All businesses apart from the bottled water cooler delivery industry, that is, which should in theory be rushed off its feet.
But with the wet summer we’ve suffered here in Britain, and across other parts of western Europe, it’s hard to imagine that 2012 will be remembered as a bumper year for the industry. In fact, as the global economic situation remains flat, manufacturers and distributors are really having to think on their feet, innovate and keep up momentum more than ever before.
However, there is some good news. There are two factors that can continue to underpin the water cooler industry and help it continue to grow.
The first is that drinking water is healthy and the health industry is big news. Water will always be a zero-calorie option and the best way to stay hydrated.
This message must be continually enforced by businesses in this industry, with the help of the major associations, to help boost sales and the image of the sector as a whole.
The water cooler association in the Netherlands (AWCN) has recently launched two new websites to encourage healthy hydration and make drinking water fun.
The second point is that the water cooler business is a service industry and there is no excuse for poor service. This is something we can all control within our businesses, no matter what’s happening in the wider economy.
If service levels remain high, customers are often willing to pay a little more for products and add-on features, which in turn will boost profits. As Phillipa Atkinson Clow from the British Water Cooler Association points out in the latest issue of Cooler Innovation: “Cheap prices can come at a high cost. When this is explained to customers, they often understand the need to spend a little more for quality.”
This is a key message for the future of the industry, which relies on service reputation like no other.
Hannah Oakman is editor of Cooler Innovation magazine
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