Philippine Retailers Association holds 20th NRCE

The 20th National Retail Conference (NRCE) and Stores Asia Expo of the Philippine Retailers Association  take place on August 11 to 12 at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City. Themed “The New Frontier: Taking Retail to the Next Level,” the conference will be keynoted by Asia brand guru Joseph Baladi, Ayala Land President Antonino Aquino and Edgar Sia of Mang Inasal. A sterling array of speakers in various aspects of the retail business await participants

NRCE is regarded as the country’s largest and most prestigious retail event. Conference sponsors and supporters are PLDT Alpha Enterprise, SM, Hewlett-Packard, Festival Supermall, Robinsons Malls, TCC, and Banco de Oro,  RedPrairie, Vinculum, Ayala Malls, Eastwood Mall, Araneta Center and Chronos; Wilcon Depot, L Timestudio; So! F.A.B., Forme,Bench and Coke.

The Stores Asia Expo will feature over 100 top retail suppliers led by PLDT Alpha Enterprise, HP, Red Prairie, Genie Technologies, Antex , Target Display, Bayantel, PC Craft, DHL, Retail Software Associates and Epson. Innovative “tools for global retailing” are featured during the two-day exhibit.

For more information about the 20th NRCE, visit www.nrceph.com, call PRA at 687-4180/4181 or email info@philretailers.comor ebbs@philretailers.com.

 

 

Having cheerful store employees a matter of ‘engagement’

Why would a sales lady be more attentive to you at a shoe store or a cashier be upbeat about her job at a grocery store?

The answer may lie in keeping employees “engaged.”

Carlo Felicia, Consultant at leading human resource firm Towers Watson, says that even though many employees have job loss blues, money isn’t everything that keeps employees humming and whistling joyfully in their posts.

Felicia shares his views on keeping retail employees with attendees of the Philippine Retailers Association’s (PRA) 19th National Retailers Convention and Exposition (NRCE). Themed “Roadmap to Retail Growth in the New Decade,” the 19th NRCE takes place at the SMX Convention Center at the SM Mall of Asia Complex in Pasay on Aug 11 to 12. 

Often, candidates are excited when they get hired. “The motivation is really high and their engagement level is very high,” Felicia states. “But somewhere along the way, a company either engages or disengages their employees,” explains Felicia.  

Participating in engagement surveys, which ask employees from compensation, career development to the food in their pantries, is something a company can do.

“Engagement is the combination of staying committed to the organization, motivated to help the organization and then having line of sight,” adds Felicia.

“We measure engagement because highly engaged employees are valuable. They’re more passionate, they identify more with the company and are willing to give more effort,” says Felicia. 

The Towers Watson executive relates that 3 to 1 highly engaged employees are more satisfied with their current job than their less engaged counterparts. “Satisfied with their current job; it’s likely that you won’t leave even if an attractive offer comes along. Your loyalty is there and the company won’t have to spend much more to keep on recruiting and training new people,” adds Felicia.

Part of the engagement process is letting employees know about the business modes of the organization, where it’s headed, how it’s going to get there and how these cascade to an employee’s individual responsibility and accountability.

The mismatch between HR policies and an organization’s culture is one of the causes of disengagement. “Problem arises when the HR policy doesn’t match the culture of the organization. This is when employees can theoretically do one thing but are not allowed those things in their actual work” states Felicia.  

He cites as an example an HR package with a 40 hour work week, clashing with a hundred hour a work week culture, Felicia says companies must reconcile their HR policies with their corporate culture.

The Towers Watson study also indicates that factors for engagement and disengagement cut across all industries.

Other featured topics in the forthcoming 19^th NRCE include retail innovation, social media, sustainable retailing and entrepreneurship. More details are posted at the event website www.nrceph.com.

19^th NRCE platinum sponsors are PLDT Business Solutions, SM Shoemart, Banco de Oro and Penshoppe. Other major sponsors are Araneta Center, Ayala Malls, Robinsons Malls, Chronos, Hewlett Packard, Red Prairie, L TimeStudio, Eastwood Mall,  Vinculum, So Fab!, Wilcon Builders, PLDT SME, and  Bench.

Stores Asia Expo sponsors  are Q Creativs, DHL, Retail Software Associates, Big Pix,Star Cruises, Bluethumb,  Multi Heritage, Focalcast, and Mindgate. Other NRCE sponsors are Philippine Star, BusinessWorld, Europak, GMA 7, Microtel,  Manila Broadcasting Company,  105.1 Crossover,  Entrepreneur, Computerworld and Management Systems.

To register, please call PRA @ 6874180 to 81; email: info@philretailers.com

Huge LED screen as 19th Stores Asia Expo eye-catcher

New platforms for advertising such as huge, high-tech  LED screens will literally be among eye-catchers at the country’s biggest and most extensive retail suppliers exhibit, the 19^th Stores Asia Expo of the Philippine Retailers Association.

Slated on August 11 to 12, 2010 at the SMX Convention Center, the exhibit is a much-awaited component event of the 19^th National Retail Conference and Stores Asia Expo  (19^th NRCE), with the theme “The Roadmap to Retail Growth in the New Decade.”

