Two real-life examples...
1. How can retailers test marketing measures?
Retailers are experiencing increasing competition from direct sales (internet, teleshopping etc.). It is therefore extremely important to know which type of campaign actually attracts customers. Is it a silver-tongued salesperson that aggressively approaches purchasers with a microphone? Are brightly coloured advertising posters with lowest price offers sufficient, or do attractive and revealingly dressed promotional models have a better effect on buyer behaviour? Does the use of a sprinkling of music, scent and conspicuous colours stimulate purchasing, or is a neutral environment, and an absence of scent and sound, more stimulating? Simply measuring revenue is too imprecise. Today, someone who is attracted may not actually make a purchase until the next time, perhaps even in anticipation of new attractions. For others, a friendly offer may be sufficient to bring them back.
Others may find a campaign fantastic, but not think anything of the product. They still come back, because they are hoping for other bargains. An important factor, therefore, is how many potential purchasers were made aware of the special sale, and were drawn to it. Counting customers at all entrances to the sales area is thus standard procedure. Bored trainees or part-time student employees fill out tally sheets at the direction of the internal marketing department, or a contracted market research firm. The personnel costs are expensive, especially in the case of long-term observation – and often, the result is a fantasy. The customer frequency must be measured, however, as the degree of awareness, number of customers and of course revenue should, ultimately, be increased.
One precise alternative to tally sheets is, for example, a light beam connected to a mini-computer. The number of potential purchasers is registered, and forwarded to a central computer at defined time intervals with the aid of GSM (mobile radio). The central computer then evaluates the precise and comprehensive data, delivering a precise analysis regarding the sense and nonsense of certain specific advertising methods and goods presentations. The target groups can be defined even more precisely using random surveys.
This aids future marketing decisions, for example: Music by Wagner in a violet ambience, combined with a pansy scent, pushes revenue down by an average of 19 percent within ten days (except between the hours of 230pm and 315pm, when revenue is almost maintained). If you take vanilla scent with reggae music, on the other hand, and paint the walls yellow, revenue will increase by 26 percent. In conjunction with attractive promotional models, an additional 4 percent can be added on average (between 6pm and closing time, this will actually be a fat 12 percent growth). With this precise analysis, management is then in a position to increase revenue in a targeted manner – even after deducting the costs of the additional customer stimulation.
2. Security for offices and production facilities
An irritating issue when it happens: A break-in to company premises. Property damage, and the purchase value of the stolen goods, may be covered by insurance. But what about revenue losses? Delivery delays? Data and document theft? Each year, billions of euros worth of such damage occurs, of which a majority would have been avoidable.
Alarm systems
The selection is broad, and the systems work on different principles. You should also talk to your insurer when installing an alarm system. It’s possible that they may only accept the security installation subject to certain conditions, which must be observed in the selection and installation of the system. In certain cases, this will even result in reduced premiums.
Many older security installations no longer meet current requirements. They can be easily circumvented by thieves skilled in technology, or do not work effectively enough. With ENAiKOON modules, it is in most cases possible to update systems which have already been installed to state of the art technology with a minimum of time and cost expenditure. For example, a system which was previously only an optical-acoustic alarm can be expanded so that security professionals are notified simultaneously when it is set off.
In this area, ENAiKOON works together with the BOSCH security control centre. From there, the closest police station is alarmed, or – in the case of fire – the fire brigade. Depending on the instructions of the client, the BOSCH employees can also undertake other procedures, which may be stipulated by the client.
