mohan, simplifying the shopping journey for the consumer, when it comes to picking out the perfect showerhead or toilet fixture, will encourage homeowners to do more with their bathroom spaces.
“Homeowners don’t know what to do or where to go when they want to renovate their bathrooms, but if we make it easier, they will do it more often, and when the frequency increases, the whole industry grows,” he says, comparing the situation to a similar evolution that took place in the furniture industry two decades ago. “When it became easier for people to buy furniture, they started renovating every three or four years,” he elaborates.
Looking around the showroom, it’s evident that Grohe has gone all out to create the ideal shopper experience. An entire floor is dedicated to showcasing actual bath suite settings from seven premium resorts and hotels around the world, from Sri Panwa in Phuket to The Conrad in Koh Samui and Swissotel The Bosphorus in Istanbul, all equipped with various Grohe collections.
You’ll see digital technology coming into all aspects of the bathroom. Grohe has incorporated it in products like the Grohe Sensia Arena, as well as touch-control showers, and spa systems controlled by mobile apps. Grohe was the first to experiment with digital technology nine years ago and, today, we are looking into the next stage of digital integration, which includes medical analysis. We have prototypes of toilets that can measure daily blood sugar levels.
With Grohe’s VR headset, visitors can experience the spatial feel of being in a bathroom equipped with Grohe’s spa systems, without getting wet.
“We have to keep reminding ourselves when it comes to technological innovations in our products, we can’t focus on just doing new things; it must mean we can perform the small and basic functions just as well. We must inspire the consumer, not just by adding more features, but also by making the simple things more enjoyable.”
Visit the Grohe Spa Asia flagship at Level 1 #01-04 /05, Shaw Centre, 1 Scotts R oad. Visit www.grohe.sg for more information.