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ING Bank switches to online ordering of
business gifts |
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Roel Pluim of ING Bank
remembers: “You still had to fill in the order forms by hand!”
“I ordered twenty ties on
Monday and they were delivered on Wednesday. I used to have to wait two
weeks for them.” That’s just one of the many reactions received from
employees at ING Bank’s 275 offices after they switched to online
ordering of business gifts. Since May this year, CCO Group has been
running the webshop for ING Bank.
Roel Pluim is change manager at
ING Bank. One of his recent initiatives was to look into how the
processes within the Communication department at their head office could
be organised more efficiently. “I saw that the ordering of business
gifts was still done in a really archaic way. You still had to fill in
the order forms by hand! Need I say more?”
Roel adds: “There’s nothing in
the logistics surrounding business gifts that belongs to the core
business of a bank. As I see it, that in itself is reason enough for
outsourcing. That was definitely the case for us: it didn’t take much of
a push to switch to an online system.”
Appropriate proposal
CCO Group – where ING Bank has
been buying its business gifts since 2003 – runs webshops for a number
of top companies, and that was why CCO was the first choice to ask for
an “appropriate proposal”, explains Roel Pluim.
“It was all worked out really
quickly. We held initial discussions in December last year, and by the
first of May this year the online shop was up and running. Two employees
from each department are authorised to order products. There’s a choice
from a wide standard range. If people want to order something different
that’s no problem, but this has to be done in consultation with the
communication manager at head office. The system works perfectly, that’s
the only way to describe it. We haven’t received a single complaint from
any of our 275 offices.”
Unambiguous image
ING Bank has a one-stop outsourcing contract with CCO
Group. “The advantages? There are many, but there’s one I’d especially
like to mention”, says Roel. “Because business gifts can now simply be
ordered centrally, and they’re delivered fast, the separate offices are
less inclined to buy in from their own suppliers. That in turn means
that far fewer products come onto the market with a non-standard ING
Bank style, because the offices or their suppliers don’t have the right
specifications for the graphics. And golf balls with ING Bank colours
that aren’t quite right: that doesn’t make us very happy! Everything we
get from CCO Group is produced according to the standards set by ING
Bank, so we present an unambiguous image to the outside world. And after
all, that’s one of the reasons for giving business gifts.”
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| Premiums and business gifts as ‘meta-communication tools’. |
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Premiums and business gifts
as ‘meta-communication tools’
Many rational and emotional
considerations go into the purchase of a product. Emotional persuasive
power creates the closest bonds with the consumer – making for a
powerful, successful brand – and promotional products are
‘meta-communication tools’ that support this emotional persuasion.
This is revealed by new American
research, as reported recently by Admap and MKBNet. The researchers say
that the power of persuasion involves two levels of communication:
content-related and relational. On the content-related level the issue
is communication, while on the relational level meta-communication is
the key.
Meta-communication, where loyalty and trust play an important role, is
most effective in creating a bond between the customer and the brand
and/or product.
Effective tools
These results confirm – once again – that premiums
and business gifts are effective tools in the marketing communication
mix. They are outstanding ‘meta-communication tools’ which can confirm
and reinforce the bond between giver and receiver. |
| Axel van Kleef (logistics manager, CCO): “Customers demand top delivery performance.” |
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Axel van Kleef (logistics
manager, CCO):
“Customers demand top
delivery performance.”
“With a company like CCO it’s
essential that the logistics department runs smoothly, because we’re
almost always working to tight deadlines,” says Axel van Kleef, the new
logistics manager of CCO Group.
Axel van Kleef has a wealth of
logistics experience, built up in companies with close links to the
promotional products sector, including seven years working at a
cosmetics and bodycare products firm, and in the textile industry.
At CCO he is responsible for
distribution, storage and stock management, as well as quality control.
He heads up a five-strong team.
Tight deadlines
“Customers, quite rightly,
demand top delivery performance,” Axel says. “So the logistics
department has to run smoothly. Everything comes together there, like in
the spout of a funnel, so of course we have to keep on top of things.
After all, we owe it to our customers to meet their tight deadlines and
offer the highest possible level of quality and service
“Business obsessive”
“I guess it’s in the blood,” jokes Axel van Kleef,
“I’m actually a bit of a business obsessive! I never stop looking to see
if things can be done even better. For example, I’m currently working on
making further improvements to the order flow, and implementing a new
packing method, which I think can produce even more time savings.” |
| Supplier in the Spotlight: Buttonboss |
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“CCO puts us through a tough
appraisal every year”
Buttonboss, a supplier of buttons, caps, scarves and embroidery, has
been active in the European promotional market for 30 years. Buttonboss
receives commissions from CCO Group almost every day.
Robin Vogel, director of
Buttonboss, says: “CCO Group is one of the few companies who put us
through a tough supplier’s appraisal. That says a lot about CCO’s
working methods and mentality, and about Buttonboss’s too. We’ve been
doing business together for years. Both companies see things in the same
way: we take our business seriously, and we put our hearts into what we
do.”
Professionalism
The fact that Buttonboss was
awarded the title ‘Supplier of the Year’ a few years ago, and that it is
one of the few suppliers that have joined the Fair Wear Foundation,
further underlines the company’s professionalism. The Fair Wear
Foundation aims to promote humane labour conditions
in the garment industry in low-income countries.
Oene Mees, director of CCO
Group, says: “Businesses that become members of Fair Wear make a major
commitment to corporate social responsibility. That fits perfectly with
our vision of doing business. For years we’ve had a Code of Conduct in
place, with standards regarding acceptable working conditions and
environmental policy which our producers and suppliers have to meet.”
Knowledge transfer
The teamwork between Robin Vogel
and Oene Mees clearly crosses the boundaries between their own
companies. Oene Mees has been Vice-Chairman of the Promotional Products
Platform trade association since its foundation in 2002, and for the
last two years Robin Vogel has been its Chairman. This trade
association, with over 200 suppliers and distributors as members,
provides a platform for their active commitment to the further
professionalisation of the product sector.
Robin Vogel comments: “Education and the transfer of
knowledge are two of the pillars of the PPP. Through the PPP, its
members are always first to learn of new developments in the industry,
in informal as well as formal gatherings. They benefit from that and,
last but not least, their customers do too.” |
| Start thinking about your festive gifts now! |
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September is the ideal month to check out the latest
in festive gifts. Christmas always comes sooner than
you think...
It’s not upon us just yet, but the festive season always comes sooner
than you think! So now’s the time to contact your account manager at CCO
Group for information and inspiration on the many ways you can show your
appreciation of your employees’ and customers’ cooperation and
commitment. If you decide to give custom-made gifts, it’s definitely a
good idea to make your wishes known in September, because of the
production time involved.
Tradition
The kerstpakket – or
Christmas Box (the origin of the term Boxing Day, incidentally) – is a
typically Dutch tradition, which is still held in high regard by the
overwhelming majority of employees (not to mention their families!).
Research repeatedly confirms that it’s seen as a tradition that’s well
worth upholding.
Online selection
CCO Group has a wide selection
of Christmas and other gift packs, both traditional and in the form of a
Gift Selection, following the so-called ‘personal choice concept’, where
the recipients can choose and order their own gifts online. They can
choose from a product, an experience (like an exciting day out or a
romantic dinner for two) or a donation to a good cause. |
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CCO is a full service importer and distributor of
premiums, business gifts and promotional textiles.
Through a 'One Stop Shopping' concept for
promotional products and related services, CCO
offers all facilities to service medium and large size
companies.
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