JOHN PICKERING, MANAGING DIRECTOR MIELE GB, IRELAND AND SOUTH AFRICA THE ERT INTERVIEW
‘Premium sets a standard and a promise’
12
Against a challenging economic backdrop, Miele is continuing to invest in its brand, products, retail partnerships and UK operations. ERT’s Will McGill speaks to John Pickering, Managing Director Miele GB, Ireland and South Africa, about the opportunities within the premium appliance market, and opportunities in the premium appliance market.
here’s no getting away from the fact that it has been a challenging few years for the appliance market. Consumers are watching what they spend, the housing market continues to have an impact and competition is as fierce as ever. But Miele certainly isn’t talking like a business preparing to sit back and wait for things to improve. Instead, the premium appliance brand is looking at where it can grow, continuing to invest in its products, services and marketing while strengthening the relationships it has built with retailers over decades. That long-term approach is something John Pickering, Managing Director Miele GB, Ireland and South Africa, knows well after eight years with the company.
T
“The dynamic of having very clear expectations in a value-driven business, where reputation and legacy are part of the remit, is something that appealed to me,” he says. And as Mr Pickering tells ERT, there remains
plenty of opportunity ahead - not least in growing the premium end of the market and making sure Miele’s retail partners benefit from that growth too. Now, with ambitious plans for growth, a new UK headquarters on the horizon and further product investment to come, Mr Pickering believes there is plenty of opportunity ahead - particularly for Miele and its retail partners to grow the premium end of the market together. It is also a useful way of understanding Miele’s
position in today’s market. The company has never tried to be the cheapest option, and Mr Pickering is clear that premium only works if the business earns that label. “Premium doesn’t give you the opportunity to take liberties,” he says. “It sets a standard and creates a promise that you then have to follow through on.” That promise stretches beyond engineering and performance. Reliability, customer service and what happens years after the original sale are all part of the proposition.
Miele’s Experience
Centre on Wigmore Street makes the point quite literally. Alongside new appliances are much older machines on display, some of them are decades old. “We continue to be contacted by customers who have 30-year-old machines that are still
fully functioning, but they think it might be time for a change,” Mr Pickering says.
The challenge, of course, is that the white goods market remains fiercely competitive. “It is an incredibly competitive market, which ultimately is good news for the end customer,” he says. “You have strong competition and businesses looking to deliver against changing consumer and shopper needs.”
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
