AUDIO-TECHNICA FEATURE
The firm is looking to ramp up the market activity for the Allen & Heath brand of mixers
the past and also what our German division has done to see if we can learn from them. “Service and repairs and customer
support was another big thing for us to take on. All of the technical support goes through us.” The firm’s new back-end system may be something readers of an IT mag might find more interesting, but it is a vital link in the chain between Audio-Technica and its customers. Like any new system it has had its teething troubles, but adjustments have been made and it is delivering what it was designed to do now. “The main benefit for customers is the
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www.mi-pro.co.uk
improved and enhanced placing of the stock available,” says Rooke. “We have a lot more visibility as to what is happening within the business. The allocation of inventory is important and we have to make sure the product gets to all markets. It’s quite complex, but having one inventory has huge positives. “It improves our service to customers
because we’ve got all the information to hand. The information was there before, but it was more difficult to get out.”
And in a market where there’s little to choose on a technical level between the best high-end microphones and headphones, customer experience is crucial, says Rooke. “The way you differentiate yourself is by
All of our competitors have got great products, so customer service is what sets us aside. Adrian Rooke
customer service. All of our competitors have got great products, so customer service is what sets us aside. We’re not a discounter. We’re not one of those firms offering deals in the last week of the month to hit our targets. That’s a short term view which can cause a lot of damage because
customers get trained to expect it. “The CRM software we have installed integrates and synchronises with the Microsoft products we use. Sales people on the road and the sales and marketing people in the office will have a 360 degree view of the customer. It allows us to make better decisions. Our sales staff are not walking into potential issues with the customers and they can deal with any problems quickly and efficiently.” On top of all that going on, the firm is
contracted to supply all the wireless mics for Olympic venues this year – likely to be more than 5,500 in total.
Improvements to the company’s back-end system has given the company “a lot more visibility as to what what is happening within the business”
This is a typical example of the high
regard in which its products are held at a professional level. But the firm also wants to make inroads in the consumer headphones market, with Harvey Roberts charged with leading the firm’s challenge. “The consumer division is still relatively
small,” he says, “and our focus remains pro- audio and always will. But we have a fantastic range of portable audio products. “In Japan, we have a 26 per cent share of the headphone market and we believe we can make an impact in the consumer electronics market here. The headphone market in the last three years has grown significantly.” No doubt the portable headphone
market has seen a huge upswing in popularity for the larger variety like the Dr Dre Beats line. But Roberts doesn’t see the A-T range as a mere fashion accessory. “We’re about the audio quality. We’re not a fashion brand. We’re about precision engineered quality for people that know,” he says.
All of which makes for a busy operation,
straddling a number of sectors. And that’s where getting it right in terms of stock control and order allocation becomes all the more important. Ask any retailer who has experienced otherwise and they’ll testify to that.
July 2012 29
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