In your organization, please provide the names and titles of up to 5 people who are directly responsible for the company’s performance in the chosen category.
Marcel Newell, Founder
Julius Roye, Driver (Director of Sales), 8 years
What is your department’s support goal?
Overall our goal is to improve the mobile audio/electronics and 12-volt industry, bringing it up to date while increasing sales -- and survival rates -- for retails. We work with stores of all sizes, at all levels, to improve their showrooms, internal processes and sales techniques, raising their profile in the regions where they work. We provide free advice, free tools and free workshops to help retailers see their weaknesses, we encourage them to ask themselves the right questions, and to take the necessary steps to fix their stores. Showcases are only one part of the equation.
Provide a brief description of how the department functions, and how the functionality benefits your customers.
Most people find AVIDWORX at industry events or while looking for interactive showcases, but for us that's only the beginning of the relationship. We want our clients to succeed and become the leaders in their regions, and so we make a suite of other services available. To date we've worked directly with over 500 stores, all of whom have reported an increase in sales to justify the investment in our showcases -- and their belief in our whole store solutions. We give our clients the means to look professional, creating spaces that reassure customers they've come to the right place, and follow that up with everything a client may need -- design and logo development through PRICEWORX, sales training for staff through SALESWORX, free in-store product labels that educate customers and make comparison shopping irrelevant through PRICEWORX, and free advice on industry best practices through numerous channels. It's an entire system that's proven to generate sales, to increase traffic and closing rates, to increase the average spend per customer, and to generate word-of-mouth sales while building customer trust and loyalty.
What sets your department apart from competitors’ similar departments?
When our clients invest in us, we invest in them. We could sell them a showcase or two and move on, but for us that's only the starting point in the relationship. We provide coaching and mentoring, ensure our clients have the tools they need, and invest time and resources to ensure our clients succeed. That's how we add value. While one of our goals is to improve client loyalty, the bottom line is that we don't look good unless our customers look good, and we're quite serious about our reputation. Our mission is to save the industry, one retailer at a time.
How has your department improved from 2011 to 2012?
Our own sales are up and we've made numerous new partnerships with retailers and suppliers that will keep us busy in the future. We've introduced a new line of low-cost, interactive and modular IMAGEWORX displays that are available for lease as well as for purchase. We've also taken a more active role at conferences, expos, trade shows and conventions, delivering keynote speeches, hosting booths and providing free advice to clients. We're advertising more, we've invested in social media and marketing, we've updated our website to share more information with our clients, and we've moved to a new location that gives us the ability to host our own product showroom. Our interactive showcases and support system is working, and we're excited by our momentum.
What changes or improvements, if any, are planned for your department in the coming year?
We will be introducing and promoting new product lines this summer, as well as new free services for our clients and retailers in the industry. We're further updating our PRICEWORX labelling system with the advice of our clients, and we have other tools that will soon be available to help our clients measure success. Details will be announced soon.