The key to success

Melanie Käser: Why should parents and those who want to become parents shop at BabyOne?

Jan-WILLEM WEISCHER Expectant parents have a lot of questions when it comes to choosing their baby’s first essentials. They want expert advice and guidance. That’s our core strength. At our 103 specialty stores in the DACH region, our customers can get advice on products such as car seats, strollers, or nursery furnishings, for example, and also browse through product categories like fashion and toys. Through our social media channels, we also offer services such as midwife consultations and breastfeeding advice.

Why is it worth becoming a franchisee with you?

We provide our franchisees with a highly effective franchise network that offers both security and entrepreneurial freedom. Another definite advantage is that we’ve already integrated our stores into our online business through a “ship-from-store” model. In addition, we have various communication channels with our franchise partners, which we are continuously expanding. And last but not least: We are part of an industry that is highly resilient to economic downturns, because babies are always being born.

What has changed in your industry in recent years? Haven't parents' needs always been—or still are—the same?

While parents’ needs have essentially remained the same, the way they meet those needs has certainly changed. Expectant parents often do very detailed research online and then visit the store to confirm their product choice. Or they buy online right away, but really appreciate being able to visit their nearest store if they have questions—for example, to get help with how to use a product. Or they return or exchange an item and are happy when they can simply drop off the stroller without having to repack it. We see this omnichannel approach as our future and view our strong network of stores as a clear advantage.

You run the BabyOne franchise system as a family business, co-managing it with your sister. How do you balance the interests of your family, the business, and the franchisees?

For me, all our interests are aligned toward the same goal: We want to make BabyOne a success. Of course, there are always differing ideas about how best to achieve that success. But it is precisely these ideas that give us such great diversity. In addition, the family-like atmosphere is simply what defines us as a team. This is reflected in a deep sense of trust among all parties—as well as in quick decision-making processes, great courage, and a willingness to make decisions.

«While parents» needs have hardly changed, the way they meet those needs certainly has."

BabyOne is in the process of transforming into an omnichannel company. What does that mean, and why is this transformation necessary—especially within a franchise system—and important for the sustainability of such a partner system?

For any brick-and-mortar retail company, it’s important to build a strong online sales channel alongside its physical stores. In franchise systems, this may be more complicated because so many stakeholders are involved, but with our “ship-from-store” concept, we’ve found the perfect solution that benefits everyone. Only by working together as a unified system can we leverage our strengths. For us, the key was to focus on customer needs. Without our customers’ satisfaction, we cannot survive. For us, this means creating a consistent shopping experience across all our stores and touchpoints—only in this way can we build trust with our target audience and ensure that the BabyOne brand is perceived as a unified whole.

How do you involve your franchisees in the transformation?

We have an advisory board that represents the interests of our partners and is involved in all major decisions. In addition, we have various discussion forums on specific topics where they can participate and we can work together to develop strategic initiatives. As a result, the impetus for change often comes from our franchisees, and we then roll these initiatives out to the entire group. For example, it was the franchisees’ wish to introduce an e-learning system to consolidate the sales knowledge of all stores and make it shareable.

«The retail industry is changing, but as a franchise, you're fortunately not in it alone.»

What has been your experience with this change process? Does it work for all franchisees?

The most important thing is that everyone in the system is working toward a common goal. However, there are certainly differing views on the details; change processes are never easy. But open discussions are exactly what we need to be able to take different needs into account. The retail sector is currently undergoing major changes, and as a franchise company, we have the advantage of not having to go it alone.

Author

The interview was conducted by Melanie Käser, managing director of Swiss Distribution.