COMPANY PROFILE EMD
our features and news. When the chance arose, therefore, to shadow EMD’s Tom Robinson as he does the rounds on London’s Denmark Street, it was an easy decision to make. Meeting Robinson for an all-important
Right up your street D
Good sales reps will maintain close relationships with clients, but EMD’s Tom Robinson seems to take this to new heights. Adam Savage went to London to see how a man with both sales and music in his blood gets the most out of his clients…
espite being the beating heart of the MI trade, the road rep is all too often relegated to the ‘by the way’ section of
“This could be tips on training or point of
sale, for example. We do this because we rely on them – they are our customers.” Robinson puts the experience he gained
coffee stop before the first shop, it became obvious that this supplier’s sales approach is very different to what others adopt. A face-to- face style is a well used phrase, but EMD takes this one step further. Instead of simply convincing retailers to take on lines and then stand back, EMD seems to take an astounding interest in the overall wellbeing of the stores, rather than just keeping an eye on stock levels and pushing new products. “It’s important to stay in touch. We want them to do well and while we tell them about new products, we also come up with lots of fresh ideas for our retailers,” says Robinson.
40 miPRO DECEMBER 2010
during his time in the rag trade to good use in his current role. He feels that the MI industry could benefit from adopting the similar levels of planning and organisation that he witnessed with fashion companies. “A lot of MI stores don’t have a plan of what
ROBINSON: Always in touch
they’re going to stock, whereas in clothing, a lot of thought goes into it,” he explains. He is bewildered at retailers who have their product priorities all wrong. “I see many dealers chasing the top two percent of the market by buying £1,000-plus guitars. I then ask them how many they stock and how many they’re
selling.They’ll tell me they sell just two or three a month, when there’s 30 of these guitars on the wall. I don’t understand why they do this. They are clearly losing money on them.” It is to these shops in particular that
Chris Wing (left) of Foote’s makes an order
Robinson is trying to spread the word of EMD’s
brands, particularly Stagg and its status among scores of retailers as a money making breath of fresh air, especially as the brand covers virtually ever MI sector you can think of. The first stop on the tour was Footes in Golden Square, a store that has clearly been convinced by the EMD appeal, with Stagg and Remo lines covering the upstairs percussion section. “Stagg cymbals are our bread and butter and it’s great that Tom keeps the kind of contact with us that he does,” said Footes’ Rob Wilson, genuinely pleased with EMD’s visit. Here, another aspect of the EMD sales service was revealed, one of taking a genuine, interest in problem solving and making sure the stores are happy and thriving. Any issues with products are dealt with and if a store has an idea for what sells well and what is missing, Robinson shows enthusiasm for ensuring that needs are met quickly. Stores know he will deliver and not just spike the ‘to do’ list. There may be mixed opinions on the use of modern technology in MI, but it clearly benefits
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