乐华梅兰将发力中国市场 独家专访总裁林伯怡
时间：2007年9月11日13：00
地点：搜房网401会议室
主题：专访法国乐华梅兰建材超市中国区总裁林伯怡
乐华梅兰全球：
目前，乐华梅兰已发展成为世界第四、欧洲第二大跨国装饰建材零售集团，现已在全球近十个国家开设700余家连锁店，在法国、西班牙、波兰、意大利、巴西、葡萄牙、俄罗斯、中国、希腊、乌克兰等等十多个国家的家居建材市场占有领先地位。集团现拥有36000多名员工，集团营业额在过去的五年里翻了一番，营业额每年递增15%。
乐华梅兰集团旗下现有7个品牌店，分别是“乐华梅兰”（大型装饰建材超市）、“装修城”、“OBI”、“AKI”（中型装饰建材超市）、 “Weldom”、“Dom Pro”（小型装饰建材便利超市）以及“装修人”（装饰建材连锁折扣店）。完整的业态组合及成熟的经营理念使其所到之处始终处于行业领先地位：法国第一、西班牙第一、意大利第一、葡萄牙第一、巴西第一、波兰第一……
2004年11月26日,乐华梅兰中国北京科兴店隆重开业，乐华梅兰品牌正式进入中国市场，2006年3月23日，乐华梅兰装潢中心正式成立，乐华梅兰服务全线升级。凭借“乐华梅兰成就梦想家”这一企业宗旨，乐华梅兰将帮助中国顾客成就对家的梦想，并通过来自法国时尚之都的灵感分享，使热爱家的人成为真正的梦想家。
乐华梅兰中国：
乐华梅兰早在1990年，便开始在中国开展采购业务，并于1998年分别在广州和上海成立两个全球采购中心；2001年乐华梅兰在北京开设办事处筹备在中国发展的各项事宜，2003年五月，乐华梅兰装饰建材有限公司成立，标志正式进入实质性的业务拓展阶段。乐华梅兰的扩张不求速度，而是更注重单店高质量，目前，乐华梅兰商店平均每平方米的销售产出居世界第一。
来自法国的家装建材零售巨头——乐华梅兰，将于今年9月22日，在位于北京CBD核心附近的东四环大郊亭附近，开出第二家新店，这是乐华梅兰即北京科兴店之后梅开二度，再次出击，预示其在中国地区的发展将全面提速。
嘉宾简介：
林伯怡 (Matthieu PHANTHALA)，35岁，法籍华人，祖籍潮州
林伯怡先生在法生活十多年。曾于国际著名审计所担任财务审计工作。1995年回到中国发展，先后于法国拉法基（Lafarge）集团任骨料与混凝土拓展总监，中国拓展经理，以及拉法基集团合资企业的总经理。2005年底，就任世界五百强企业之一，全球第四大跨国建材零售集团，乐华梅兰中国区总裁。近3年来，在林伯怡先生的领导与全体员工的共同努力下，乐华梅兰不断发展壮大。其北京第二家分店，大郊亭店将于9月22日试营业。
访谈主持人：搜房装修家居网主编 李燕玲
现场直播：
目前乐华梅兰发展概况
【主持人】：这次我们《老总访谈》要采访的是乐华梅兰建材超市中国区总裁林伯怡先生，林总您好。
【林伯怡】：燕玲你好，搜房的网友，大家好。
【主持人】：我们都知道，乐华梅兰是一个非常著名的国际品牌的建材超市，在中国的发展也有一段时间了，但是关于乐华梅兰在中国发展的情况，以及您个人的情况，我们很少能够在网上看到。在今天开始访谈之前，我想请您先介绍一下您个人及乐华梅兰发展的一些情况。
【林伯怡】：谢谢搜房网提供这样一个好的平台，让我有机会介绍我们的企业。我是第三代的华侨，在法国长大，回中国有十几年了，加入乐华梅兰有三年的时间，担任总裁两年。我们乐华梅兰是一个家族企业，在全世界有700家连锁超市，分布在十多个国家，总部设在法国，在西班牙、葡萄牙、意大利、波兰、俄罗斯、巴西等国家都已占有领先地位。在04年底，我们在中国开出了第一家店，此后我们用了一年半的时间来培养我们的员工，现在我们做好了加速发展的准备，9月22号，我们在大郊亭桥西南角的第二家店将与广大消费者见面。
【主持人】：非常感谢您给我们做了一下简单的介绍，现在北京市场竞争是非常激烈的，想问一下我们的乐华梅兰有什么样的竞争力？
【林伯怡】：事实上我们的工作重心是为了研究消费者的需求，我们新店的目标就是要满足大郊亭周边顾客的需求，我们这个店会提供给客户更多的家装解决方案。消费者来逛我们的店，首先会发现我们有很多的顾客体验区，我们给顾客提供了很多新的理念，新的灵感，新的主张。第二点，我们要和顾客更加靠近，因为大部分的消费者对建材这个行业不熟悉，有很多是第一次接触家装这个项目，这对他们的家庭来说是一个既大又重要的工程，我们必须给他们提供满意的服务，这就要求我们的销售人员更贴近我们的顾客，通过他们的专业知识，细心地向顾客解释产品，帮助顾客挑选到真正需求的产品。同时，我们的员工也会积极的去开发客户，主动去接近顾客，这样才创造了更多的交流机会，去分享他们学到的知识，帮助顾客提高。第三，让顾客更加节省时间，让他们方便地、快速地选购到满意的商品，而且信赖我们给他们提供的选择建议。我们认为消费者会针对不同的风格，存在不同的需求。他们对颜色、技术指标也存在个性化，总之，来我们的店，我们会给顾客更多的选择、更方便舒适的购物环境，更专业化的服务。我们团队就是用了一年多的努力工作，得以在大郊亭店展现出以上三点。
大郊亭新店三大特色：体验，靠近客户，方便
【主持人】：这三个关键词我们再来回顾一下，第一个您谈到的是体验、第二个是靠近客户、第三个方便，这就是我们要带给我们消费者的一个惊喜，也是我们的一个新特色，我想再问一下，大郊亭店的开业，对于整个公司会不会带来一个很大的意义？第二家店开业之后，会不会让我们看到一个更加快速发展的乐华梅兰？
