On 27 October, an RBC business breakfast entitled “I came, I saw, I bought: New Customer Management Techniques in the Retail Environment” took place at the Hotel National Moscow. The event was addressed by ECE Russland Managing Director Stefan Zeiselmaier.
The conference was opened by ECE Russland Managing Director Stefan Zeiselmaier, who talked about the importance of branding and positioning for retail real estate, and shared his experience of reconceptualising outdated shopping centers.
A key factor in a shopping center’s success is branding, which today means more than just creating an eye-catching and recognisable company style. “The concept of branding is much wider, and includes developing a concept aimed at your target audience, establishing a pool of tenants, and clearly positioning the property for visitors and potential retailers,” said Mr Zeiselmaier.
With increasing competition for customers between shopping centers, it is modern malls with an attention-grabbing concept and clear positioning with regard to retailers and customers that are coming out on top. Most shopping centers in Moscow, let alone elsewhere in Russia, are outdated and so need reconceptualising, in terms both of growing their pool of tenants and of revitalising their exterior and interior, in order to remain competitive, he stressed.
During the discussion, the experts also looked at modern trends in the development of shopping center public and leisure spaces, and new tools for attracting shoppers and getting them to spend longer in shopping centers, and the role of digital technology in communicating with them.
The roundtable was attended by Crocus Group, IKEA Centers Russia, Immochan, Watcom, Colliers International, M.Video, Snezhnaya Koroleva, and othercompanies.