At the end of May 2005, red ribbons cut under the sign "Hippo" - it was he who had to become the first hypermarket in Belarus for all calculations. But while the deadlines for its discovery were transferred everything, some worked better and pulled out victory. Many years later, it was "Hippo", it turned out to be one of the candidates for the purchase of "remains" of his winner.
The first half of 2005 was generally issued a yield. At first, right in January, opened "for a week" - remember, was such a short project, which most of all I remembered what I called myself a discounter?
Bigzz opened on March 10, 2005 - first technically, and then, in a week, once again, already solemnly. From the side it looked like an indecision: "And we did it happen? Let's check everything again. "
For the first time it came out at all very painful and not even ashamed. The young Bigzz was good: in the assortment, in cooking (plus was a supplier of amazing news: imagine, the store bought the device and will do dumplings yourself!), In the atmosphere of the trading room.
At the same time, there were such absurdities next to the highness of the client-oriented, as paid parking or the wig of personal belongings in packages. The store fell not only the zones of the joy of its visitors, but also the limit of their patience - in those years it was so possible. And then there was the first loyalty system in Belarus.
BIGZZ was improved, then earned, then something divided among the founders, their compositions changed. And indecently was going to open the second store. First, we had rumors about the regional center ("Until 2008, BIGZZ hypermarkets should appear in each regional center and two more in Minsk), but all the time was more interesting to invest money. And then, after almost 9 (!) Years, they opened the supermarket - literally in a kilometer from themselves. The opening of recent years has ceased to be happy. Bigzz turned into a regular trading room, just a supermarket, what hundreds and without which you can easily do.
Initially, there was a lot of good, then "less good", then "very bad." And finally, liquidation. By the way, the name, and the slogan, 16 years ago came up with Alexander Vasilevich agency. Since August last year, he sits behind bars. The sunset turned out in every sense to complete.
Belarusian trade survived, grinding and repeated not one network. Almost everything is very gray from the point of view of emotional affection. In addition to some universes like "Jubilee-92", which, though they did not survive, but their best years spent ahead of the crowd, asking the tone. Bigzz will not be remembered as a network - this is one store.
It is a pity that the company goes silently. As for the first founders, they agreed that everyone hurts to look at what was happening. Therefore, too, "no".
We managed to find one story from a witness and participant in the 2005 history. This is Angelica Tolstoy, the first head of the project marketing department. Now Angelica lives and works in the United States. After the hypermarket, she had several other projects in Belarus, but Bigzzz is one of the favorite and cloudless.
Popular complaint in the Bigzz of the first years: "Where are the sellers?!"
- When I read about the problems of Bigzz for a couple of weeks ago, it was very upset. We really loved what they did. I have no negative emotion. I met such teamwork very rarely.
- Tell. 2004, Bigzz and Hippo compete in speed: who will open first. How did you go with you?
- I was invited at the end of 2004, when the founders decided: we make a big "hyper". In parallel, they were looking for specialists and managers in all directions. I have already had the experience of managing marketing in several projects. And so on all the functions - they gained cool people, not seeking to quickly plug holes just for whom.
In general, the launch of the BIGZZ is a classic, as in textbooks on what to do when creating a brand and how to open the company. Everything was clearly structured, we had all the scripts.
- Now it's clear. Who prescribed these steps in 2004, when modern trade and trading networks were only originated, and was the only network of Rublevsky already in this form?
- We live in an open space. Asked the team of people who knew what marketing, advertising, retail, customer focus.
Here is the last problem, but solved. Where to get sellers for new standards? Almost all - with experience in the market or in small stores, where communication with customers took place at the same market level. Opened trainings, everyone was taught. And learned. Then our sellers switched to work on other networks when new and new stores were already closer to their home.
Experience in a large format was not anyone, yes. Managers traveled abroad - see how hypermarkets work there. Management organized a sufficient number of business trips to Poland, Lithuania, France. We came, and we met with key employees of local "hyperers", sharing experiences and showing how they.
Personally, I reread a huge number of literature about the "hypers", shared this information. The snag happened. But we solved their superfasts.
- Where did the name come from?
- When I went to the shopping hall for the first time, there were just concrete and columns. The building belonged to the "Expob" market. It seems that they wanted to do something there for their business, but then decided to surrender. And the founders just looking for the building. I remind you in all the classic laws that we have learned, the hypermarket must be outside the city.
Announced a competition for the name among employees and began working with the advertising agency. "Hepta Group" offered several options, among which were most Russian-speaking: "Giant" ... I do not remember already. As a result, they chose BIGZZ. He liked the name, and on the logo with this little man with hugs.
The slogan came out more difficult. Opening without it is boring, and the launch of the advertising campaign would be kuts. At first we refused "a lot of good." Type, let's go back later. But then Alexander Vasilevich convinced us. And over time we made sure that the slogan is good.