【林伯怡】：大郊亭的开业，就像一个家庭迎来了第二个孩子。其实一个零售企业，开店的目的是:跟我们的顾客之间搭建起近距离沟通的桥梁，开更多的店就有更多的机会跟更多的顾客沟通接触，但每一步稳健性都是很重要的。我一直跟我们的团队要求，就是要看到每一天你们为多满足顾客更进一步，你们多动脑筋，多一些主人翁的精神，这就是你们的进步。只要我们的团队做到这一点，我就会加速开店，我们也能服务好我们越来越多的顾客。现在，我们的顾客对乐华梅兰的评价很好，我们公司从1923年建立，快有80年了，在中国我们花费两年的时间去积淀，这又算什么呢？你们会因此看到一个蓄势待发的乐华梅兰，更会看到一个快速发展的乐华梅兰。
关于开店的速度探讨：因为我们经验好，才去开店
【主持人】：我今天想您探讨两个问题，一个是关于速度的问题，第二个是关于特色的问题，速度问题是这样的，我们都知道在中国的发展的这些国际品牌的建材超市，或者是国际品牌的家居市场，两种截然不同的风格，一种就是像百安居这样的快速发展，在三五年的时间里，从几家店发展到全中国50多家店，另外一种代表就是像宜家家居这样的，非常的缓慢，在中国接近10年的时间了，但是目前在中国只有4家，这两家店的老总我都做过采访，我都问过为什么要这样选择，可能是他们自身的一个性格，对中国市场一个了解，一个是快速发展型，一个是稳健发展型，我想跟您谈的是，乐华梅兰在中国的发展，速度还是比较缓慢的，您刚才提到，04年年底的时候开第一家，现在是接近三年了开第二家店，这两种模式乐华梅兰应该是后面一种，为什么要选择这样一种模式，主要是考虑中国市场哪些方面的因素？
【林伯怡】：关于速度的问题，我觉得不是最重要的，最重要的是要达到目的地，要跑的快首先要跑的方向对。我觉得家居零售行业，无论是本土的或是国际的，目前首要任务要找到准确的方向，我们企业就是要陆续地开店，我们不做其他行业，我们就是要让我们每开一家店的顾客感到满意，提高他们的家居质量，第二就是让我们的员工对这个企业的持久发展充满信心，每一天做好他想做的工作，他感觉有意义，并且工作的快乐，这是我们的第二个目标。做到这两点，我们的股东就会满足了。开店速度是一个结果，而不是一个目标。
关于中国的速度发展，首先我想说，我们在北京的第一家店，每一年,我们都服务了30-40万的顾客，我们一家店每一年就能满足30-40万的顾客，这个成绩我是满意的。我们开设第二家店，就相当于我们在北京要满足100万次的顾客需求，我相信我们能做的更好。
至于我们开店的速度，我们是把中国市场划分成几块，中国太大了，每个市场的特点都不一样，成功因素也都不一样。首先我们要选好优先进入哪一个市场，而不是为了覆盖住这个市场快速开店，第二是要有一个正确的概念：我们不会认为只有通过开店,企业才会经营好，而是我们经营好了现在的店，才去开新店。
【主持人】：因为你们经营好了，才去开的大郊亭店。
【林伯怡】：对，这个概念是不同的，每个企业都有每个企业的目标，我为什么总是反复谈顾客满意度的重要性，这对我们企业来说是最重要的，我们一直觉得速度不是一个问题，因为中国是一个大市场，是一个有前途的市场，我个人认为它不会因为我们进入的慢了就失去了机会，这个机会每一年都会有的，只要我们准备好了，凭借我们公司的强大实力，及在这个领域80多年的经验，我们会给中国家装行业创造价值。
刚才我说了，每个市场其实都是不同的，每个城市的消费习惯也是不同的，对居住环境有不同的需求，例如：南方是比较潮湿，北方是比较干燥，这就对材料的要求产生差异化。另外，销售渠道，经销商等等都是不同的。我相信开一或两家店在中国，这是远远不够的，我们加速就是因为我们看到了方向，我们有能力满足更多的顾客了。
乐华梅兰将加速发展 店内体现舒服，休闲特色
【主持人】：能不能给我们简单透露一下这个加速的计划？
【林伯怡】：我们已经确定了发展计划。在北京以外再设三个区，已经开始招聘团队了。但是我还是要强调，我们要在开店之前，看到我们这个团队的专业性和主人翁精神。
【主持人】：您反复强调我们有能力，我们的团队够专业，我们的公司有足够的实力，我们要加速开店了，那实际上就是我们只要想做，我们就能做好。刚才我们谈到的是速度的问题，接下来我们想跟您探讨特色的问题，北京的建材超市卖场竞争是非常激烈的，您对北京市场肯定有很深的了解。我们有居然之家、集美这样的租赁式卖场，也有像百安居这样的超市卖场，竞争已经到了白热化的程度，我想了解乐华梅兰它的特色是什么？我作为消费者，你怎么说服我去买呢？
【林伯怡】：我认为：一个零售企业必须要提供给顾客值得信赖的商品品质，低的价格，这是参与市场竞争的前提，如果做不到上述两点，那你就亏欠了你的顾客。特色，其实就是差异化，我简单的说一下，乐华梅兰的特色:第一个是装饰感更强，我们要让进入商店的顾客感觉到舒服，建材类商品视觉感受很重，购物环境很硬，很多人都会认为建材是个装饰感不高的行业，我们恰恰是反过来的，通过风格的展现，把硬的材料也能体现出装饰感来。第二个特色是舒适，我们从整个店的购物环境着手，比如说地面我们不用水泥地面，我们是用一个塑料砖的地面，顾客踩在上面很舒服。还有灯光都是很柔和的，让顾客在我们的店里有一种舒服感。还有我们店的货架是白色的，不是深色的，顾客注意力到商品上，而不是醒目的框架上,等等。
【主持人】：那它是不是有一种法式的浪漫和休闲的气息？
【林伯怡】：浪漫就看每一个人的标准了，但是逛我们的店还是很休闲的，我们的店有顾客休息区，书吧，还有商品体验区。比如你去逛我们的科兴店，如果是携家人一同前往，你就会发现，我们把装饰部门，灯具部门放在了主通道的右边，反过来木地板，瓷砖这些硬材是在主通道的左边，因为我们研究发现一般的女士都是站在男士的右边，女士更喜欢看装饰性商品，对硬材的兴趣较弱，这样的布局可以让我们的顾客更方便根据自己的喜好去逛店。
