31 May 2023 ertonline.co.uk


News


A familiar face: Owen Watters returns to Roberts as CEO


Roberts Radio has announced that Owen Watters is returning to the company as CEO.. He previously worked for the British audio brand for 14 years – six of which as CEO – before leaving in June 2019. He took the helm as Managing Director at Hama UK in February 2020. But now, Mr Watters has re-joined Roberts and


said he aims to get radio back on the agenda for consumers, while building on the brand’s strong


connections with traditional and independent retailers and premium high street locations. He said that as shopping habits continue to normalise following a shift to online during the pandemic, he plans to engage with traditional high- street consumers and champion the benefits of shopping in person, leaning into the expert advice and industry-leading service levels available at independent retailers. “I am delighted to be re-joining Roberts Radio as CEO, a business I have always been passionate about and have followed closely since I first joined back in 2005,” he said.


“Roberts has continued to build a well-respected


presence in the UK and in European markets, and I look forward to continuing to grow the brand’s success.”


Mr Watters said that more and more consumers


are tuning into their radios – with podcasts and streaming services extending radio’s appeal – and now is “the right time” for Roberts to get radio back on the agenda, he said. “Roberts has a firm reputation for quality, trust and


reliability,” he went on, “and this provides us with the direction in which I intend to lead the brand forwards.” During Mr Watters’ previous tenure with the


company, his work paved the way for Roberts’ successful European expansion into territories such as France and Germany. The brand was also named ERT’s Supplier of the Year three years in a row at the ERT Awards, while its first connected device – the iStream 94i – also won the What HiFi? Product of the Year award three years in a row.


ASWO goes live with new Repair Parts Team service


Spare parts logistics provider, ASWO, has launched its new online service called Repair Parts Team, which offers new business opportunities to its customer base of both independent retailers and repair tradespeople. www.repairpartsteam.co.uk is designed to attract consumers that are looking


for spare parts or for help to repair a faulty appliance. One of the main elements of the site is the ‘Find A Repairer’ service where consumers can put their postcode in and be presented with a list of local tradespeople, which each have their own details page. This will help to send potential repair job leads to ASWO customers. For those consumers that wish to simply purchase the spare parts they need, ASWO offers a click-and-collect service using its own dealer network – parts can be delivered to a local retailer for collection or direct to the consumer’s home. The company believes this will help to provide footfall in retailers’ stores. However, ASWO will also pass the profit from the sale of the parts directly to the retailer or repairer, simply acting as a referral service between the consumer and the business or service they require. “From my past experience I know that 95 per cent of consumers will leave a parts website without making a purchase,” ASWO’s Head of Operations, Richard Williams, told ERT. “So this is where Repair Parts Team comes in; it appeals directly to that 95 per cent and encourages them to contact a professional. There’s no charge or commission or lead generation fee – it’s just simply another opportunity for a repair person to get a repair job.” Mr Williams added: “In addition to this, to cater to the remaining five per cent of people that do wish to go ahead with the spare parts purchase, we can organise for that part to be delivered direct or made available for collection at the consumer’s nearest retailer. “Our aim is to assist the repair industry in our own little way, particularly the smaller independent dealers that offer a mix of sales and servicing. Whatever we can do to help them ultimately helps us.”


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