Garden inspiration to touch and click
Interview with Kef van Helbergen, CEO of Kees Smit Tuinmeubelen B.V.
Today, customers don’t just buy a product, they want to be taken on a journey when they shop, especially when it comes to emotional products such as garden furniture. These products represent outdoor living, long summer evenings with friends, the first morning coffee on the doorstep. Kees Smit Tuinmeubelen B.V. perfectly showcases these emotional moments. The leading specialist for garden furniture in the Netherlands is not only popular with its compatriots; German customers also enjoy ordering online or strolling through the lovingly designed garden worlds in the furniture expert’s XXL stores in Almelo, Amersfoort, Venlo and since March 12th also in Eindhoven.
The market for garden furniture has developed rapidly in recent years. Gardens, patios and balconies are becoming increasingly important to people who want attractive and decorative solutions that bring atmosphere to their green spaces. ‘Outdoors at home’ is an important brand message for Kees Smit, which will become even more prominent in its showrooms from this year onwards. And Kees Smit’s stores are impressive indeed, with their indescribably large area of over 8,000 m2. “We currently operate stores in Almelo, Amersfoort, Venlo and Eindhoven, each covering over 8,000 m2, where we present our entire range of furniture and accessories. These are not soulless aisles lined with benches, chairs and tables, but bright, inviting outdoor spaces that also cater to the specific needs of customers,” emphasizes Kef van Helbergen, who has been at the helm of the company as its new CEO for nine months. “You see, customers don’t just want garden furniture, they want a real experience. And that’s what they find with us under specific themes: eating & enjoying, lounging and relaxing, shade & comfort, professional hospitality, and decorating & atmosphere.” In each of these situations, Kees Smit showcases complete sets of solutions. “Of course, it’s a big investment to redesign exhibitions in such a way that the experience is at the forefront. But we already demonstrated this in the past and now want to develop it further. In the beginning of March, we opened a new store in Eindhoven, and our existing stores will also be presented more consistently with the new approach,” says Kef van Helbergen. “We are interested in those special moments when customers want to get outside.”
Furniture in-store and online
This also reinforces the focus on Kees Smit’s omni-channel concept, which has become extremely important for the garden furniture company in recent years. “Today, the product search begins online. Customers click through the website, put together products or complete sets that they can imagine for their gardens, and then go to the shop to get advice, look at the products on site and get support from our staff,” says Kef van Helbergen. “Around 73% of our customers start online, but 25 to 27% of customers also head directly to the store. That’s why both the website and the showroom are extremely important to us and are growing closer and closer together. In our showrooms, customers can view, touch, try out and experience the products.” And Kees Smit is all about experience, not just today, but for over 80 years. Kees Smit’s parents (with his father also named Kees) ran a household goods shop in Almelo, first as a mobile business with a horse and cart, then as a stationary shop. In the 1960s, they set up garden furniture outside their shop and it quickly showed that garden furniture would be the future. Father Kees Smit, his son Kees and later his grandson Henk made the company what it is today. In 2024, the majority stake was sold to the investment company Craft Capital, run by a family of entrepreneurs from the dairy business, which intends to continue the brand, its down-to-earth approach and its corporate culture. “We are no longer a true family business, even though Henk Smit still owns a minority stake, but the heart of the family is still deeply rooted in us, and we don’t want to lose that family spirit. It has become part of our culture, and we want to convey that to our customers,” says Kef van Helbergen. “You get so much in return from people. And I think that’s why I took on this position. At first, I was really surprised at how friendly and approachable everyone was. It’s a great feeling and cannot be overestimated.” Despite its size – Kees Smit has a market share of 18 to 20% – this sense of well-being and friendliness is reflected on the sales floor and it has become an important selling factor. Advice is important, and customers know that, too.
Making outdoor experiences enjoyable
Kees Smit is currently working on extending the business by a few months. “Until now, garden furniture has been a seasonal business – the peak season lasts about six to seven months, then it ebbs away. We want to change our offering to extend the season, for example with special products. Think of things like patio heating for the cooler months and accessories that can be used outside the peak summer season. This is a slow process, because we can’t build up a year-round offering overnight, but we are working on making some changes here,” says Kef van Helbergen. The customer group, currently around 40 and older, is also to be continuously expanded with solutions for younger people, not only in terms of price level, but also with regard to style and design. New market openings are on the agenda; there is still great potential for new showrooms in the Netherlands, and openings in Germany are also being considered due to the high proportion of German customers. There are still many issues that Kees Smit will be working on under its new management in the coming years. But the main focus of making people’s outdoor experiences as enjoyable as possible will prevail.