【主持人】：我觉得这个特色很有意思，我们知道服装是这样的，女士的服装在右边，男士的服装在左边，但在建材超市还是第一次听到。
【林伯怡】：其实成功的因素不是偶然的，我们是唯一一家在10个国家经营发展的，而且经营的都很好，中国是刚刚开始，在其它国家我们已经是领导者了。
乐华梅兰强调装饰 开最漂亮的店
【主持人】：除了您刚才谈到的就是在整个陈列上的特色之外，还有没有其他的，我们相信我们的很多网友对这个也是很期待的，您能不能先给他们做一些提示？
【林伯怡】：可以，首先我要强调：我们要开出最漂亮的商店，这一要求使得每个部门经理及他们的团队，都得想非常非常多的办法，为了提供给顾客想要的产品、想要的感觉、想要的服务。比如说装饰部，这个团队，包括采购经理在内工作的都特别的细致，你们去大郊亭店，就会发现我们的装饰部有很多的体验区，这个体验区是用不同的窗帘跟家居用品配合在一起的，都代表了不同的风格，会给你不同的感觉，如果消费者喜欢一个展厅，他能快速地掌握色彩的搭配，并将此借鉴到他的家中,我们还给每个风格准备了故事，关于商品的、关于生活的，这仅仅是一个部门的举例。当然，价格我们仍然做到市场最低，这是我们必须要做到的。
【主持人】：刚才您也多次提到，乐华梅兰重视女性的消费者，在新店里是不是注重软装，会不会有这方面的产品结构？
【林伯怡】：我们的软装有很多新的产品，而且我们不是侧重一个年龄段的顾客，比如说我们不会只去偏重20到25岁的人，或者是25到30岁的人，我们是要面对所有的客户，同时我们也会加强硬装商品风格化。举一个例子，瓷砖不是一个软装商品，是一个硬装商品，但是它的装饰能力是可以提高的，不通造型风格、彩色、不同的年代感都会展现出不同的装饰效果，我们的任务就是挑选出风格感强的商品，帮助顾客理解，最终做出购买选择。因为软装商品不喜欢就可以换，但是这些硬装商品一旦安装好了，很难再换了。
【主持人】：关于这个大郊亭店的情况，我想让您补充一下，您最希望跟网友交流的是什么？
【林伯怡】：我邀请大家来我们大郊亭店逛一下，有没有需求都来逛一下，因为您会不虚此行。
乐华梅兰更像宜家的经营模式 【主持人】：接下来有一个问题，我不知道问您合不适合，如果咱们提到国际品牌的建材超市，或者是卖场的话，我们会提百安居、宜家，还有乐华梅兰也是一个，如果把这些都列出来，它和每一家，更加的接近，如果都不接近，它又是一个什么样的地位？ 【林伯怡】：我们在世界排名第四位。我认为我们跟你提到的每一家的经营方式，或者是满足顾客的方式都完全不一样，如果我必须得选一家，我们会与宜家更接近一点。不过宜家的产品全世界都是一样的，但我们是根据当地消费者的习惯、需求采购商品，必须贴近当地消费者的生活习惯。其实有三点，无论是哪一个国家的人都是这样，第一是吃饭，第二是做梦，第三就是居住的环境，他们都在受生活习惯所影响。比如说我们在法国有一种风格产品，把它硬搬硬套到中国，我觉得这是错误的，因为我们中国的消费者可能根本不喜欢这种风格，而且产品本身也有可能不适合这里的气候。从这一点来看，我们跟宜家还是有不同的，我们是要留自主权给当地的经营者。 【主持人】：实际上宜家我们都知道它是一种全球采购，最低的价格，我们要控制成本，所以很多都是全球的采购，现在乐华梅兰的供应商是怎么构成的？是中国当地的吗？ 【林伯怡】：在供应商方面，我们与其它竞争对手是一样的，基本上都是当地的。我们当然也有国际采购，从中国采购商品，供货给我们的欧洲市场，这种情况也有。其实集团采购会体现出量大价低的优势，但我们认为推一个五块钱的瓷砖，不一定对顾客就是好事，虽然我们会有很大的量，赚很多的钱，但顾客可能并不真正需要这个瓷砖，但被低价所吸引购买，当他们用的时候可能非常不满意，会有很多的意见，会有很多的投诉，这不是我们公司所倡导的，我们不能光考虑公司的利益，我们要反过来考虑什么是顾客的需求，我们每一天的工作就是替消费者选出高质量的商品，然后把价格压低，也就是把质量和价格做到最佳的结合。 【主持人】：说到供应商我觉得最近也是一个热门的，前不久百安居和供应商有一个非常大的纠纷，我们想问一下乐华梅兰和我们的供应商关系怎么样？ 【林伯怡】：我们与供应商的关系很好，因为我们坚持与供应商建立双赢的合作关系，并且这个合作关系是长久的，而不是追求短期利益的一个供货，一个付款的买卖关系。我们希望能帮助到我们的供应商，因为供应商负责生产，他们并不每天接触顾客，了解顾客需求。但我们会，我们会将市场信息和顾客需求反馈给供应商，这些信息便于他们安排生产，调整产品结构及设计。我们在巴西曾遇到过这样一件事，我们准备跟所有的供应商开会讨论市场和风险，我们有一个竞争对手就在我们四天之前也召开了这样的会，他们要求供应商签合同。但我们跟供应商沟通的内容完全不一样，目的也不同。我们把我们的销售系统打开，跟供应商分享数据，帮助供应商分析顾客需求，供应商更清楚地了解到哪一个颜色卖得最好，哪一个颜色根本就卖不出去，他们就此调整生产线，生产出畅销商品。这个只是一个例子，我想说乐华梅兰会跟我们的供应商建立新型的合作伙伴关系，这一点会随着我们的逐步壮大表现的更清晰。 【主持人】：国际采购的比例在你们的供应体系中占多少？ 【林伯怡】：我觉得应该是越来越多。 【主持人】：也就是他们选择在中国设生产基地的也越来越多。 【林伯怡】：对。大家都看好中国的市场。 