Keeping your business’s equipment clean, tidy, in great condition can be a big task for any company.  But when your equipment is 2.5 metres wide, 4 metres tall, 16.5 metres long and weighs 30,000 kgs that task is not only more tricky but absolutely essential for health and safety reasons. XPRESSION Logistics pride themselves on the upkeep of all assets, to ensure high standards are met.  Being the preferred servicing supplier in the UK for Rolfo gave the company the capability to service all trucks and trailers. “Managing something like this doesn’t just mean servicing and hydraulics checks every 8 weeks, but ensuring the vehicle is pristine inside and out before and after every delivery” said Jonathan Hill, XPRESSION Logistics MD “the UK Government, quite rightly, has strict regulations with regard to the safety of haulage and we do our best to exceed those for our customers”. 

There lies another mammoth task. In order to keep all assets to the highest standard the recruitment of the correctly trained staff is essential, and finding Truck Technicians a challenge.  “We are always in the market for great, highly experienced Truck Technicians” said Mr Hill “they are the backbone to the success of the company and we look after them, as we do all of our team”.  

For more information please email jonathan@xpressionlogistics.co.uk or call directly on 01869 233324

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Staffwise are proud to become the latest member of the IPM. Staffwise is a software as a service company (SaaS), boasting a simple yet highly sophisticated staffing and job management system. Staffwise is the wise way to manage staff, create schedules, book shifts, pay people and design reports.

Founded by Mark Waddington, a successful tech-savvy entrepreneur with a background in digital media and marketing, with over 20 years’ industry experience. Mark designed Staffwise as a fit for purpose, innovative, agile system. It is a digital solution for the staffing industry across multiple sectors including Experiential, Mystery Shopping, Retail Marketing, Sampling and Brand Experience.

Mark explains, “We’re excited to be part of the thriving IPM community, I’m looking forward to working with other IPM members who could benefit from our time-saving software and bring a unique offering to the membership group.”

Current clients include global brands Omnicom Group and Imperial Brands, as well as IPM members Kru Live, Kreate, Pod Staffing, Circle Agency, Hel’s Angels and i2i Marketing.

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By Julian Kent, Sales Director, Multi Resource Marketing Ltd

Most promotional activities aim to generate more sales for the client and provide a good return on investment made in delivering the promotional offer.

Predicting the success of an individual promotion has always been a challenge and in these turbulent economic times, such predictions have become even more tricky.

The golden rules for the incentive being financially worthwhile, aspirational, and unique will always apply. However, accurately predicting consumer behaviour towards a particular promotional activity is somewhat of a holy grail.

Whilst we all know giving back 100% of a retail cost will outperform a 1% refund, not all propositions are as straightforward. Service providers such as MRM, who are IPM members, can advise on the relative response rates for various types of promotion, based on many years of individual and collective industry sharp-end experience. There will always be a plus or minus factor on any indicated volume but having a well-researched benchmark is a great place to start.

Why does this matter? Well, if a decision is required as to whether a redemption service is to be handled in-house or via an outsourced facility, then a good place to start is the anticipated take-up volume. It may be non-disruptive to handle a few daily claims within the agency or marketing department of a business, but when this turns into tens, hundreds or thousands per day, capacity is soon exhausted.

A key advantage of outsourcing is scalability. Experienced Promotional Support Service companies will be familiar with aggregating daily demand across many clients. Their flexible working practices allow them to absorb peaks and troughs through automated systems and processes. 

The buying power of a service consolidator compared with an ad hoc user is a further aspect where outsourcing can deliver a benefit. This especially applies to areas that have recently experienced significant cost increases, such as carriage and packaging material costs.

A full-service Promotional Support Service provider, such as MRM, will combine a range of services including Warehousing, Order Processing, Stock Management, Customer Management, Payment Processing, and IT integration. These modular elements are combined as required to meet the service need as it develops.

MRM has been providing Promotional Support Services for agency and direct clients for 30 years, winning many coveted IPM awards for the services provided. Our IT and reporting systems provide access to real-time information that enables clients to maintain control from wherever they may be. Digital platforms can assist in the delivery of promotional services such as Cashback, Prize Draws and Loyalty Schemes. Our business processes are certified to ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 27001 standards, giving further assurance that the promoting company’s hard-won brand image will be protected and enhanced by the work we undertake. 

Our passion is your guarantee.

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Promomarketing.info’s ‘My Life in Promotions’ feature shines a spotlight on the people who make the promotional marketing industry work so well – the heroes of the promotional world.

On a regular basis, we turn the spotlight onto people working in all sectors of our industry and at all levels – whether at brand owners, agencies or service providers. We’ll be finding out what makes them tick, what makes them get up and go to work every day and what their plans are for the future…

This week’s subject is Michael Chambers, Director of prize management company, Cloud Nine

Name: Michael Chambers

Age: 38

Gender: Male            

Company name: Cloud Nine Incentives

What does the company do? Cloud Nine provide exceptional travel incentives, prize fulfilment services and asset management.  We work with marketing and PR agencies, brands directly and media owners.

Position within company: Director

How long have you worked for this company?

Cloud Nine was created in 2011 so we have had an exciting six years where we have been growing year on year.

How long have you worked in promotional marketing?

I started working in the industry in 1996, when I was 17.  Back when the IPM was the ISP, promomarketing.info was Sales Promotion Magazine and was delivered to the office each month, and when every quote for clients and piece of correspondence was either faxed or posted.

How did you get your start in promotional marketing?

At the tender age of 17, I got my big break as a YTS (Youth Training Scheme, a form of apprenticeship) at a local company called Protravel who created holidays for competition prizes. Over the next few years, I progressed through the company to become General Manager.

