Philippe Sabran has retired after 32 years with Intermer, the central office of Accastillage Diffusion. He was the mainstay of the store network's animation and development departments, and was responsible for purchasing for the boating equipment company. He has seen the network grow from 20 to 130 points of sale. He shares with BoatIndustry his vision of the evolution of the hardware store.
What are the main evolutions you have observed in 30 years in the physical hardware store?
The main thing is our work as a franchisor. We have gone from a somewhat crazy store to an orderly store with merchandising. I came from Danone, with a knowledge of merchandising. It was a gradual evolution. This is also an important point in the interest for a store to join a network. It gives them the advice they need to become the best store in the sector.
There was also the arrival of computers. Accastillage Diffusion was the first to have its own management software. The first software, a mini ERP to replace paper and cash register was written under DOS by one of the co-founders of Intermer. Today, we wouldn't be here without it, with a software 100% interconnected with the website, the loyalty card, the central, etc...
There was also the evolution of trade in general, with the arrival of the Internet. From the beginning, Accastillage Diffusion had a very technical positioning, with very little clothing and decoration, but 110 to 115 pages of pure technical advice in the catalog. Today, this very technical image allows us to defend ourselves well against the internet pure-players.
What changes have you seen in the boating customer?
He used to be more patient and anticipatory in his purchases. Today, he does not anticipate anything. Thirty years ago, the biggest sales of tenders and rafts were in March and April, to prepare for the season, today it is July. As far as the central purchasing function is concerned, we had to increase our stock to be sure to supply the stores.
How has the profile of the franchisees running the hardware stores changed?
30 years ago, someone could still open a store with little management knowledge and means. The payment terms were long. The few new stores that have been created and the new profiles of store owners are people who are still passionate about boating, but who come with experience in finance and management. However, the spirit of AD (Accastillage Diffusion) remains. Everyone wants to defend this brand.