【主持人】：刚才在您的谈话中透露出一点，我要向您描述一下我的感受，实际上乐华梅兰跟消费者提供的不一定是最低价的商品，但是一定是最有用的商品，就是说，我不一定是最低价的，但是你在我这里能够买到最适合你的。 【林伯怡】：不，我们的商品价格是在市场上最低的，我们有200%的低价承诺。就是顾客购买到比我们店更便宜的同样的产品，我们会2倍返还这个差价。同时我们还有更多的服务，一般的超市是60天退货，但我们是长达90天退货服务。同样的一个产品我们必须提供顾客最低价格。我们也有低价商品，但是这个最低价钱的商品不一定是顾客真正的需要，我们的工作是给他们解释，给客户介绍不同产品的特色，帮助顾客做出客观的选择，而不是把最低价的商品推给顾客。 北京的家装市场会越来越走装饰路线 【主持人】：刚才谈了好多都是乐华梅兰的情况，接下来我们来探讨一下，您作为一个业内的资深人士，您怎么看北京的家居建材市场？还有是基于这种情况，您怎么看下一步乐华梅兰的未来？ 【林伯怡】：我觉得这个市场会越来越走装饰路线，以前顾客挑选门，再挑选窗帘，如果两者有稍微的不协调，客户还是能接受的，但现在的顾客会对自己想要的风格认识的越来越清楚，这时谁能成为专家，谁在竞争中就更为有利。第二我认为对消费者来说时间这一因素越来越重要，如果商家不能给顾客提供风格产品，千篇一律的商品陈列，就算他们的经营面积在大，对顾客来说还是浪费时间的。所以哪个商家能帮助消费者节省时间，同样也会赢得消费者的青睐。 网友提问部分：
【网友】：有一些问题刚才主持人已经问到了，有一个问题是乐华梅兰的第二家店是9月22日试营业，这家店跟第一家比，有什么特色？
【林伯怡】：我们2家店的目标是一致的，同时也与我们公司在全世界的目标一致，都以满足顾客，贴近顾客为主要目标，从第一家店到第二家店，我们积累了两年的经验，在这两年里，我们有了更深的体会，我们的新店将把这些经验展示出来，与我们的顾客分享更多的解决方案，更舒适的购物环境，更具风格的场景体验，我相信消费者比较之后，一定会说：“乐华梅兰做的不错”。
【网友】：请问林总，乐华梅兰名字有没有什么寓意？我感觉个名字起的很雅致。
【林伯怡】：我们在中国起步的时候也讨论了，在中国用什么名字，现在大家看到的这四个字是直接的音译，但它也融合了代表中国的一些元素。LeroyMerlin原本的意思是集团创始人阿尔道夫•乐华先生和萝丝•梅兰女士名字的组合。
【网友】：您觉得现在国内卖场存在的最大问题是什么？
【林伯怡】：我觉得对发展方向的把握很重要，方向选的对，暂时遇到的问题很自然会解决的。现在我们的顾客算是真正接触家装的第一批顾客，将来他们的家人、朋友或是子女再装修时，那些人就成了第二批、第三批顾客，这时他们对产品了解的渠道更多。另外，我觉得质量和环保也是应该改善的一方面，现在对消费者来说，很难做产品比较，因为同样的一类产品，差价有的差几倍、有的甚至几十倍，但从表面上看很难发现差异。除了质量差异外，安全性也很重要，像我们对安全性把关的很严，有一些质量不稳定的产品，我们公司认为对顾客不安全，我们绝不销售，但是在市场上还是能找到这样产品的，还有健康性也是顾客所关心的重要指标，相信随着行业标准的逐步完善，市场也会逐步规范的，这时企业也必将朝着良性的方向发展。
【主持人】：也就是对产品的质量、对产品消费者健康的保证更加强一些？
【林伯怡】：对，质量、环保、安全、规范都很重要。
【网友】：我看到网上介绍乐华梅兰集团有七个品牌，请问这几个品牌有什么不同吗？
【林伯怡】：我们的品牌有“乐华梅兰”，它是大型装饰建材超市，“装修城”、“OBI”、“AKI”是中型装饰建材超市， “Weldom”、“Dom Pro”是小型装饰建材便利超市，还有“装修人”是装饰建材连锁折扣店。
【网友】：马上新开的分店，会不会有一些打折和促销活动的？
【林伯怡】：肯定会有的，相信会令大家满意，邀请大家9月22日来大郊亭店参观购物。
【主持人】：我们今天的所有的问题就先问到这里，我们也希望通过这次访谈，有更多的网友，更多的消费者在9月22号到乐华梅兰新店去看一看。
【林伯怡】：谢谢。
英文对照：
We will push the development in Chinese market--Interview Leroy Merlin China Managing Director Matthieu Phanthala
Time: September 11, 2007 1:00pm
Location: SouFun Meeting Room 401
Topic: Interview with Leroy Merlin China CEO Matthieu Phanthala
Leroy Merlin around the Globe:
Currently, Leroy Merlin is the world's No. 4 and Europe's No. 2 multinational home improvement retail group, already having established more than 700 chain stores in close to ten countries. It is among the leaders in the home improvement market in more than ten countries including France, Spain, Poland, Italy, Brazil, Portugal, Russia, China, Greece and the Ukraine. The group has more than 36,000 employees and its sales volume has doubled in the last five years, maintaining a steady increase of 15% per year.
