The retailer/supplier relationship has always been an important aspect for fitted bedroom and home office manufacturer and supplier Hepplewhite – commitment to outstanding service levels was one of the pillars that the company was founded on 80 years ago, and it remains today. A key part of this communication are the company’s retailer days, explains Hepplewhite's national sales manager, Tim Gent …
In a world where instant communication is expected and technology can replace personal contact, Hepplewhite builds its relationships around personal contact, that begins with a regional manager and is supported by a customer service team that is available by phone as well as email.
Understanding the issues that the independent retailer faces and working alongside them has enabled Hepplewhite to develop a range of benefits that enables us to work as a team, supporting our retailers and maintaining open lines of communication.
“Meeting with retailers in this kind of environment also enables us to pick up on any areas that are not working as they should, and deal with any potential criticisms before they become major areas of concern. We realise that we don’t always get it right all of the time”
Our most recent retailer days were held at four locations – in the North, Midlands, London and the South-east – to give as many retailers as possible the opportunity to attend. On this occasion, we launched a new brochure and price list, and introduced a new addition to our extensive product range.
Bringing retailers together in this fashion gives us a unique opportunity to engage and receive feedback. It also allows them to meet with like-minded retailers, and this makes this type of event well attended and enjoyable.
We aim to make our events informal and friendly, with careful consideration to how much time they take out of a retailer’s day. We structure them so that they gain maximum benefit from their time away from the showroom. Recent feedback from the last launch event shows that this is important, and that retailers have to believe they will benefit in order to take the time to attend.
Meeting with retailers in this kind of environment also enables us to pick up on any areas that are not working as they should, and deal with any potential criticisms before they become major areas of concern. We realise that we don’t always get it right all of the time, so gaining feedback from retailers so that we can monitor and improve is important.
Another aspect is being able to bring retailers to a venue where they can see and touch new products, to fully appreciate the finishes and textures. Whenever we can, we arrange locations where retailers can see some of very best room displays. For many retailers, the success of their bedroom furniture sales is directly related to their showroom displays, and we can demonstrate how a good display with the right props and dressings can make a difference.
Sometimes our events will incorporate product training, keeping our retailers up to date with the latest improvements and ensuring that they are able to demonstrate and sell on the benefits to their customers.
It is commonplace in our industry for retailers to voice their criticism of suppliers – often relating to lack of support and customer service. It is our aim to develop a close working relationship that is seen as mutually beneficial, and incorporating retailer days into our annual activities is just one element of our strategy to achieve this.
