I couldn’t get eggs, so I found a local farm, and I still buy my eggs there, because they were there when I needed them.
SH: But now it’s down to independents to keep those customers who used them during the crisis, isn’t it? They need to be proactive in their marketing etc, so they don’t lose them… PT: It’s simpler than that. How many of them picked up the phone to ‘Mrs Miggins’ one or two days after she’d bought a washing machine, to ask her if ‘Bill and John’ had a done a great job and find out if she had any questions on concerns? ‘We’re always here if you need anything – just pop in…’ How do you leave the customer feeling after a simple one- or two-minute phone call? It wasn’t just a transaction – you valued that consumer and their life. Throughout my career, I’ve always felt that – what is a consumer worth in their lifetime? If you win their heart and mind, they’ll always have you as first choice. You need a solution for that consumer in your community and
make them feel special. Of course, our members need to make a profit, but, sometimes, you need to invest a little bit more to maintain that worth.
SH: Do you need to raise consumer awareness of Euronics and what the brand represents? PT: That’s one of my key challenges: who is Euronics? Does the consumer know, and do they care? If you go to Europe, Euronics has an incredible awareness – it’s on the fascia of all the stores. When you come to the UK, the greatest awareness is
predominantly with the [retailer’s] family business’s name in their local community – village, town or city. Some of them are second generation and some are fifth generation. What the Euronics brand gives is being part of a collective – we
can raise awareness, whether that’s on TV or radio… If I was to say to a member, ‘would you have Euronics or your family name on the fascia?’ They would say ‘the family name’ – and I would do the same. So, how do we then get that synergy of the Euronics name and
the member’s name? At the moment, we just have a fascia that says ‘Euronics’ and then the member’s name? What does that say to the consumer? So, one of the things I’ve asked my colleagues in Europe to consider – because I’ve got to respect that Euronics is their brand, too – is that the fascia becomes ‘Euronics @’ and then the member’s name. It’s a balance of power – the independent has that trust and value in the local community, but they’re part of Euronics, which is the biggest purchaser of electrical goods in Europe. It brings it all together and the @ works well online.
“
There’s a piece to be had around sustainability, but I don’t want to do any greenwashing – there’s enough of that going on out there
Paul Tyler, chief executive of CIH
Euronics Showcase 2022 We want to inform consumers, get those messages to resonate
and raise awareness. So, we’ve got a teaser campaign – if the consumer has any concerns over sustainability, all they have to do is ‘just ask’ [a member of staff].
When they come in-store, talk about the benefits of using a
heat pump tumble dryer and how it can save energy and protect your clothes. We’re also talking about induction cooktops – half the carbon footprint, twice the speed – and eco programs on washing machines.
Also on the sustainability front, we have a new warehouse in
Tankersley [South Yorkshire], which is really exciting – it opened in October last year. We hope to extend the solar panelling on the roof in the next
few weeks and move from gas clamp trucks to fully electric – we have also put charging points for cars there. It means the building will have no draw on the network – we’ll be fully self-contained. We’re also working with a number of third parties on the
recycling of products and polystyrene to create a national solution.
SH: Having been on the supplier side, you can understand the challenges they face too, can’t you? PT: That’s key – I understand the challenges suppliers have – and I have a respect for that. It’s about understanding their channel strategy and what part we can play in it and aligning with those brands that want to work with us.
SH: What’s your take on the market? PT:We’ve had two great years, but, with inflation, who knows how it will impact households? Will it impact people’s disposable income? Without question.
I’m taking a view that there’s a piece to be had around sustainability, but I don’t want to do any greenwashing – there’s enough of that going on out there. More consumers are taking a little bit of time out to understand their impact on the planet and how they can be more sustainable. How do we inform ‘Mrs Miggins’ that her 12-14-year-old
fridge-freezer is costing her X pounds a month or year to run? If she traded it in, she would have today’s technology, which can prolong the life of food and reduce wastage and save her money.
30 Editor’s Interview: Paul Tyler
SH: You’ve talked about some of the challenges. Are you enjoying the role so far? PT: I’m absolutely loving it. What was lovely was that after a few weeks, one of my staff, who’s been there a long time, said, ‘It’s like you’ve been here for ever’. That was really heart-warming. Stuart Cook built an incredible business and I’m lucky to have inherited it from him. He’s left it in great shape – everything in front of me is an opportunity as opposed to a challenge. We have a resource of specialist knowledge, we have logistics – we hold a lot of stock and we deliver up to three times a week – and we have buying power, with over 450 members and 600 stores. We can buy at prices that allow our members to compete in this challenging market.
Editor’s Interview
“
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52
