THE ERT INTERVIEW ROD SLATER


washing machine doesn’t make sense to customers right now because the model isn’t fully developed.


Q: How can retailers take advantage? RS: Retailers need training and understanding of how they can take their customers on their smart tech journey. Hopefully that is what our Plug In event [more on that, right] will demonstrate – in a real context where they can see over 100 products in a home setting. They wouldn’t necessarily keep all these in stock, but they’re definitely selling, and they need to be available to the retailer, and that’s where we come in. We actively encourage our retailers to develop relationships with us and our manufacturers.


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Q: Your focus for this year is on the independent retailer, tell me more. RS: We’ve got manufacturers with brands that are ready and relevant to engage with the independent retail space. We’ve got the installation service bundling and we are looking to line up the brands, the right services and the right support for independent retailers to then execute in the style they feel best suits their customer base. We’ll heavily overlay that with experience and guidance and consultation around what will and won’t work in-store. It’s not about filling up a store with control TVs and fridges, it’s about equipping stores and their staff with the knowledge and access to products to be able to fulfil the journey with the customer.


Q: What is unique about the independent retailer offering?


RS: They are the trusted advisors in their locality; many of them have been going for a long time and they are well known and trusted. They can take their skills and expertise out to their market and expand on it as well, not just in traditional categories


but these are in the smart customers right now.


audio, in VR, in smart displays and smart speakers –


products


technology, that


are


premium attracting


Plug In To Exertis will be held on Thursday, 16 May 2019 at the Silverstone Race Circuit. Resellers and retailers will have the opportunity to spend a day immersed in technology with four dedicated exhibition areas focused on business, AV, enterprise and consumer solutions. The exhibition will also comprise a seminar programme, guest speakers and a host of show-


floor features designed to inform, educate and provide opportunities for customers to increase their sales into existing clients or start conversations with prospective ones. Last year, Plug In To Exerts welcomed a record number of 1,100 attendees with almost 700 resellers and retailers in attendance and 116 vendors exhibiting.


Here, Rod Slater explains more about the event…


RS: It’s all about demonstrating the breadth of products that Exertis can bring to the market. Sometimes it’s very easy for customers to lose sight of everything we do because we cover so many areas, but we’re out to showcase the breadth of our portfolio and that we’re very much a one stop shop for these products. The real key difference with Exertis, and


what we will be showcasing at Plug In, is that we have dedicated, expert teams that look after domestic appliances, VR, audio and the smart tech business unit. This gives us the opportunity to demonstrate our specialist knowledge. At the back end of last year, for example,


we introduced service bundling for smart home products, allowing retailers to put a service together with the product at the time of sale, which encourages people to think about things like finance in a single transaction to make it easy for the consumer.


Q: What are your hopes for this year’s event? RS: While previous events were very successful, we’re hoping this year to build on this even more. Our aspirations are about making technology more accessible to the marketplace through the event.


Q: What can retailers expect to see this year? RS: One thing we want them to realise is that


a significant amount of business disappeared when Maplin closed down, and that hasn’t been replaced on the high street. The company had about 300-plus stores, and 50 were geographically unique, i.e. no competitors near to them. So, this has really opened up the market to wider retail stores. This year, we’ve virtual reality, premium


audio, including an immersive experience for visitors, and lots of smart products integrated into the home living space that we’ve specifically designed. Also, for the first time, we’re actually showing our first robot and our first SDA products from recent signings. The key thing for independents to take away


is that everybody is now buying these products, so they need to get involved. We are hoping they will engage with our manufacturers and will get face-time with them. Equally, that they come away with a good understanding of what we can provide to help them develop their business and satisfy their customers. Also, 60 lucky customers will get the chance


to hurl themselves around Silverstone race track with our special promotion!


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