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For February, we would like to introduce James Rendell, the National Marketing Manager of Tonnex International.
SM: James, how long have you been with Tonnex International and did you Join as the Marketing Manager?
James Rendell: I joined Tonnex back in July 2006 with the title of Marketing Executive. We were a smaller team back then and I was the sole marketing employee. Over the course of my 1st 12 months with Tonnex we experienced some exciting growth, the department expanded and as a result I moved into the Marketing Management role.
SM: What are the key milestones you have achieved within the business?
James Rendell: Our directors; George Kozman and George Solomon have been fantastic as they have given me a lot of autonomy in my role and as a result I have been able to build a department and a marketing plan from the ground up. Over the past 4 1/2 years we have implemented some great campaigns that have become synonymous with the Tonnex brand. I feel our Reseller Rewards program has been a key success for Tonnex as it was such a stand-alone loyalty reward program at launch and now seeing how many rewards programs have followed suit, it pays testament to our innovation in the industry. As a company, we are constantly growing which brings about a great mixture of challenges and opportunities and for me, knowing the contribution that our marketing efforts as a whole play in the company’s growth is a very rewarding feeling.
SM: In your opinion, where would Tonnex be in the next few years?
James Rendell: We are currently finalising some process reviews which is very exciting as I can already see some great improvements that will take shape after we finish our implementations. We are in a really good position right now, with a great team of staff, a more effective distribution system than in years gone by and some very strong plans in place for the next few years. We have a lot of hard work ahead, but I am confident that the next few years will see Tonnex continue to grow on a National level as we look forward to creating new partnerships with Resellers that aren’t currently dealing with us, as well as continuing to provide the best possible service for our existing, loyal customers.
SM: How challenging is it to be the Marketing Manager of a Distributor versus a Vendor?
James Rendell: I can’t really comment on what challenges a Vendor’s Marketing Manager would face, but having seen people move from a Vendor to a Distributor there are obviously significant differences in both business structures. In essence, Vendors must build their brand equity and develop a value proposition that will create interest and demand for their products and the distribution sales approach therefore is to facilitate for that demand. Our sales approach and therefore our marketing approach needs to be inherently different. Whilst brand equity is equally as important for us, we are not purely facilitating for a product need, we are competing for the facilitation of that need. Whilst we sell product, we are, by and large, selling services around providing the Vendor’s product. Resellers can pick and choose where they buy the Vendor’s product from and my job is to build a value proposition that will have them come to Tonnex and stay using us. I always try and keep the service aspect in mind and this is why our slogan; partnerships for success was born. I have posters all around the office that constantly remind our team of the importance of service and how we must, with everything we do, ensure there is a win-win in place for our customers. Vendors are appealing to everyone and we are not and that, I suppose, is where our marketing strategies will begin to differ.
SM: In your opinion how important is marketing for small to medium Office Supplies Dealers? Are there any cost effective marketing methods you could suggest?
James Rendell: Marketing is everywhere you turn! Australians are subject to in excess of 3,000 marketing messages a day and it’s not by coincidence, it’s because it works. I think every small to medium size business must seriously consider what their approach to marketing is. Email marketing is cost effective and would suit a Reseller’s corporate customer base. Half of the country is on Facebook so it is also a very worthwhile, cost effective and personalised communication medium that I highly recommend Resellers get involved in. I am also a big believer in branding. If you are in a buying group then you are most likely all over this. If not, create a logo and colour schemes and stick with them as you will be defined consciously and sub-consciously by them. Whether its having a Saturday BBQ for customers, sponsoring the local footy team or putting flyers in with your customers orders, its all marketing – they key is to get inventive because people will remember you for it.
SM: In your opinion what would be the impact of the internet for the OP industry?
James Rendell: The internet is already having an impact and it will only get stronger. I think Office Products by virtue of their nature, lend themselves to e-commerce very well as they are inherently descriptive, low tactile products where repeat purchase is high. I strongly recommend that every Reseller considers an e-commerce strategy as this is a cost effective avenue to expanding your opening hours and generating more business in your local and wider community. Quite often people view e-commerce as a tool simply for selling to people outside their immediate area, where an effective e-commerce strategy will actually, more often than not, increase local sales. However, unlike a bricks and mortar store people won’t just stumble across you on-line, but when done effectively, a buy on-line webshop is an extremely cost effective lead generation and sales conversion tool.
SM: What are the key changes you foresee within the industry?
James Rendell: I think the internet will continue to have a significant impact for Resellers, positively or negatively depending on how they adopt it. For Vendors, Distributors and Resellers alike, change will be constant as consumers needs will continue to change on the back of the increasingly time poor world we live in. I think the OP industry has a reassuring strength based on the foreseeable infinite need for Office Products. Mass retailing, will, as it has done for decades past, continue to have an impact on the local independent which is feeding the growth of OP buying groups, which I think will continue. Diversification is now common business practice and resultantly other non-stationers will continue to broaden their product mix into the OP range. This will continue to pressure the OP industry to be innovative and collectively quick to adopt change. Fundamentally, change is continuous and the successful operators are those that adopt it, find strengths in it and do it quickly.
SM: On a personal note, what activities do you enjoy outside of work?
James Rendell: I enjoy playing tennis and going to the gym (when I have the motivation to get up early!). I also love my footy (AFL), live music and socialising with friends. Growing up in the country I also enjoy getting home to the farm to catch up with my family.
SM: and finally could you tell us a bit about your family?
James Rendell: I am recently married, no kids...yet! I have a younger brother and 2 younger sisters. I grew up on a dairy farm in northern Victoria and my parents and most of my family still live in the area.
Thank you James.
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