The 1st Virtual DIY Summit – The Roadmap to Recovery Business after Covid-19
The summit took place on the 9th and 10th of September, representing the first meeting place for the industry in 2 years. It would be an understatement to say there have been a lot of developments in the sector in this time. This was highlighted by Tim Chuah in his presentation on the Future Home, in which he demonstrated that the role of the home has evolved into a multifaceted system. However, it is not just the home that has evolved, but also the vital consideration of customer experience, as highlighted by internally renowned speaker Ken Hughes. As presented by Sebastian Gundel and Stefan Weigel, enabling partnering is one of the sure-fire ways to enable customers and ensure a positive customer experience.
However, the global pandemic is not the only challenge the industry has had to face. Climate change is at the forefront of the industry’s mind, and Kingfisher CEO Thierry Garnier and UK MEP Andrew Griffith closed the first say of the summit by emphasising the need to act now to instigate change. We cannot let “the perfect be the enemy of the good”. This was also the topic tackled in the panel discussion to start the second day of the 1st Virtual DIY-Summit, with Michael Schneider (Manging Director of Bunnings), Jorma Rauhala (President of the Building and Technical Trade of Kesko) and Maurizio Beolchi (Area Vice President of 3M) discussing and sharing what their businesses are doing to reduce carbon emissions and support communities.
Returning to the impact on Covid-19 on the industry and the future of home improvement retailing, Erich Harsch, who joined Hornbach Baumarkt AG as their CEO in January 2020, shared his insights and predictions in an interview moderated by John W. Herbert. Christina Stathopoulos, Adjunct Professor at the IE Business School, expanded on this idea by detailing how data will be the differentiator in the future of retail. However, what can data bring about without a strong culture behind it? Industry icon, and recipient of the Global DIY-Lifetime Award, Jim Inglis, rounded of the 1st Virtual DIY-Summit by sharing the secrets of success of the Home Depot, and how a “bleeding orange culture” and servant leadership breeds a motivated, productive and value creating workforce.
With Keynotes, panel discussions, collaborative presentations and networking within the industry, the 1st Virtual DIY-Summit was a successful and well received meeting place for delegates in an industry that has gained a new relevance in the last 2 years.