The Leroy Merlin Group contains seven corporate brands, including Leroy Merlin (large-scale decoration and building materials outlet), BRICOCENTER, OBI, AKI (medium-sized decoration and building materials outlets), Weldom, DomPro (small decoration and building materials outlets) and BRICOMAN (discount decoration and building materials warehouse store). A comprehensive format mix and well-developed business management has allowed it to take its place as a leader in the industry: No. 1 in France, No. 1 in Spain, No. 1 in Italy, No. 1 in Portugal, No. 1 in Brazil, No. 1 in Poland….
The Leroy Merlin Kexing store in Beijing held its grand opening on November 26, 2004, which marked Leroy Merlin's official entry into the Chinese market. On March 23, 2006, Leroy Merlin Decorating Center was established and Leroy Merlin's customer service was fully upgraded. The company will carry on its mission of "making your dream home come true" in China, allowing Chinese customers to fulfill their own dreams of having a perfect home, and providing inspiration from the capital of French fashion for people who truly love their homes.
Leroy Merlin in China:
Leroy Merlin began procurement in China as early as 1990, and established two global procurement centers in Guangzhou and Shanghai in 1998. It opened a Beijing representation office in 2001 to prepare for the development of multiple projects in China, and in May of 2003 Leroy Merlin Decoration and Building Materials Co., Ltd. was established, which began a phase of substantial business expansion. Leroy Merlin's expansion wasn't focused on speed, but ensuring high quality for each of its individual stores. Currently, Leroy Merlin stores' average sales per square meter hold rank at No. 1 in the world.
On September 22 of this year, French home improvement giant Leroy Merlin will open its second store in the Dajiaoting area on the East Fourth Ring Road near the heart of Beijing's central business district. This marks a second major milestone after Leroy Merlin opened its Kexing store in Beijing and shows that the company is prepared to pick up speed in its development in the China region.
