Fast and efficient CRM
In one week I met a car manufacturer and major retailer who admitted to the same problem I had at Romtelecom: The inability to send ad-hoc promotional messages to their clients. The reason: Lack of a structured database. I went on a mission to find a quick solution for all my clients. One phone call [...]
Significance of events
When determining signs that a recession is ending the market is usually triggered or sparked by events or milestones. New politicians entering office that bring optimism, new investment deals, global leaders making bold statements, the end of a war, a revolutionary new product or service that gains market attention like Wikipedia, the changing of seasons [...]
Online vouchers
I like this one. I have been telling you about your online presence and how Romanians are increasingly using the Internet to combat the effects of the recession and find the latest discounts and savings.
In the UK the number of online searches for retail discount vouchers jumped a massive 143 % in the final quarter [...]
Hypermarkets get ready for a change!
While attending a French Chamber of Commerce event discussing the crisis I took note of what a global hypermarket senior official had to say about 2009. Food related sales would slightly increase in 2009 vs. 2008 and non-food would drop by 20%. More importantly customers will seek the following in 2009:
1) Promotional prices for brand [...]
Online shoppers defy recession!
In the UK, a Capgemini e-Retail Sales Index showed online spending increased 19% in January 2009 and is predicting monthly growth of around 15% for online sales throughout 2009. January is usually a disastrous month in the UK for retail. Mike Petevinos, UK head of consulting for retail, said there is no reason to change [...]
Creative marketing
A recent meeting with a large national retailer gave me inspiration. Despite low volume of customers visiting stores lately the approach was not to cut Marketing expenses but rather re-direct them and try something different: Localized marketing; that is, trying to communicate more effectively to the store’s catchment area or customers residing in the immediate [...]
Retailers resist
Selgros Cash&Carry chain, part of German group Rewe, plans to invest some €30-40 million this year in two new stores which are to create at least 600 jobs. - Business Standard, February 10, 2009
Wal-Mart adds to its shopping list. Across the US, Wal-Mart has pushed to convert discount stores into larger supercenters with full-service groceries. [...]
FMCG more resilient?
Ursus Breweries beer producer, part of SABMiller group, plans to recruit some 300 people in 2009, 100 higher compared to 2008, to reach 2,000 employees. One third of the new employees will join sales department. As highlighted is step 3 ‘Cutting costs‘, cutting sales staff is the wrong thing to do - Ursus understands this. [...]
Recession survival tip of the day
Every day Renaud Investments will help you survive the crisis. There are some businesses that prosper despite everything: “The insurance industry will continue to develop rapidly in countries in Central and Eastern Europe, even if economies slow, according to Michael Heise, Chief Economist of the Allianz group, a major global insurance, banking and asset management [...]
How to survive a recession!
Dear Reader: There is a lot of fear and uncertainty about today’s financial crisis yet no one is really offering tangible help on How to survive.



