For the Bathroom & Wellness and Tableware divisions, the digital revolution represents an opportunity – and selected examples show how Villeroy & Boch is exploring these new horizons.
Just a few clicks and the new bathroom is ready – at least when it comes to a virtual bathroom in Villeroy & Boch's online Bathroom Planner. This tool allows potential customers to design a rough outline of their new bathroom easily using their own computer or tablet.
The user is guided through the planning process in just a few steps: enter the bathroom floor plan, add doors and windows, then place washbasins and toilets, bidets and urinals, baths, showers as well as bathroom furniture and mirrors from the current range – and done! Three-dimensional views and a floor plan with exact measurements are a good way to get a first impression of the completed bathroom. Villeroy & Boch sends a free Virtual Reality cardboard to customers so they can easily view their bathroom plan in 3D at home. After completing the bathroom plan, the user will be sent an email containing a link to the 3D view. Once the customer has received the Virtual Reality cardboard, they only have to click the link and put their smartphone into the Virtual Reality cardboard. The perfect three-dimensional visualisation makes it easy to imagine what the bathroom will look like – and provides planning security.
Will the new bathtub fit in the room? What will the washbasin actually look like in your home? Sometimes, our imagination can be stretched too far. Villeroy & Boch's free Augmented Reality app can help you to choose the perfect products for your new bathroom. The app allows users to very easily call up a three-dimensional view of their favourite products and project different colour versions into their home using the camera on a smartphone or tablet, giving a more realistic impression of the actual effect. The app is available for iOS, Android and Windows.
Around four billion people worldwide are online – and every day, one in two of them uses Facebook, one in three YouTube and one in four Instagram. Social media channels are booming, and they offer an excellent platform for presenting companies, brands and products. For Villeroy & Boch, the social web is one of the main ways of reaching a target group that includes young international users and encouraging interaction. From Facebook to Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, Pinterest and WeChat: Villeroy & Boch has its own presence on the world's most widely used social media channels and actively addresses a large international fan community.
The innovative ideas developed by the Dining & Lifestyle Division are not restricted to new product ranges, decors or ceramic shapes, but also extend to intelligent customer services. "Cross channel" is the guiding principle. These days, a company needs to be present with its customers – both online and offline. While personal advice in Villeroy & Boch stores is still very important, digital services are becoming increasingly essential. For example, the Personal Sales Assistant (PSA), the Online Gift Registry and services such as Check & Reserve and Click & Collect offer customers convenient options for online shopping.