Traders united

By Jade Lawton
TRADERS from Berwick, Narre Warren, Cranbourne and Hampton Park were united for the inaugural Monash-Casey Business Forum last week.
The initiative, supported by the City of Casey, Monash University, Chisholm TAFE, Berwick Village, Narre Warren and Cranbourne Chambers of Commerce and the Hampton Park Networking Group, aims to promote and advocate for local businesses.
The group met at the Berwick Inn on Friday for a presentation sponsored by Design Victoria – ‘The customer experience.’
Roy Tavenor, a founding partner in one of Australia’s leading design agencies, showed traders photographs of Berwick businesses he had taken the weekend before and explained the good or poor design in each photo.
“I know you have huge shopping centres on your doorstep, but I also know that customers love to shop local,” he said. “Customers in Berwick want good access. They need clearer communications. Customers like art and entertainment and love to eat and drink and be merry … food and drink is a drawcard to retail.”
Mr Tavenor said the village had some room for improvement.
“I don’t think we have captured the village spirit quite yet. But I do believe there is a lot of opportunity for Berwick retailers. Don’t think you can’t take on the big guys, because you can; design is not exclusive to the big brands.”
Retailer and retail consultant Rob Lake said experiences, not price, was the most powerful tool to win customers. He said retail was a theatre, with the business’s website the preview, the merchandise the props, and the staff the cast.
Mr Lake said that if provided with a positive experience, customers would become advocates for the business, and that word of mouth was the most powerful tool.
The next forum will be held on 2 October.