This retail industry expo billed as “Tools for Global Retailing” features the most comprehensive array of  providers of quality innovations, new lines, products, solutions and services pertaining to all aspects of the retail business, from store space and design to security and IT and retail technology systems, and from distribution, supply chain and logstics to storage and packaging, staff management, promotions and advertising.

Topping the show’s new media showcases is Q-Creativs, presentor of the world’s tallest, free-standing LED billboard, which is situated along EDSA. Dale Roberts of Q-Creativs, says visitors of Stores Asia Expo will be treated to an array of animated works that demonstrate the LED screen’s flexibility, image quality and technology.

Classified as a building, this 18.5 meter by 11 meter structure  can operate even during a typhoon with its 24/7 support with its onsite generator, real time updating, a control room with internet link, cameras that show what is being shown on the big screen.

With 207 individual LED screens and 1, 271, 808 individual Panasonic bulbs, the technology allows customers to  have their ad material up after just 30 minutes of processing for display. Customers can change the content of the ad, decide the frequency as well as the time of display. Unlike regular billboards, there are no installation costs, Roberts adds.

Q-Creativs is one of the event sponsors of the Stores Asia Expo along with DHL, Retail Software Associates, Big Pix, Star Cruises, Bluethumb,  Multi Heritage, Focalcast, Mindgate,

19^th NRCE platinum sponsors are PLDT Business Solutions, SM Shoemart, Banco de Oro and Penshoppe. Other major sponsors are Araneta Center, Ayala Malls, Robinsons Malls, Chronos, Hewlett Packard, Red Prairie, L TimeStudio, Eastwood Mall,  Vinculum, So Fab!, Wilcon Builders, PLDT SME, and  Bench.

Others are Philippine Star, BusinessWorld, Europak, GMA 7, Microtel,  Manila Broadcasting Company,  105.1 Crossover,  Entrepreneur, Computerworld and Management Systems.

PRA’s website, www.nrceph.com, details the 19^th NRCE featured topics on retail innovation, social media, sustainable retailing, entrepreneurship, HR best practices, retail technology, shopper insights and other aspects that lend information on creating this roadmap.  To register, please call PRA @ 6874180 to 81; email: info@philretailers.com.

World is ready for Asian brand, says 19th NRCE keynote speaker

Filipino entrepreneurs can well take advantage of a global readiness for the “Asian brand.”

This is the compelling insight of Mr. Martin Roll, who, together with Jollibee’s Tony Tan Caktiong, who is also the NRCE’s Guest of Honor, will keynote the country’s biggest retail conference, the 19^th National Retail Conference and Stores Asia Expo (19^th NRCE) to be held on August 11 to 12 at the SMX Convention Center. The NRCE is supported by PLDT Business Solutions, SM Shoemart, Banco de Oro and Penshoppe.

Roll stated that the rise of the Asian middle class and the unfolding of the Asian myth among people of the West are among reasons behind this opportunity to grow distinct markets which go for the Asian brand. Roll was recently in town to begin a series of pre-conference visits.

In a media encounter, together with Mr. Bernie Liu, chairman of Golden ABC and president of the Philippine Retailers Association, he emphasized that a vital element must come to play to enable the Asian brand to take its rightful place among the world’s list of successful brands – the elevation of the chief marketing executive’s role in management.

“People try to build brands from the bottom,up. Brand building is a top to bottom exercise,” he said. As such, he said, the challenge of brand building must permeate through all levels because upholding of the brand is carried out in all processes and systems that the company undertakes.

As a classic example, he cited the case of Singapore Airlines which is one of the world’s most successful airlines. “It operates on a good promise that it delivers on. Great technology, great service. That is what Singapore Airlines is all about.”

Sectors which can be conquered by the Asian brand, he said, include information technology, banking and finance, cosmetics, hospitality, fashion and food.

Roll’s enchantment with Asia sprung early on during his years as an advertising executive. With an MBA from  the INSEAD, his career path  propelled him to another stage, business mentoring to top executives and corporate boards on creating successful and competitive business strategies.

His book, “Asian Brand Strategy”, was named Best Global Business Book of 2006. His most recent work, “Rise of Asian Brands”, demonstrate his deep understanding of Asian affairs.

The 19^th NRCE is organized by the Philippine Retailers Association (tel: 6874180/ 6874181 * ebbs@philretailers.com) and is themed “The Roadmap to Retail Growth in the New Decade”. It will feature industry thought leaders and innovators who will share their expertise to an expected audience of more than 600 retail and business decision-makers. PRA’s website, www.philretailers.com, details out 19^th NRCE feature topics on retail innovation, social media, sustainable retailing, entrepreneurship, luxury retailing, HR best practices, wealth management in retail, shopper insights and other aspects that lend information on creating this roadmap.

Experts see 2010 as a turnaround year, with the global economic slowdown of 2009 winding down.  Consumer confidence has improved and people are ready to spend again. In a post-crisis landscape, businesses are rethinking business fundamentals and charting a new road map.

Roll also noted that, today, Asian business can benefit from the return from the West of many competent Asian managers. “Many of them are coming home to Asia. They have high levels of competency and have acquired important knowledge of the business ways of the West. This is a good development for Asia.”

“The world is now aware that Asia has much to offer.” The Asian brand rests on the power of the Asian story, its myth which is very captivating, Roll said.