Introduction to the Distinguished Guest:
Matthieu Phanthala, age 35, French citizen originally from Chaozhou, China
Mr. Matthieu Phanthala lived in France for more than ten years, conducting financial auditing at an internationally renowned auditing firm. In 1995 he returned to China and joined the Lafarge Group as Expansion Director of Aggregate and Concrete, Expansion Manager of China, and General Manager of Lafarge Group joint ventures. At the end of 2005, he became CEO of Leroy Merlin in China, a Fortune 500 company and the world's fourth-largest multinational retail group of building materials. Over the last three years, Mr. Phanthala and his entire staff have worked diligently to help the growth and success of Leroy Merlin. Its second Beijing store in Dajiaoting will have a soft opening on September 22.
Interview Host: SouFun Home Decoration and Furniture Net Editor in Chief Li Yan Ling
Live Broadcast:
General Overview of Leroy Merlin's Current Development
[Host] For today's "Interview the Boss" program we will interview Leroy Merlin China CEO Matthieu Phanthala. Hello, Mr. Phanthala.
[MP] Hello Yan Ling, and hello to all of SouFun's online audience members.
[Host] We all know, Leroy Merlin is a very well known international home improvement outlet, and has been in China for a period of time now. But we don't often see information online about Leroy Merlin's development in China or about you yourself. Before we start our interview today, we'd like to invite you to talk a bit about yourself as well as Leroy Merlin's development.
[MP] Thank you SouFun for giving me this opportunity to introduce our company. I am a third generation Overseas Chinese who grew up in France, and I have been back in China for more than ten years. I joined Leroy Merlin three years ago and have been General Manager for the last two years. Leroy Merlin is a family business with more than 700 chain stores in more than ten countries all around the world. Its headquarters are in France, and it is already a market leader in countries such as Spain, Portugal, Italy, Poland, Russia and Brazil. At the end of 2004 we opened our first store in China and have spent the following year and a half training our staff. We have done thorough preparation to expedite our development, and on September 22 we will open our second store to customers, located at the southwest corner of Dajiaoting Bridge.
[Host] Thank you very much for giving us that general introduction. Competition in the Beijing market is quite fierce now, I'd like to ask what kind of competitive power Leroy Merlin has.
[MP] Actually, our work is focused on researching consumers' needs. The goal for our new store is to fulfill the needs of customers living near Dajiaoting by providing more home improvement solutions. First, consumers who come to our store will discover we have many interactive displays, and we provide many new ideas for our customers, new inspiration, and new propositions. Second, we do want to bring ourselves closer to our customers, as most consumers are not that familiar with the home improvement industry, and for some it is the first time they've worked with household project, which is an important and massive project for them and their families. We must give them satisfactory service, which requires our sales staff to work more closely with our customers, and using their professional knowledge to carefully explain our products to them, and help them choose the products they really need. At the same time, our employees are actively developing our customers, interacting with them closely, and sharing what they know so customers can increase their knowledge. Third, we want to save customers' time by allowing them to quickly and conveniently choose products with which they are satisfied, and have trust in the suggestions we provide them. We feel consumers have different styles and different needs, and express their individuality through different color and techniques. Overall, we will give customers coming to our stores more choice, a more convenient and pleasant shopping experience, and more professional service. Our team has worked hard for more than a year to proudly offer these things I've mentioned at our Dajiaoting store.
Three Special Features at the New Dajiaoting Store: Interactive Displays, Closeness to Customers and Convenience
[Host] Let's review the three key features you've mentioned: the first is interactive displays, the second is closeness to your customers and the third is convenience. This is a surprise for our consumers, and is also a new feature. I'd like to ask again, is the opening of the Dajiaoting store very significant for your entire company? And after the store's opening, will we see much more rapid development for Leroy Merlin?
[MP] The opening of the Dajiaoting store is like a family welcoming its second child. Actually, the goal for a retail company in opening a store is to create a direct channel for communication with its customers, and opening more stores creates more opportunities to communicate and connect with our customers. But each step we take must be a very stable one - this is very important. We expect our team to view each day they are able to fulfill customer's needs as another step forward. If we really use our brains, and think more like entrepreneurs, this is the way you make progress. If our team is able to achieve this, we will open stores at a more rapid pace, and better serve our increasing number of customers. Now, our customers rate Leroy Merlin very highly - we were founded in 1923, almost 80 years ago. We have spent more than two years in China laying a strong foundation - what does this count for? You will see from this a Leroy Merlin that is poised to move forward, and even more so you will see a Leroy Merlin that is poised for rapid development.
Discussion on Speed of Opening Stores: We Open Stores because We Have the Necessary Experience
[Host] Today, I would like you to discuss two questions: one is in regards to the issue of speed; the second is in regards to your special features. Regarding the issue of speed, we all know that the development in China of these international home improvement stores or international furniture stores have very contrasting styles. One kind is similar to B&Q's type of rapid development, where within three to five years the company grew from a few stores to more than fifty across the country. Another kind is similar to Ikea's development, very slow, where it has been in China close to ten years but has only opened four stores. I have interviewed the heads of both these companies and asked why they made the choices they did, perhaps it is because of their individual personalities and understanding of the China market. One is oriented towards rapid development, the other toward more stable, steady development. What I'd like to discuss with you is Leroy Merlin's development in China has been relatively slow; you just mentioned you opened your first store at the end of 2004, and now, almost three years later, you are opening your second store. It seems Leroy Merlin has chosen the second of the two business models - why have you chosen this model? What factors of the Chinese market do you take into consideration?
