Page 19 - BOSS Today Issue 13

60 second interview

Taking a

fresh vision

Tim Beaumont, Managing Director at dealer group NEMO, believes the office
supplies industry can learn a lot from the IT sector where he used to work

You have only recently complexity of routes to market; like-minded purchasing and How will NEMO be
come into office supplies the need to focus on service; and marketing dealer groups from developing in the next
from the computer industry. the major players’ new business different sectors that are similarly few years?
What difference do you see teams hunting further down into constituted as co-operatives. It’s a really exciting time at
between the two industries? SME organisations. Because of The relationships are very close: NEMO. But it’s also an interesting
You said this was a 60-second the complexities, the IT industry we collaborate on purchasing time, because it’s our 25th
interview! The IT industry is a very really values training and product contracts, business services, anniversary, which is a real
broad description for a vast range education. marketing and best practice. milestone and achievement. It’s
of products and services. Most of its good to look back and learn,
vendors are bigger, usually global How does NEMO fit in with How important is it for but we are extremely focused
players, with impressive marketing the other groups in your office supplies dealers to on the future. 2012, has been
budgets. The IT industry runs at wider organisation? be members of a group titled ‘The Year of Growth and
a faster pace, has more complex, Do you work together? like NEMO in the current Innovation’ for NEMO. In the first
higher ticket value products and NEMO is a part of the NEXUS group, economic climate? half of the year we have launched
has already migrated to a service- a group of groups, built from It’s essential. The combined a range of initiatives that are
led model – there is no money in purchasing power and the part of this strategy, including
shifting tin! The product innovation innovative marketing and shared an already successful new
happens at an incredible pace, Tim Beaumont knowledge gives our dealers a real business campaign, a group-wide
so there are no catalogues that at a glance advantage. We also live our tag e-commerce solution, and
are valid for 12 months! There is line: “Owned by members, run by the comparison site
a broad range of distributors for Tim Beaumont members, success for members”. www.comparemyoffice.com,
dealers to buy from and getting is a newcomer Our co-operative model works which includes a video on
the product to the end user next to the industry really well: all full members get demand (VOD) programme.
day isn’t such a key driver. The and has been with an equal share and say in how we We have also refreshed the
IT industry focuses on solving NEMO since October operate. NEMO corporate site at
business issues and selling services, 2011. He has a broad www.nemogroup.co.uk.
not just product and price. range of commercial and In the same circumstances, We intend to continue this fast
marketing experience how important is your pace of change and innovation.
Is there anything that the at a senior level, with relationship with wholesalers? We want to work closely with
office supplies industry could both corporate and Our close relationship with the two new and existing dealers and
learn from the computer SME organisations. He wholesalers and with distributors new vendors and believe that
industry? previously was Head and our vendors is the key to we have the right strategy to
Because of the pace of product of Marketing at SCH, our success. Our only option is overcome the troubled waters
innovation, the IT industry manages one of Europe’s largest to work together in a symbiotic that lie ahead. It’s a powerful
change well. The office supplies IT Resellers. Tim heads relationship, on a win-win basis, combination: 25 years of shared
industry is extremely complex (or the NEMO team and is otherwise we will not be able to knowledge combined with a real
perhaps I think it is because I am responsible for the overall take on the challenges that the desire to be industry innovators.
still learning) and could do with performance, strategy industry faces. We need to work
simplification. The IT dealer faces and planning of the smarter, share more data and listen Q FOR MORE INFORMATION
similar challenges to us, such as group. to each other’s position more VISIT www.nemogroup.co.uk.
margin erosion; the increasing carefully.

July/August 2012 | BOSS TODAY 19

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