Arricano Real Estate PLC has taken part in RDBExpo-2017, the first International Specialized Exhibition of Retail and Development Industry in Ukraine which has been held on April 6-7, 2017 in Kyiv in the National Sport Complex “Olimpiiskyi”.

“For the first time the event of such a scale is taking place in Ukraine and it proves the civilized development of retail trade market,” says Mikhail Merkulov, CEO Arricano. Association of retailers of Ukraine has brought together in the same project developers, retailers and b2b companies to strengthen business-connections, demonstrate achievements of the branch and exchange the experience.”

Participants of Retail&Development Business EXPO–2017 from 12 countries could get acquainted with the exposition consisting of 45 stands of retail sale and commercial real estate operators. On the stand of Arricano participants of Expo actively communicated and shared business information. Visitors got familiarized with the company and its achievements, conducted negotiations, presented their products which might be interesting to the company managing shopping malls.

In addition to the exhibition a practical conference took place at RDBExpo-2017 where the top specialists in the field of retail trade and retail real estate presented cases of successful Ukrainian and foreign companies, discussed actual problems of the branch and ways of their solution, talked about key tendencies in the development of retail and development industry in the nearest years.

Mikhail Merkulov, CEO Arricano, became a speaker of conference-session Doing business in Ukraine which opened the conference section on April 6 and the discussion panel devoted to the special features of doing business in Ukraine, problems and perspectives of business development in retail and development industry and investment climate in the branch.

In his presentation “Smoothing of risks” Mr. Merkulov has pointed to criteria of success of business-models and risk which business faces in Ukraine: “If your business-model can’t demonstrate the results which are twice better than the results of your competitors or twice better than the average results on the market, it means that the business model should be changed.” CEO Arricano considers that there are two main characteristics of a successful business model: You do something that your competitors don’t do; you are 2-3 steps ahead either in relation of technologies or in relation of satisfaction of your customers’ demands.

Mikhail Merkulov has emphasized that shopping mall business has started about 2 thousand years ago and this business model has hardly changed ever since. Today tectonic changes take place in this branch – the situation changes quickly and unexpectedly, that’s why it is important to understand whether your business model takes these changes into the account. “It is important to answer the key question: Can your model survive for another 5-10 years?» the speaker suggest. «Have you correctly estimated the forces which would influence your business-industry in the next 5-10 years? How can world events influence your business? Are you ready to meet changes which would happen in the next 5 years? Does your business-model meet the requirements which would be important for a customer in 5 years?”

Analyzing business-models on the market of retail and development industry the speaker suggests to work with risks and to take into account the trends. Among key risks he has mentioned 4 basic categories – macroeconomic risks, for example, currency exchange, compliance risks, for example acts of the NBU; technological risks, for example, which technology can destroy your business; behavioural risks. Speaking about the trends, he has emphasized that today shopping malls become media area where a customer can get experience with the product and with the brand; such leaders as Google and Amazon already form consumers' behaviour, globalization destroys the borders, automation and robotic application gain pace – these factors should be taken into account by business planning. “We shall constantly study to meet changes which take place in business-models,” makes the conclusion M. Merkulov.

In the busy agenda of the conference visitors could hear 70 speakers choosing the actual topics and interesting cases, including “Development. New concepts of shopping malls”, “E-commerce development”, “Experience of International companies in Ukraine”, “Franchising”, “Sales management in retail”, “Realities of Ukrainian retail”, “Concept store”, “Future of distribution”, “Innovations and decisions for retail”.

During one of the 12 conference sessions “Management of the team of the future” has been discussed. Nataliia Dmytrenko, Marketing Director of Arricano shared her experience related to the role of the team in the development of the company. In Natalia's presentation “Internal PR. Engagement of employees into the development of the company” a patchwork blanket was used to demonstrate the role of each employee in the development of the company, where all people are different but all are equal. “Team building depends on a brand and a positioning of a company,” Mrs. Dmytrenko says.  For people working in the company there is something more important than making money. The image of the company visible by the external world, consumers and partners is based on the business culture formed by the employees.”  

Marketing Director of “Arricano” emphasizes that the company means the employees:  when they together solve the same problem, understanding that they are a part of something bigger, when the advantage of each team member is used for the benefit of the team, when they enjoy being together, then the single space similar to patchwork blanket where all are different and all are equal is formed. “It is important to give every employee equal opportunities within the limits of his competence and tasks,” Nataliia says. - In this case motivation and empathy appear and the employees enjoy making selfies with the brand of the company”.

Nataliia Dmytrenko told about the instruments of internal communication used in Arricano to promote mutual understanding, vision and participation in the development of the company. These are meetings, internal chat for information exchange related not only to the events inside the company, but also to the market and branch in Ukraine and abroad; informal meetings, corporate events, participation of employees in media-projects. Audience members were attracted by cases of media-projects. For example, Arricano employees worked as sellers in the shops of the shopping mall tenants, became secret shoppers and lecturers in KCO-project B2S by Arricano. Participation of employees in media projects solves complex tasks. In Nataliia’s opinion, when all employees are company’s speakers, a business culture is being formed.

“Retail&Development Business EXPO – 2017 is the first step towards the involvement of market players into creation of a branch patchwork blanket,” Nataliia Dmytrenko summarized.