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values is agility, so we’ll need to retain that flexibility.
There’s always a curveball ready to deflect the best
made plans!
We’re also about to roll out our new Lisa 2.0 field app
for iPad and iPhone, which will mean the results of
every strategic client activity will be reported at store/
SKU level in every visit. This allows us to micro-monitor
the impact of the team and improve on our already
robust ROI model, as every single action taken by the
team will be recorded and verifiable in EPOS, at store
and SKU level.
[Neil] Our systems capabilities have allowed us to
better understand where previous inefficiencies
existed and create clear action plans to reduce or
mitigate, so we are continually looking to ensure our,
and our clients’, budgets are utilised as efficiently as
possible.
[Ali] One of the reasons we build our own software – it
means we can specify and build exactly what will deliver
the best results for our clients, without compromise. If
a client needs something, we can build it. No fuss, no
extended development times, we find a way to do it!
If we catch up again 12 months from now what would
be a good indicator that Logobrand’s investment in
people, process and technology has paid off?
[Sally] I’m constantly reviewing progress on our
strategic plan, so we’ll be consistently and regularly
regrouping, course correcting and refining the plan. Of
course, there will be the financials, have we hit our
targets? However, it’s not just the numbers which are
important, but also client and employee satisfaction.
We monitor progress using NPS scoring with all
stakeholders, from clients to employees, so returning
the usual healthy scores will be the validation that
we’re on the right track.
Meet the CEO – Impact
Field Marketing Group
solutions. Our promise to accompany the Solutions now that it is a part of
consumer throughout their whole journey theGroup?
has become a reality.
The opportunities for Field Sales
•Whatexcitesyoumostaboutthe Solutions are twofold. On the business
side, IFMG can bring its knowledge of the
new potential for the Group now
that Field Sales Solutions is a part Consumer Electronics markets and its
digital solutions, thanks to Demooz. On
ofit?
the people level, it is a great opportunity
Field Sales Solution brings the Group
for the team to work in a multicultural
more than a new geography. Of course,
and international environment.
covering a wider territory is undeniably an
•Inadditiontotheacquisitionof
•Nowthatyouhavehadaclose
advantage. This allows us to consider
Field Sales Solutions what were
look at the people and process at
international collaborations with our
the main business landmark
Field Sales Solutions, has your
major customers, which has already
announcementsforIFMGin2022?
materialized. In addition, we considered impression of the business
changed?Inwhatway?
2022 was a strong year for IFMG. We
that the know-how of the Field Sales
acquired Atmosphères. Atmosphères is
Solutions teams in terms of data
No, no change of our impression. We have
specialized in consumer electronics.
management and its ability to transform it known each other for a long time now. We
Their knowledge enriches IFMG’s
into concrete insights was a “game
had the chance to collaborate in the
solution portfolio. In addition, we were
changer” for IFMG.
EFMP partnership for many years
able to demonstrate, thanks to our digital
•Whatexcitesyoumostaboutthe (European Field Marketing Partners is an
subsidiary Demooz, the value of
association regrouping Field Marketing
new opportunities for Field Sales
combining digital solutions with physical
independent leaders in Europe). Field
One of the biggest news stories on this
site in 2022 saw Field Sales
Solutions becoming a part of Impact Field
Marketing Group. We thought that with
more than 6 months of the relationship
now done it would be time to find out if
the synergies are in line with
expectations. We put the questions to
CEO Jean-Dominique Castellani, Impact
Field Marketing Group
Sales Solutions’ culture is very close to
the IFMG’s one – open, result oriented,
and proud of what we are.
I like this question because I realize I
have the feeling we always worked
together, good sign, no?
In term of processes and organization,
the Field Sales Solutions scheme is built
on a smaller portfolio of customers with a
larger panel of services. This allows us to
go deeper in supporting our clients with a
higher level of accuracy.
•Whatareyourambitionsfor
bothIFMGandFieldSales
Solutionsinthenextyearortwo?
Our ambition is to create the most
beautiful Field Marketing company in
Europe for both our customers and our
employees. It is in a collaborative
ecosystem that we will build the future.
Thought Leader: The signs
of recovery at retail
Here, Nick McGrath, MD, REL
Field Marketing, assesses why
now might be a good time to
invest in a field marketing
agency.
The UK retail industry continues to
improve but still has a long way to go to
reach the pre-pandemic highs. However,
conditions look to be becoming more
favourable, and there are reasons to be
optimistic.
to the worst covid-impacted areas of the
high street and shopping centres.
However, whilst an improvement,
footfall is still 20% behind 2019,
suggesting that whilst retail is
improving, it still has a long way to go.
We see this in sales that look positive,
growing 6% in March versus last year
(which rose 4.7% from 2021). However,
this growth was driven by inflation, and
Retail sales volumes were -2.6% in the
Online sales were up 3.4% in March, and same period, and in fact, volumes have
been in decline on an annual basis for
online share of sales in March were
13 consecutive months as inflation
25.5% (ONS) versus 26.3% the prior
year, suggesting a continued rebalancing persists (10.1% YoY in March). So
revenue-good, volume-bad; although,
of instore vs online shopping from the
with less strain on the supply chain,
highs during Covid.
profits are returning.
Shoppers are returning to the streets.
During April, the BRC reported footfall
as +6%, with all that increase returning Of the volume that has been sold, it is
2
Summer 2023
clear that the cost-of living crisis has
consumers looking for value and
managing budgets. According to Natwest
research 56.4% of consumers are
planning on deferring major purchases.
In food and beverage we see this
budgeting in the growth of private label
and the continued onward march of the
discounters, with Aldi breaking the 10%
share barrier for the first time.
What this means for field marketing is
that brand owners should start having
more confidence in their businesses’
outlook. Whilst not all of them have
recovered their input cost increases,
many have and are beginning to look to
invest.
According to Kantar, consumer
confidence has started to improve, and
it is the highest it has been for a year,
even if still suppressed versus prepandemic.
– field marketing. As an industry, we are
in a great position to support the
continued recovery of UK retail and the
further success of our brand partners.
It would not be unreasonable to think
that brand owners may be looking to
recover some of that lost volume. This
Thankfully inflation is starting to reduce would restore factory utilisation and
and was lower in April than March, and further help margins freeing up cash to
the general consensus is that inflation invest in marketing.
in food and drink will abate whilst the oil So the business case is there to invest
prices have dropped back already versus once again in one of the most
their highs.
compelling aspects of the marketing mix