BMJ BUILDERS MERCHANTS JOURNAL O
ne of the major benefits of being part of a buying group, in addition to the purchasing deals, is the opportunity to form lasting, valuable business relationships with other, like- minded merchant Partners.
A real benefit of forming those relationships is the ability to discuss issues and problems and new ideas with others who can bring the benefit of their experience in a wide range of sectors.
NBG’s new initiative, launched at the 2018 Liverpool Conference on the back of research with its Partners, is The Merchants of Change forum. This is a community which will allow partners to share advice, exchange best practice and learn about the latest industry challenges. The research - called the NBG Industry Barometer - acts as a barometer for the sector and found the top priority for merchants is having a strong local brand identity, with 94% of partners agreeing or strongly agreeing this is vital to retaining and attracting customers. The second major concern is the availability of products and a consistent supply – 85% say this would remain a long-term challenge. The other concerns in the “top six” are the importance of social media as a marketing tool (83%); having a strong e-commerce offering (81%) coupled with e-trading solutions to boost efficiency in ordering, invoicing and stock management (79%); and staff recruitment and retention, in particular attracting high quality, younger employees (74%).
NBG’s Merchants of Change group, which is designed to help partners pool knowledge, develop their skill-sets and face challenges with confidence, was launched by NBG Board
Rex Nye, managing director of DW Nye launches Merchants Of Change at the NBG Conference
MERCHANTS OF CHANGE
NBG LAUNCHES MERCHANTS OF CHANGE FORUM
NBG launches initiative to support Partners with business issues as they move forward.
Member Rex Nye, managing director of DW Nye.
The group is open to any Partners who would like to be involved in the changing face of the organisation. It will be run by Partners, facilitated at a distance by NBG.
Industry Barometer
We asked NBG Partners to rate what was important for their business to prosper and be future-proofed.
think a strong local brand will attract and retain customers
81 January 2019
believe they will need a competitive e-commerce offering
79 83 74
said e-trading solutions will make ordering, invoicing and stock management more efficient
nationalbuyinggroup.com 85
think social media can raise brand profile and build relationships with customers
think they will need more quality, young staff members
Scores are the % of Partners who strongly agreed or agreed with the statement 15
NBG managing director Nick Oates, said: “We wanted to demonstrate that we’re a progressive buying group by encouraging our partners to think about the bigger picture and give them a chance to build a common message around making their brands stronger, embracing change and looking to the future of their business.
said consistent supply of products could be a challenge
“Merchants adopt change at differing paces and sometimes struggle to overcome traditional views and practices. We wanted to do something to support change in the industry while making our Partners feel confident in sharing their opinions and giving them a space to help shape the next generation of merchants. We’re very much looking forward to seeing how Merchants of Change will develop in the coming months.”
An initial session took place at the conference with 25 Partners attending and expressing an interest in joining Merchants of Change. The first meetings will focus on key issues highlighted in the survey and future agendas and priorities will be set by the group. Merchants of Change will be rolled out across NBG with partners encouraged to join whether they meet in person, on conference calls, or using online messaging tools.
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