Logomark, Tustin, Calif., is the first to introduce a number of upscale Design Centers, offering personalized service to distributors on a whole new level. The plush centers are currently located in Chicago, New York, Atlanta, Orange County, Calif., and Dallas, the site of the newest center scheduled to open on Mon., Oct. 2.
“The design centers evolved from the success of our booth at PPAI Las Vegas,” noted Damian Want, senior vice president. “When we asked our clients what they enjoyed most about our booth, they said it was the fact that we displayed all of our products in one place. We made it tremendously easy for them to walk through and see what products best matched the needs of their clients.”
Armed with that knowledge, Logomark set out to change the way it did business.
“We thought, what if we could provide our customers with this kind of convenience and service on a year-round basis,” he said. As a result, the first Design Center was opened in Chicago last summer. “We chose Chicago for the first site because we have a base of wonderful distributors there that were open to new ideas with clients that were also receptive to this type of approach.”
To give distributors an idea of just how grand Logomark’s 3,000-sq.-ft. Design Centers are, consider: being greeted for an appointment with wine (or other choice of drink) and cheese; a full display of more than 4,000 items, complete with 13 lines under one roof; and a well-trained manager to help conduct tours and presentations at your disposal.
“Our products are displayed in a first-class setting combined with state-of-the-art technology,” explained Want. “We see these centers as another component that makes Logomark special. We’re always looking for ways to make it easier for our distributor partners to be successful.”
So just how does all this work?
“Design centers are open only to the trade—there is no walk-in traffic,” explained Want. “Customers are require to be certified promotional products distributors with a valid ASI or PPAI number. They contact us and arrange an appointment with the center’s manager.”
Want said a distributor’s first visit to the Design Centers typically consists of a sharing of ideas and an careful walkthrough of the facility. “There’s usually a conversation about what they’d like to achieve,” he said. “The distributor can walk through and touch, view and evaluate all the products, and decide which ones meet their clients needs. If they need samples, the design center manager will take the order on-site and ship them that day.”
After the first visit, Want said distributors generally set another appointment to bring in a client for a bird’s-eye view of the products. “In conjunction with the design center’s manager, the distributor can put together a presentation of items with the client’s logo on them. These presentations are specifically tailored to suit the client’s needs,” he said.
Besides being an upscale showroom to peruse the company’s products, Want said Logomark’s Design Centers provide other useful benefits for distributors.
“It reduces the distributor’s research time, allowing him or her to maximize order volume and explore ideas for future orders,” he said. Furthermore, Want said distributors can learn a lot by simply observing their clients shop the showroom floor. “They can learn so much about what their clients tastes are and the kinds of things they’re trying to achieve by paying attention to the kinds of products they select. They can apply this knowledge throughout the year as they build the account.”
Logomark’s Design Centers also offer distributors access to office and training space. “All of our centers are fully outfitted with wireless Internet; and if a distributor is meeting with a client, we have conference tables that can be utilized,” he said. “A number of distributors have also held training meetings at our centers, where they bring their entire staff in to learn about our products.”
Undoubtedly, there are major costs involved in operating these facilities—approximately $500,000 per center. However, Want stressed Logomark’s commitment to providing the best service to its distributors.
“Logomark has made a huge investment, but we do not charge for design center appointments,” he explained. “This is an additional service we’re offering our distributor partners.”
As unique as the cities are that house them, Logomark’s Design Centers have taken on a life of their own. Want said the Chicago center is an early 1900 warehouse loft with exposed brick walls and ruff-hewn timber ceilings; the location on New York’s Fifth Ave. is housed on the top floor of a former department store building and features voltage ceilings, original masonry and a spectacular view of the city; the Atlanta Design Center is located on the 25th floor of the city’s premiere office building, the Concourse, and offers a spectacular view of the Georgian countryside; and the Dallas Design Center is located in the J.P. Morgan Center, the premiere office building in the region.
“We’ve strategically placed our design centers in areas where there are a lot of entertainment, dining and recreational options surrounding them,” he said. “We’ve had a number of distributors fly in clients for a meeting, and after spending the afternoon at the center, enjoy dinner and other forms of entertainment to cement the relationship.”
As far as challenges go, Want said the company’s biggest one is finding the right people to fill the role of design center manager.
“We struggle most with finding individuals that can fulfill the design manager position to the highest levels of quality and service,” he admitted. “We’ve truly put an effort in having the design center manager be an expert or someone that is going to be truly valuable to our distributors, helping them create more sales.” To remedy this, each design center manager undergoes an intense three- to six-month training.
It seems like Logomark has struck gold.
“The response has been tremendous,” said Want. “Our Dallas center is already filled with appointments.” This is a problem Want likes to have. “The only complaint we’ve had is people not being able to schedule meetings because the centers are often booked when they want it. Our calendars are always full.”
When asked if he thought the industry was moving in the direction of establishing more regional-based centers such as his, Want said, “I can’t speak for other suppliers, but Logomark wants to provide the absolute highest levels of service to our distributors, and we feel that this is a key piece to achieving that.”
As for other locations, Want said Logomark will be opening more centers throughout 2007. “We’re looking at other major metro areas where we have a large base of distributor partners who we are eager to provide additional services to,” he concluded.
For more information, call (800) 789-4438 or visit www.logomark.com.
