Cyncly’s Alex Ainge: How AI can benefit KBB retailers today

Alex Ainge, Cyncly’s solutions group senior director, explains how AI is helping independent kitchen and bathroom retailers work faster and smarter, while improving the customer journey from inspiration to installation.

Not long ago, artificial intelligence felt like something that belonged in sci-fi films and big tech labs. Today, it’s part of everyday life, from the way customers search online to the way businesses plan projects, communicate and manage workflows. The reality is that AI is already reshaping the KBB retail landscape. And for independent retailers, it offers a real opportunity: to protect margin, save time, improve customer experience and ultimately deliver more projects without compromising quality.

It’s completely natural to have concerns about how AI will affect your role. We know from our research that some KBB designers are hesitant to embrace AI because they worry it may replace them.What we’re seeing in practice is something very different.

AI isn’t replacing designers and retailers. It reduces the time spent on repetitive admin tasks and supports faster decision-making, freeing up skilled teams to do what they do best: understand customer needs, apply creativity, solve problems and build trust. But, just as professionals who embraced 3D CAD software replaced those working with paper, business who use AI will replace those who don’t because the technology helps them deliver a more consistent, more professional service.

Reshaping the consumer journey
Today’s customers are more informed than ever. Historically, their journey to a new kitchen or bathroom began with a visit to a local showroom. Now it starts on social media, moves through online research and inspiration platforms, and often progresses well before they step into a store. Many consumers are using AI tools like ChatGPT and Gemini to get design inspiration, compare options, gather ideas and shortlist products, so they have a more complete sense of their project before they engage with professionals.

AI is also helping many independent retailers optimise marketing, which is sometimes an afterthought simply because there hasn’t been the time or headcount. AI tools such as SocialBee, Buffer and Hootsuite can support the creation of social content, streamline scheduling, and help analyse what performs best, making it easier to reach today’s digital-first customers without adding extra pressure to already busy teams.

The key point is this: customers increasingly expect streamlined processes that reduce stress and save time. They want a buying experience that feels simple, modern and well-supported — and they’re beginning to assume AI-driven tools will play a part throughout the journey.

From inspiration to showroom: creating a seamless experience
For retailers, AI’s real value is its ability to connect the customer journey end-to-end. It starts with online inspiration tools that capture attention and convert interest into enquiries. From there, solutions that let a customer begin shaping a design online — and then refine it with a designer in the showroom — help deliver a consistent experience that builds confidence and improves customer satisfaction.

This is where tools such as Cyncly Scan, our AI-assisted measuring application, come into their own. Designers, installers — and even consumers — can generate an accurate floor plan quickly using just an iPhone, reducing time spent on site visits and helping projects move forward sooner. Crucially, it also takes room constraints into account, such as doors and windows, so the design process starts with a stronger foundation.

From there, Spaces Flex, our next-generation consumer engagement platform, can bring the project to life. Using its AI Inspire Image-to-Design capability, customers can upload an inspirational image and see it converted into a 3D design that features products offered by a specific retailer. It’s impressive, but more than that it’s practice: businesses can accelerate engagement, improve collaboration, and inspire customers while moving closer to a sale.

The future: smarter tools, better outcomes
AI is evolving rapidly, and the most exciting developments are still ahead. As data becomes richer and systems become more intelligent, AI tools will become even more effective, helping KBB retailers work with greater confidence, speed and precision.

For independent businesses, adopting AI solutions means staying competitive, doing more every day, and delivering the modern customer experience shoppers now expect. It’s a genuinely exciting time, and at Cyncly we’re proud to be helping lead the intelligence revolution in the spaces-for-living industry. Innovation is making the work of designers, retailers and installers easier, more efficient and ultimately more rewarding.