COMPANY PROFILE INTERMUSIC
Marginal opportunities Y
There is little that makes a company take stock of where it is more avidly than a landmark anniversary, although as Intermusic approaches its 25th birthday, Andy Barrett finds out, the Dorset-based supplier is already a step ahead…
ou have to hand it to Intermusic. Following the demise of his retail chain, Minns Music, Richard Webb
saw an opportunity in the piano importing business and started the company straight away. It’s likely that there were a few raised eyebrows accompanying Intermusic’s start-up, as it was at the time a crowded acoustic piano market, but 25 years on, the company is going from strength to strength. But what does that mean? It’s a phrase the PR people dish out at every opportune moment, but rarely has any substance behind it. In the case of Intermusic there is real justification. Occupying nearly half of an office/warehouse site in Poole (some five units out of 12, with an eye on each of the others as they become available), Webb’s company has recently undergone an internal revamp, establishing a new website (having finally wrestled the
intermusic.com domain name from a previous owner) and two new showrooms, one based on the company’s general MI offering and the other for the impressive Bechstein piano brands. Coming from a strong retail
background, Webb is always very clear about where his efforts are aimed.
32 miPRO OCTOBER 2010
“The showrooms are for dealers to come along and have a look at what we are doing and what we can offer,” he explains. “We’re really pleased with them and we hope it will inspire some of them to get a little bit more focused.” And it’s a focus that can be seen immediately, particularly in the Bechstein showroom, where the C Bechstein, Bechstein Academy and Hoffmann grands each sit in their own space, with some classy branding panels among them. “It’s like you would see in a Mercedes showroom,” Webb continues. “A well organised space with the brands given their own area, with
tables and chairs to talk business. If a shop takes on a display such as this, they will benefit from being a prime dealer.” The general showroom displays all of the guitar, brass and woodwind, with the impressive (and extremely wide) range of Shine guitars, the Kiss endorsed Silvertone brand and Intermusic’s own Bentley branding on pretty much everything else, from saxes, brass and woodwind to digital pianos and drums. The two spaces illustrate the maturity
Intermusic has achieved over the years, which together with its long-standing policies of allowing dealers to set their
own retail prices and the ability for them to buy products with their own branding makes the supplier one of the most retailer-friendly operations in the country. The icing on the cake, therefore, has been the capture of the
intermusic.com domain, which inspired a complete overhaul of the company’s website. Once again, it is focused on the dealer, with a secure retailer area, a fully spec’d search engine and the ability to see full account details and any orders progressing. Webb’s son, Oliver, as well as looking after business outside of MI, has been turning his attention to the website.
L-R: Intermusic’s piano product manager Steve Hammett, founder and chairman Richard Webb and managing director, Oliver Webb WW.MI-PRO.CO.UK
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