Feb 2010

By Miri Thomas of Catalogue e-business

LONDON, 2 February, 2010 – A FAMILY BUSINESS, jewellery retailer Bees started out catering to a traditional Asian customer base. Sushil Raniga, head of online and marketing, tells how the business has evolved to appeal to Western as well as Eastern tastes thanks in large part to the internet and word of mouth.


TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND.

I’m part of the third generation of the family, and I learned a lot about Bees, particularly during my early teens, when I used to spend weekends and holidays observing my father run the business. Selling a wide range of jewellery and delivering them to customers in a seamless fashion has always been key in building the brand and service. Online retailing is an expansion of this strategy, as our customer base has grown throughout the UK and overseas. Online we offer jewellery coordination and recommend the best colours for the season, which is something our customers rely upon.




WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT ON THE JOB SO FAR?

My greatest accomplishment on the job has actually been managing my academic life off the job! I’m currently studying for a master’s in management at Cass Business School, London, and have successfully been able to apply a lot of what I’ve learnt at Bees.


WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR GREATEST CHALLENGE?

Every year we release seasonal catalogues that offer our customers the trendiest jewellery colour guides and collections. Last autumn-winter, the catalogue featured just over 200 products, and the greatest challenge for me was to reflect the new-season range on our website and marketing campaigns. Bees produces new jewellery pieces each week, giving me only a small window of opportunity to implement online changes, in-store campaigns, and customer incentives. However, I’ve got a good team around me; with Meenal Sethi, who heads product merchandising, we’ve managed to present our most successful campaign yet.
 



IS THE ASIAN COMMUNITY STILL THE PRIMARY CUSTOMER BASE FOR BEES AND ITS PARENT COMPANY, BHANJI GOKALDAS AND SONS?

The Asian community definitely represents a large part of our focus, which we have naturally developed since my grandad Bhanji traded as a jeweller in Nairobi, Kenya, in 1950. Today the company is located in the heart of Green Street, London, a predominantly Asian area where we are recognised amongst the locals for our ethnically tailored products and have built long-term loyalty.

The development of the internet has allowed Bees to focus on this community too—a core reason our website and catalogue have been successful. In 2005 we refurbished our [bricks-and-mortar] store to make the shopping experience more accessible for all our customers. We cut back on the traditional merchandise, improved the ambience, and introduced new collections. This is supported through our very creative visual displays and imagery around the store, headed by Virti Raniga. 




HOW DO YOU PROMOTE THE BEES BRAND?

Traditionally I have found that word of mouth is the best form of marketing. When families and friends enter the store to have their jewellery customised, it’s like an event they have been planning for—the loving moment is shared together, and they want to tell the world about it.

Our catalogues are crucial in building brand value and driving awareness to our website without being intrusive. Our loyalty scheme provides tailored incentives and offers, which we market directly through the Bees Privilege Card system. All these channels are very important to us, but web 2.0 has allowed us to take a different approach online. Social-networking websites such as Facebook and Twitter and blogs are fundamental to building conversation directly with our customers.


BEES' SISTER SITE, PUREJEWELS, SELLS MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE JEWELLERY. WHAT ARE THE OTHER DIFFERENCES BETWEEN BEES AND PUREJEWELS?

PureJewels offers jewellery made from precious metals and stones including gold, platinum, silver, and diamonds. PureJewels specialises in engagement and wedding rings, providing a truly tailored and intimate experience to customers.


WHAT CAN WE EXPECT FROM BEES IN 2010?

We have a lot on the to-do list! We’re building our profile and looking at new and innovative ways to engage our customers to transform the way fashion jewellery is sold online. We’re also introducing creative marketing campaigns that visually convey the essence of our brand. Finally, further development and refinement in our service offerings such as the introduction of customised jewellery using Swarovski Crystallized Elements are planned. 




WHOM IN THE BUSINESS WORLD DO YOU MOST ADMIRE, AND WHY?

Angus Thirlwell, CEO and cofounder of Hotel Chocolat. I’ve found great inspiration in the manner he has developed and grown his business. He demonstrates that good ethos and ethics are at the forefront for any business to sustain real brand value, and going forward this will be key.


(Source:Catalogue E-Business)


Back