Rather than exhibit at Avex 2015, Vendman decided to invite customers to it’s own event…. Ian Reynolds-Young met MD Rob Little, (pictured), who explained the thinking behind the move and in so doing, added his voice to the emerging debate over the future of AVEX.
It feels as though Vendman has always been an active supporter of the AVA. After all, there’s barely been an AVA event over the past few years that has not benefitted from Vendman’s enthusiastic attendance and sponsorship.
That’s why eyebrows were raised when it became clear earlier this year that the UK’s leading vending software company would not be exhibiting at AVEX 15 – even though the event was being held in the Stockport based company’s Mancunian back yard…
‘It just didn’t add up’, Rob Little said. ‘Exhibiting at AVEX is a serious financial undertaking. We conducted a forensic analysis after AVEX last time around and I wasn’t convinced that the expense, the effort and the time commitments had delivered a corresponding return.’
There’s an old adage in business that you shouldn’t allow customers to meet each other. (Try that in vending!) However, it’s not an adage to which Vendman adheres. In fact, the opposite is true: ‘The cross fertilisation of ideas and experiences that happens when we get together with a group of our customers is an important element of our on-going efforts to achieve excellence’, Rob said.
Vendman recognised the importance of key customers by creating ‘Centres of Excellence’, a network of customers for whom Vendman software is a vital element of operational management. Last November, the inaugural ‘Centres of Excellence’ meeting was held at Nigel Haworth’s renowned Northcote in Lancashire.
‘It was a really worthwhile event’, Rob recalled. ‘It wasn’t cheap, but we felt afterwards that it had been worth every penny.’
Buoyed by the success of Northcote – and reluctant to make the investment required to attend AVEX – Vendman decided to create its own event – ‘In Pursuit of Excellence’ – to be held in the celebrated ‘Welcombe’ Hotel, in Stratford over 3-4 September.
It’s set to be the largest gathering of vending operating company decision makers in memory: the ‘sold-out’ symposium has attracted acceptances from over 100 delegates.
‘Yes, it’s costing us a pretty penny’, Rob admitted, ‘but it’s costing us less that we spent at AVEX last time round and this way, we can meet with our customers and their partners in a luxurious environment which we think will be conducive both to business and to pleasure.’
As to whether Vendman’s strategy has worked, the jury will be out until the post-event feedback flows in… It sounds like more fun than being on your feet for three days at a trade show – but only time will tell if Rob can conclude that Vendman made the right decision…
