Jonathon Brown’s work as B&Q head of multichannel will be under the microscope, as this area is a key priority for new Kingfisher boss Ian Cheshire. Jennifer Creevy reports

When asked which web sites he most admires, Jonathon Brown, head of multichannel at DIY giant B&Q, does not reel off the usual names such as Tesco or Amazon. Instead, the first to spring to mind is women’s lingerie site knickerpicker.com.

Brown explains that Knickerpicker is very interactive, where “you choose a model and she gets dressed up in underwear”. He then saves himself from falling into the realms of smut by adding: “Men need confidence in choosing and buying underwear [for their partners] and this site offers an easy and fun way of doing that.”

Knickerpicker is one of several sites that Brown admires, yet all those that he highlights share commonalities – they are interactive, fun, easy to navigate and offer a good service; all the elements that he is driving forward for B&Q’s web site, Diy.com.

“B&Q has a very successful online offer already, but there is plenty of growth to come,” he says. “We want to help customers improve their homes and the web site is an increasingly important tool to help with that.” An illustration of the growth potential is that only 6,000 products can be bought from its web site, although it provides descriptions for all its products online.

Brown joined in January last year with a remit to create a multichannel roadmap for B&Q and make it happen. He will be under close scrutiny, because multichannel is a subject close to the heart of Kingfisher’s new group chief executive Ian Cheshire. “Ian’s a great boss to have because online was his brainchild across the whole group,” he says. “So he’s a good boss to have because he’s passionate about online, but unfortunately he knows his detail,” he jokes.

Brown’s roadmap is coming to fruition already. Last month, B&Q expanded its Reserve & Collect service to a further 10 stores in Birmingham, following a trial last year in three stores. “We went live with Reserve & Collect at 10am on a Monday morning and by 11.30am one guy had ordered a bathroom online and collected it the next day,” says Brown. “That gave us great confidence and, once we’ve had the results back from these stores, we’ll consider rolling out the service to other areas nationwide.”

This month, B&Q goes live with its One Planet Living element of its web site (Retail Week, April 25). “B&Q has strong environmental credentials and our One Planet Living programme enables our customers to get involved too,” he says. “Our customers want to be more environmentally friendly, but they don’t always know how to go about it so we are giving them the tools to do that.”

One Planet Living will offer advice on how to be more green and include an eco-calculator, which works out the sustainability of individual homes. About 800 products that are One Planet Living-approved are available to search through and the site can advise which products are right for the user’s home.

The sky is the limit when it comes to multichannel, Brown claims. He points out that B&Q is exploring everything from social networking to interactive mobile phone use. “There’s some great social networking out there, which is really innovative and targeted, but there are also some bad examples which end up seeming a bit embarrassing – like your dad’s dancing,” he jokes. “So while social networking is a great tool, we have to make sure it will be helpful and useful to our customers. If we can find a platform that helps our customers improve their home in a fun and useful way, it could well work.”

Brown also sounds a note of caution over mobile phone use. “The majority of people who get a marketing message on their mobile phones will find it incredibly intrusive, but they do think differently if it is a service message,” he says.

B&Q has been testing mobile phone service messages for its trade customers. “For tradesmen, the mobile phone is the engine of their business, so if they receive a service message telling them something is ready for pick up then it is very useful.”

Brown seems confident that B&Q is exploring all options in terms of multichannel and everything is up for grabs. And he says the aim of multichannel is aligned to that of B&Q. “We want to be one of the first places you think of in terms of home improvement and the only place you go to. And we don’t mind whether you choose to shop online or in-store in doing that,” he says.

But while customers should expect big changes on B&Q’s web site, one thing they are unlikely to ever find are knickers.

Useful links
Lives: near Winchester, Hampshire
Family: married with two daughters
Likes: skiing, all sports

Career history
2007-present: director of multichannel, B&Q
2004-07: head of eChannels for Norwich Union, RAC
and BSM, Aviva
2002-04: senior marketing manager, Coca-Cola
1997-2002: various roles, British Airways
1994-97: direct marketing manager, Schroders
1992-94: joint owner, Dark Blue Ski Company