In parallel, work was carried out with merchandising, the planograms (which should be). Where to take this experience? We can copy the model of any successful hypermarket from any European city. But it will definitely not work: the mentality is different, the experience of consumption is different.
To say that with the first time we have accumulated, it is impossible, it is definitely not. We made a good planogram, but then gradually changed it. The feature of BIGZZ was in constant contact with buyers. We asked them. The main task was to find how comfortable in the store, and change what is uncomfortable. For the first six months-year, those or other sections were periodically migrated by the trading room until the optimal option was found.
- And what did not like to buyers?
- Oh, paid parking. It was the territory of "Exposhela", and there were their rules. We have repeatedly met with them at all levels. They explained that the paid parking from the "Hiper" is nonsense. This is not in any country of the world. You can not take money from people for spending these money to you. But we did not listen. The ice was drove after a year and a half or two. Yes, and that was due to the fact that "Exposhela" had plans for some extension. As a result, I managed to agree.
- Online forum discussed that parking cost "2 liters Coca-Cola" - that is, about a dollar.
- I do not remember already. But it cut out people - economical and principled.
- There was still some unpopular measure to seserve bags in plastic bags. If a person wanted to go to the commercial hall, then his bag was put in the bag and sealed. Integrity was checked at the exit from the hall.
- After the opening passed six months-year. We started seeing some strange losses. It seems that all thieves of the city came to us. It was necessary to strengthen the video surveillance system. While new cameras installed, I had to go to a temporary measure with packages. So what to do? When a new video system appeared, all this was removed.
- Remember the first reaction of people to the hypermarket?
- Many people came to the opening, there were queues. And so continued in the first weeks. Then we launched an advertising campaign - the second wave went. Began to come people from the regions. As with any Retail, we had good permeability on weekends. And not bad Monday: in the markets are a day off, entrepreneurs came to us for small wholesale, because we had very good prices for many positions.
And the rest of weekdays seen. Therefore, in the same 2005, we have developed a loyalty program. It was a unique thing - the first program in Belarus. They made it yourself, moved all the sites of retailers in the world.
It included several types of motivation: discount, cumulative, affiliate. Very good at the start worked the accumulative scum of points. Points changed to some gifts. People in queues stood. We organized a separate infocenter for this!
From the start, the program was successful, then we changed it, polished - this is normal. Discounts on weekdays, discounts for pensioners during the daytime ... It now sounds like granted, but then nothing was like that.
We have created an innovation and development department. He was engaged in treating and analyzing consumer behavior. We had a box where buyers could throw their suggestions. And people were active. It was a new form of trading, and buyers believed in the ability to change something in their requirement. And we changed themselves in response to these wishes.
We had our own production in Belarus. Only salads were thirty. And all - with constant ABC analysis and rotation. We were so proud of our meal, which almost immediately opened a cafe next to the entrance, and then one more, on the second floor. Buyers got more and more.
- Was there any role ideal to which Bigzz should have become similar?
- We did not equal to someone alone, we were equal to many. But the goal was as follows: but let's become the best trading platform for buyers. Something took from Auchan, something from Lidl and so on. I read a whole book about the American "hyper" Costco, where now I regularly go myself.
- If that Bigzz is transferred to the USA, how would he look?
- More friendly and humane. We have a hypermarket, a supermarket - a living substance with a reaction to the buyer. And from people, too, there is a request for attention. Do you know what was the popular complaint in the Bigzz of the first years? "Where are the sellers?!" This is our mentality: we need attention. And the American companies are superffective, structured, well everyone knows, in a huge space you can not meet a person in workwear.
- after a few months, "Hippo" opened. Very soon in Belarus will begin the parade of the discoveries of hypermarkets. How did you compete?
- "Hippo" should have been opened at all before us. But we have somehow better planned and, of course, wanted to get them out. I can not say that the opening of "Hippo" has greatly affected our sales. Not. A man rides there, where closer. Hippo had its own audience, we have their own. We were, in my opinion, are more successful located. That's just parking ...
- at prices chuckled?
- We tracked them, they - us. This is normal. Further the work of the commercial department began.
- Bigzz has never been associated with low prices. You talked about what entrepreneurs from the market came to the purchase. Sounds amazing.
- Well, we worked with large volumes ... We did not plan to position as cheap. Our goal was good quality at optimal prices. There are about 40 thousand positions - it is impossible for everyone to give low prices.
Plus, we have our own imports.
- Bigzz for the years frozen at the stage of a single store. When did you work, the company discussed the need to expand?
- A couple of years after the opening. What happened next, I no longer know.
Our channel in Telegram. Join now!
Is there something to tell? Write to our telegram-bot. It is anonymously and fast
Reprinting text and photos Onliner without resolving the editors is prohibited. [email protected].