Hotel Graaf Bernstorff - Schiermonnikoog

How did the partnership with I-KOOK come about?

For the new hotel suites, I had a set item for the kitchens in the quote with the contractor, who wanted to place the kitchens with Bruynzeel. When I got the quote, I was not very happy about it, but there appeared to be no room to negotiate. Then I started looking further and searching on the Internet. What struck me at I-KOOK was that they work with German brands. They deliver good quality at more competitive prices than Dutch manufacturers. They also have a slightly different approach than other companies. That appealed to me. I had no reference, so I went by the appearance of the website. As a rule, the websites of kitchen suppliers are not interesting. It's about kitchens, but I believe that. Any kitchen vendor can supply cabinetry and appliances. What matters to me is good appointments, installation and good after sales. I have more to gain from that. Then I contacted I-KOOK Veendam, the nearest branch and made an appointment with Hayo Smit.

What other projects are you doing?

We currently have two ongoing projects. First, ten apartments on Schiermonnikoog that are being built for permanent residence. This again I am picking up directly with Hayo. The kitchens are a size larger than in the suites. We also rent out 27 apartments behind our hotel. Of these, half had already been renovated and we are now doing the other half. Here the kitchens have to be taken out and replaced. The first project with the suites went well. They were nicely finished and I-KOOK works quickly. There were some things that were missing. That's always possible. I passed it on and it was delivered right away. The aftercare is good. I know what I got from I-KOOK and for these two projects I did not request any other quotes.

What sets I-KOOK apart?

I-KOOK works very clearly by appointment and I like that. The inventory of wishes and requirements takes time and you don't do that standing up. As a rule, the sales process is largely done sitting at a desk. Often it's not a yes or no after an initial conversation. That takes time. I-KOOK says very clearly: we don't do that like our competitors. This also allows you to bring in more targeted people. They are serious about buying a kitchen and not just taking a look. Hayo, in particular, is not the type of salesman you find in traditional kitchen stores. A good salesman is a good listener and not necessarily a good talker. People generally know 80% of what they want. The trick is to fill in that 20%. I've been to kitchen companies where they said: if you sign today, you'll get 40% off. If I already get that much discount when I haven't even asked for it, for me it's not a discount and not credible. I-KOOK is very transparent. The prices are already competitive and real. They are well below the prices of Bruynzeel, which is the largest in the Netherlands in the business market.