[MP] Regarding speed, I don't think it's the most important thing. The most important thing is to reach your objective. If you want to run fast you must first ensure that you are running in the right direction. I feel the retail furniture industry, regardless of whether it is domestic or international, currently must first find the correct direction. Our company will continue to open stores one at a time, we aren't in any other industry, and our main focus is to ensure customers at every one of our stores are satisfied and we improve the quality of home decoration we provide them. Second, we want to instill in our employees the utmost confidence in our lasting development, doing the work they like to do every day. That makes them happy and gives them a feeling the work has significance. This is our second objective. If we can achieve these two objectives, our shareholders will be very satisfied. The speed at which we open stores is a result, not an objective.
Regarding the speed of China's development, I first want to mention that our first store in Beijing serves 300 to 400 thousand customers each year; our one store can satisfy the needs of 300 to 400 thousand customers each year. This is an achievement with which I am quite satisfied. The establishment of our second store is the equivalent to satisfying the needs of 1 million customers, and I believe we can do even better.
For the speed at which we open stores, we divided China into a few main areas. China is very large, and each market has different characteristics and recipes for success. First, we have to prioritize which market to enter, not quickly open stores to blanket the market. Second, we must have a clear, accurate concept in mind: we don't assume that opening stores will lead to improved business. We must do well in our business before we open new stores.
[Host] So, you've done well in your business, which is why you are opening the Dajiaoting store.
[MP] That's right. This concept is different; every company has its own objectives. Why do I repeatedly talk about the importance of customer satisfaction? This is the most important thing in our company's mind. We have always felt that speed is not an issue, because China is a large market, with great potential. I personally feel that having entered slowly will not cause us to lose opportunity. Every year the opportunity is there, as long as we're ready. Based on the strength of our company and our experience from more than 80 years in the business, we will be able to provide value to the China home improvement industry.
I just mentioned that every market is, in fact, very different; the spending patterns of each city are also different and there are different living needs. For instance, it is humid in the south and dry in the north, which creates different needs for materials. Also, sales channels, distributors, etc. are all different. I believe that opening one or two stores in China is far from sufficient. We have increased speed because we have found our direction - we have the ability to satisfy the needs of more customers.
Leroy Merlin Speeds up Development, Store Environment is Comfortable, Special Feature is Leisure
[Host] Can you briefly describe your plan for this increase in speed?
[MP] We have already finalized our development plan. In three areas outside of Beijing we have already started recruiting for our team. But I must emphasize, before we open a store, we want to see the team's professionalism and entrepreneurship qualities.
[Host] You've repeatedly emphasized that 'we have ability', 'our team is professional', 'our company has sufficient strength', 'and we want to increase the speed at which we open stores'. In truth, it's simply, as long as we want to do it, we can do it. Just now we talked about the issue of speed. Now we'd like to talk with you about special features. Competition in the Beijing building materials market is intense, and you certainly must have an in-depth understanding of the Beijing market. We have EasyHome and Jimei Furnishings these kinds of leased showrooms, and also hypermarket-type stores such as B&Q. Competition has reached extreme proportions, so I'd like to know what special features Leroy Merlin has. As a consumer, how would you convince me to go to your store?
[MP] I feel that a retail company must give its customers product quality that is worthy of their trust and at low prices; these are prerequisites for being competitive in the market. If you can't achieve these two things, you're cheating your customers. Special features, in fact, really are just how you differentiate yourself. I'll briefly talk about Leroy Merlin's special features. First, we have a stronger sense of decorative style. We want to make customers entering our store feel comfortable. The aesthetic feeling of building materials can be very heavy, and often the shopping experience can feel very stiff. Many people may feel that building materials is not an industry that has a strong sense of decorative style. We, on the other hand, are the exact opposite. Using stylized displays, we've taken very hard materials and revealed their decorative style. The second special feature we have is comfort. We have worked on the shopping environment in the entire store, for instance, we don't have concrete floors, we use a kind of plastic tile that is very comfortable to walk on. Also, our lighting is very soft, which also contributes to our customers' feeling of comfort when in our store. Our product display shelves are white, not a dark color, which focuses customers' attention on the products, not on the shelves, etc. etc.
[Host] So does it have a kind of French romantic or leisurely feeling to it?
[MP] Well, whether it is romantic is up to each person's perspective. But shopping in our store is a very leisurely experience, as our store has a customer's rest area, bookstore and product interactive displays. For instance, when you go shopping at our Kexing store, if you and your family members went straight together, you'd find we have arranged our decoration department and lighting department on the right of the main aisle. Wood flooring and tiling, these 'harder' materials, are on the left of the main aisle, because our research reveals that women tend to stand on a man's right, and they prefer to see decorative items, and are not as interested in the harder materials. This kind of product arrangement is more convenient for our customers and goes according to their likes for a more pleasant shopping experience.
[Host] I think this kind of special feature is very interesting. We know that clothing is like this: women's clothing is on the right, men's clothing on the left, but this is the first I've heard a home improvement store also doing this.
