Never settle: the added value

Frank Maail business consultant


Increase spends: 10 basics in Retail


  2. Presentation: highlight those best sellers!
  4. Place: use your data to plan your store properly
  5. Price: value for money
  7. Products: matching the needs of your customers
  10. Service: happy people buy


Theme Park Retail: 14 Challenges in Visual Merchandising



The Chinese Tourist: are you ready?

chinese tourist


De Keukenhof: a colorful experience with a lot of potential!

Keukenhof tulips




The Chinese tourist: a cultural difference

Cultural Difference


Culture, People and Behavior


The stock management cycle

Stock management cycle


Key elements in managing staff

Like the bigger companies I have worked for: I use to say that staff is the most important capital of the business: they make it or break it. All companies I worked for had core values referring to you as a person and that we as managers take care of you and do not treat you as a number. However despite the fact that we have it written on paper, advertised on the intranet or communicating during the recruitment process there are times we easily forget the value of staff. Exactly these periods were we are losing the focus on our teams are the most important ones: peak season or key trade periods. Teams are at maximum size, operation is at full speed and now it is time to make the difference. During peak trading the pressure on all of us is the highest especially when you are part of a multinational. Continue reading Key elements in managing staff

Retail in Happy Valley Beijing

Happy Valley Beijing


Retail in Happy Valley Beijing

Continue reading Retail in Happy Valley Beijing

The value of Visual Merchandising (part one)

The value of Visual Merchandising is impressive. Imagine it is 15 minutes prior closing time and you are standing in a store where there is no overview, no clear walkways and it is either dark or TL-lighting is in place. You came to the store to buy a teddy bear (the one displayed in the shop window) for your nephew but you are not able to find it next to the toys but behind some boxes in a dark corner next to the silverware. You look at the price tag and see that this plate (?) costs you €5,-, at least that’s what the label on the shelf says. (apparently someone did not replenished the store well) You are looking around to find a staff member to tell you the price but there is nobody around. At the till you see the price of €25. This is over your intended budget however you are buying this bear because there was no other option. Since all the stores are closed and you are the only one in this store left you needed to find this product. Now if you had more time… Did you consider going to this store in the first place? You were triggered by the bear in the window but standing in the opening of the store you could have made up your mind. With this experience you would not go back to this store as this will take too much time and probably frustration.

Does the example point out the value of Visual Merchandising? Yes, it does! Continue reading The value of Visual Merchandising (part one)