JIMH2013

Watchmaker marketing, focus on after-sales service

 

This year's Journée Internationale du Marketing Horloger is dedicated to after-sales service. Don’t miss it: November 7th, 2013, Théatre Arc en Scènes, La Chaux-de-Fonds.

 

By Ollivier Broto

The different areas in the world of horology, be that the mechanical arts or the chronometric sciences, each have their own events, like those arranged by the Swiss Chronometric Society (SSC). They are usually conferences or one-day events, journées, as it were. The area of marketing and communication, too, deserved its own programme, and got it. Hence, for the 17th time now, an association from Neuchâtel is organising an umbrella event for all watchmaking marketing professionals. This organisation is behind the formalisation of training in the sector, thanks in particular to a recently created university-level diploma. The event alternates exhibitions, round tables and interaction with the audience.

The event, which is presided over by Kalust Zorik, is preceded the day before by the JRMH, the Journées de la Recherche en Marketing Horloger. Thisa high-level academic event devoted to research in watchmaker marketing is for a small audience and will be held at the Haute école de gestion Arc in Neuchâtel. In 2012, the subject was “experiential marketing”. Every year, a report is published after the event featuring the different subjects covered during the JRMH. The idea is to archive all the opinions expressed by the attendees and to have a reference for those who could not attend.

Food for thought

This year, after-sales services will take front stage at the sumptuous Heure Bleue hall, also known as the Music Auditorium of La Chaux-de-Fonds. The organisers obviously have a talent for putting on a show and they always manage to attract prominent guests. Together they will all explore this particularly relevant aspect of watchmaking. Indeed, after-sales service has major implications in marketing because it offers continuity in the relationship with the client, which already began with the initial act of buying. Alas, after-sales service is usually considered the poor cousin of marketing strategies.

“How are increasingly demanding consumers reacting to and sharing views on this topic in the blogosphere? What is the image and quality (as well as quantity) of after sales services internationally? ”These are the questions posed bythe official press release.

No doubt all those attending, the horology professionals, who are becoming more enthusiastic by the year, researchers, bloggers as well as the passionate crowd, will find food for thought, or even answers and perhaps even suggestions for answers. And who knows if, after becoming aware of certain things, they may well be ready to set new priorities in the field.

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