Rapport Showroom Spotlight: Palm Desert
Rapport Furniture’s Palm Desert showroom is a style oasis. From plush Natuzzi sofas to vibrant Cattelan dining tables, we feature all of the top designers you need to turn your desert home into your dream home.
We spoke with store manager Kirk Sandland to learn what sets Rapport Furniture’s Palm Desert’s showroom apart from the pack.
Interview
Q: Why do your clients love Rapport Palm Desert?
KS: I think our ability to fulfill orders quickly is a big one. We’re the largest contemporary furniture showroom in the Palm Springs area, so we have a lot of inventory on hand and we receive two or three containers of new products every week, so we can usually deliver furniture quickly without making our clients have to wait months and months for their order.
Additionally, we have an in-house delivery team. We have our own trucks and our own crews so not only can we offer white glove delivery services but our team is trained in how to install and put together all of your furniture.
And our service is second to none. Not only will we help you find what you want in the store, but we can also provide complimentary in-home design services.
Q: Your staff can actually go to someone’s house and advise them on how to design a room?
KS: Absolutely. Our entire staff is highly trained and most of them have been in the business for years. They can go into a client’s home to assess the space and take measurements. We can take samples to their home and help them pick colors and textures and even help with how to set up a living room or bedroom. We’re also able to bring in different art and accessories so they can see how it looks in a room before they buy it.
And there’s no charge for that. We basically offer a free design service even if you don’t make a purchase.
Q: Can your team put together a room once the order has been delivered?
KS: Yes, we do custom installations all the time. We also do commercial installations. We did the Thermal Airport here in Thermal, California. It's a private airport, where a lot of our high-end clients park their jets. We did the Paseo hotel, in Palm Desert. We furnished that. We have a lot of high-end clients who will let us do their whole home for them. So we have a lot of experience creating designs and helping our clients fulfill a specific vision for their home.
Q: What’s your most popular furniture line right now?
KS: Our clients love Natuzzi. They have a clean, contemporary design and their leathers all come from Northern Europe, so they're all thicker hides which gives them incredible longevity. Many clients come in and they say, “Oh, I've had that Natuzzi sofa for 25 years and it just won't wear out. I'm just tired of the color or I'm tired of the design and I want to change it.” But people can keep them forever if they want and they look beautiful.
Q: What’s the typical customer profile like for Rapport in the Palm Springs area?
KS: It’s changed quite a lot recently. Palm Desert is a retirement community and a lot of our clients are in their 60s and they still come in, but there’s also been a big shift to young families and working professionals. A lot of them moved out here during COVID and they work from home now. So we have a lot of them coming in to put together their home offices and also the rest of their home.
Q: What is the customer experience like when they walk into your showroom?
KS: We take pride in being very customer focused and being sensitive to our client's needs. We try to understand their taste, what they like in design and the specifics of what they're looking for. We like to sit down with people and take the time to get to know them.
We’re not pushy. Our staff isn’t trained to do hard sells, but we do want to know how the furniture is going to be used, if they watch TV or if they want something to go with a view. What kind of fabrics do they like? We’re not just selling furniture, we’re trying to provide our clients with a guided design experience.
We’re also sensitive to the fact that everyone has a different budget, but whether it's a young couple that saved up $1,500 for their first sofa or someone who wants us to redecorate their entire casita we’re going to give everyone the same respect and attention.
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If you’d like to schedule a complimentary in-home consultation or see some of the incredible furniture Rapport Palm Desert has to offer, come visit our showroom at 73990 El Paseo, Palm Desert, CA 92260
https://rapportfurniture.com/pages/modern-furniture-store-palm-desert