What’s an average day at Cloud Nine like?

First thing, the team get together to discuss what live briefs need working on and when for.  Once that’s done, a lot of the day is spent ensuring we answer them as creatively as possible.  It’s hugely important to give clients the best chance of winning a pitch, or giving an edge over a competitor on the supermarket shelves.

We also have to be reactive throughout the day with tight deadlines, urgent briefs or some lastminute ideas for a client en route to a meeting.

Finally, updates with the travel and operations team are conducted.

And probably too much coffee!

What has been your greatest achievement at your current company?

Working with the world’s leading brands and agencies provides a sense of achievement on a daily basis.  Especially if you’re in a pitch situation and you win; and, down to hard work and experience, wins are more common than losses.

However, as cheesy as this may sound, my greatest achievement so far is growing Cloud Nine into something I’m proud of, looking after clients we’ve had from our inception, and working alongside a brilliant team of people that truly believe in what we stand for, and that what we do is the best out there.

What has been your greatest challenge?

Launching Cloud Nine at the tail end of the financial crisis was tough, but if we hadn’t done it then, we never would have.

We knew with our experience, passion and knowledge of the industry that we could help agencies and brands provide something special with real added value and excellent service.

However, the real challenge was doing this with three kids under seven; they’ve been there throughout, and I’ve have become very good at “juggling”!

How do you see the promotions industry changing in the next five years?

In terms of what we do, the world’s becoming more accessible in some respects, so depending on the demographic, the prize envelopes can be pushed. However, as it’s an uncertain time for lots of people, there may be a revival of more traditional prizes, ensuring that audiences aren’t missing out on day to day “luxuries” i.e. holidays.

Across the board, with new technology advancing so quickly, brands are going to be able to gain even more insight into their audience and what they like.  Mechanics will become more tailored to the audience and promotions and rewards could become segmented/tailored to specific areas of an audience.

If you had a time machine and you could go back and talk to your younger self, what would be your three key pieces of advice?

1. Regardless of position, make sure you continue to do the elements of your job that made you love it in the first place.
2. Rarely is something as bad as you expect it to be; tackle it head on and get it out of the way.
3. Get out of the office, even if it’s for a ten-minute walk. It changes everything (well your view on it at least).

What do you do outside work?

I spend lots of quality time standing on the side lines of football matches with my seven and four-year-old. We also have a one-year old daughter too, so weekends are pretty busy! To keep fit and to get time to think, I cycle frequently, and do a spot of racing.

The post My Life in Promotions: Michael Chambers, Cloud Nine appeared first on IPM Bitesize.

All the companies which supply essential elements to translate great creative ideas into brilliant promotional marketing campaigns need to get their entries in for the IPM COGS Awards 2017 – the entry deadline is just three weeks away, at 23:59pm on Thursday, July 13 2017.

The Institute of Promotional Marketing (IPM) launched The COGS Awards seven years ago as a recognition programme for service partners to run alongside the IPM Awards, which are for the creative element of promotional campaigns.

Entry is open to any company from a range of business sectors which support great promotional marketing campaigns – handling, risk, print, staffing, digital, event and risk management to name but some.

Companies do not have to be IPM members to enter (although members pay lower costs) and the Institute – the marketing industry trade body which represents the interests of brands and organisations which use promotional techniques and the agencies and service providers which advise them — is encouraging members and non-members alike to seize the opportunity to show the world how their contributions have helped create world-class campaigns.

Now in its seventh year, The IPM COGS awards programme is constantly setting benchmarks and driving up the standard or promotional campaigns.

Examples of last year’s award-winning work can be found on the IPM website.

The full list of categories for The COGS Awards 2016 is below:

• Coupons
• Print Management
• Risk Management
• Digital
• Promotional Merchandise
• Experiential and Event
• Handling and Fulfilment
• Staffing
• Direct Marketing
• Loyalty
• Prize, Incentive and Reward
• PR and Marketing Communications
• Partnership and Sponsorship
• Innovation
• Multi Territory
• The IPM COGS Awards Company of the Year.

Information on the criteria for each category is on the IPM website https://www.theipm.org.uk/awards/COGS-Awards/The-IPM-COGS-Awards-2017-Categories.aspx as are details of how to enter, timings and costs.

You have to be logged in to the IPM site to view details of how to enter, but registration is free.

The post Only three weeks to COGS Awards 2017 entry deadline appeared first on IPM Bitesize.

The IPM has launched The COGS Awards 2016, the recognition programme for service partners, and is encouraging members and non-members alike from service sectors such as handling, risk, print, staffing, digital, event and risk management to seize the opportunity to show the world how their contributions have helped create world-class promotional campaigns.

The entry deadline is 12.00 midday on Monday July 11th 2016.

Now in its sixth year, The IPM COGS awards programme is constantly setting benchmarks and driving up the standard of promotional activity.

Examples of last year’s award-winning work can be found on the IPM website. 

The full list of categories for The COGS Awards 2016 is below:

• Coupons
• Print Management
• Risk Management
• Digital
• Promotional Merchandise
• Experiential and Event
• Handling and Fulfilment
• Staffing
• Direct Marketing
• Loyalty
• Prize, Incentive and Reward
• PR and Marketing Communications
• Innovation
• Cross Border Activity/Multi Territory
• The IPM COGS Awards Company of the Year.

Information on the criteria for each category is on the IPM website as are details of how to enter, timings and costs.

You have to be logged in to the IPM site to view details of how to enter, but registration is free.

The post The IPM COGS Awards 2016 opens! appeared first on IPM Bitesize.