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No customer care load is heavy for Brother True to the vision of the company’s founders, Brother is building on its 45-year history in the United Kingdom to boost growth. Back in 1958, Japan was only just showing signs of becoming one of history’s most notable economic miracles and Japanese brands were far from becoming household names in Europe. That’s when Brother’s founders had the pioneering vision of setting up a facility in Ireland for the manufacture of sewing machines, at the time Brother’s most important product. Since then, the company has come a long way.
For the larger corporate needs, Value-Added Resellers will package its products in the context of a broader IT solution. Traditional dealers, which can range from one-shop family businesses to slightly more extensive organizations, form a very important part of the supply chain. They are key in serving the small office and home office customers which make up a sizeable part of the market. Brother has been particularly successful at developing partnerships with the larger retail chains, both American (Staples, Office Depot) and British (Dixons), the Japanese manufacturer is also setting up a strategic direct marketing approach in the United Kingdom. This team focuses on large companies and government organizations to develop the business by responding more directly to their needs. Today, 10 to 15 percent of the business originates from such “pull” activities, though actual sales are still always handled by the regular distributors. In line with the three and ten year strategic plans launched in April on a global level, Brother UK is pushing hard to develop its sales of office equipment, targeting 10% growth per year. To reach this ambitious target, the company is building on key strengths. Its existing product range offers comprehensive solutions to all customers, from large corporate offices to home-users. Not content to rest on its laurels, though, Brother plans to bring the full force of its extensive R&D resources to play by introducing regular innovations to the market. The latest technology to hit the UK market is the m-Print micro printer – a slim, compact solution for personal digital assistants and laptops that fits comfortably into a suit pocket. Furthermore, Brother is setting the standard in environmental concern and efficiency with its latest HL-7050 laser printers, the only current product to have been awarded the prestigious TCO99 standard. This Swedish label rewards four aspects of a product: ecology, energy, emissions and ergonomics. “Our first concern is the benefit to our consumers,” concludes Suzuki, “and this is what Brother UK will continue to pursue.”
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Chris Clark, chief executive of Johnson Matthey 