[MP] In fact, our success is not coincidental, we are the only company in ten countries whose business is growing, and our business is doing very well. We've just started in China, but we are already a leader in other countries.
Leroy Merlin Emphasizes Decoration, Opens the Most Attractive Store
[Host] Other than the whole line of special display features you've just mentioned, are there others? I'm sure our online audience is also eagerly waiting, can you point these out for them?
[MP] Sure. First I want to emphasize that we are going to open the most attractive store they've ever seen. This requires every division manager and section manager and their team to come up with many, many ways to provide customers with the products they want, the feeling they want, and the service they want. For instance, the decoration section team, including the product manager, are all very meticulous in their work. If you go to the Dajiaoting store you will find many interactive displays in the decoration department that use different curtain and furniture arrangements to show different types of style and give you different kinds of feeling. If a consumer likes a display, he can quickly find the color combinations and apply them to his own home. We also have stories for each of our different styles, regarding the products and the lifestyle. And this is the example of only one section. Of course, we have kept our prices the lowest in the market, this is something we must do.
[Host] Just now you mentioned several times that Leroy Merlin focuses on female consumers. Will there be an emphasis on soft decorative products and relevant product assortment in the new store?
[MP] We have many new soft decorative products, and we are not selective to one age group in particular. For instance, we do not focus solely on the 20 to 25 year-old age group, or 25 to 30 year-olds. We want to serve all our customers, and at the same time improve the style of our hard building materials. To give you an example, tile is not a soft decorative product; it is a hard building product. But you can improve its decorative functionality. Different types of style designs, color and the feeling of different eras will produce different decorative effects. Our job is to choose products that have a strong sense of style, help our customers understand them and in the end make informed purchasing decisions. This is important because if you don't like the soft decorative materials it's easy to change them, but as soon as the hard building materials are installed, it's difficult for them to be changed.
[Host] I'd like you to talk a little more about the Dajiaoting store. What would you most like our online audience to know?
[MP] I invite everyone to come to our Dajiaoting store, whether you have something specific you need or not, it won't be a waste of a trip.
Leroy Merlin's Business Model is More Similar to Ikea's
[Host] Now I'd like to ask you a question, but I'm not sure if it's appropriate. If we're talking about international home improvement stores or showrooms, we think of B&Q, Ikea, and Leroy Merlin. If we listed them all, to which would Leroy Merlin be similar? If it's not similar to any of them, then what status does it hold?
[MP] We are No. 4 in the world. I think the business models of each store you've mentioned, as well as the way in which they serve their customers' needs, are all very different. If I had to choose a store, I would say we are more similar to Ikea. However, Ikea's products are the same around the world, whereas we adjust our product range according to the needs of local customers, and are more in sync with their lifestyles. Actually, there are three things, regardless of which country we're in, that are constant across all people: first is everyone eats food, second is everyone dreams, third is everyone is affected by the environment in which they live. For instance, in France we have products of a certain style. If we imported them directly into China it would be a big mistake because Chinese consumers might not like this style at all, and they may not be appropriate for the climate here. From this we can see that there are differences between Ikea and us. We need to allow the local managers to remain autonomous.
[Host] Really, we know that Ikea is a type of international purchaser, looking for the lowest prices to control costs, so they purchase internationally. How does Leroy Merlin choose its suppliers? Are they local to China?
[MP] In regards to suppliers, we are the same as our competitors; for the most part they are local. Of course we also purchase internationally - products purchased in China will go to our European markets, this exists as well. In fact, group purchasing will reflect a large-scale price-lowering advantage. But we don't think that promoting five dollar tiling is necessarily good for the customer. Even if we have high volume and are making a lot of money, the customer may not really need this tiling, but are drawn in by the low price. They may find once they've installed it that they are truly dissatisfied and come to us with complaints. This is not what our company wants. We can't only consider our own benefits, we need to also consider what the customer needs. We work every day to choose high-quality products for our consumers, then bring prices down, so we achieve the best combination of quality and price.
[Host] Speaking of suppliers, this seems to be a hot topic these days. Not long ago B&Q had a big dispute with one of its suppliers. I'd like to ask, how is Leroy Merlin's relationship with its suppliers?
[MP] We have a good relationship with our suppliers, because we maintain a win-win partnership with them that is long-term, not just a buying-selling relationship in pursuit of short-term gain. We want to help our suppliers, because it is our suppliers that are responsible for production - they certainly don't interact with customers on a daily basis or understand their needs. But we do, and we pass on market knowledge and information about customers' needs to the suppliers, which is helpful for them to arrange production, adjust product range and design. There was a situation in Brazil where we were preparing to hold a meeting with our suppliers to discuss the market and associated risks. One of our competitors also held this type of meeting four days before ours, and demanded the suppliers sign a contract. But the information we were discussing with our suppliers was completely different, with a different goal. We opened up our sales system for the suppliers to see and shared our data, which helped them analyze customers' needs, allowed them to understand which colors sold better, which wouldn't sell at all, and as a result of this they adjusted their production line which streamlined sales. This is just an example, but I want to say that Leroy Merlin is developing a new type of partner relationship with its suppliers, which will be shown more clearly as we gradually grow and strengthen as a company.
[Host] What is the percentage of international purchasing in your supplier system?
[MP] I believe that it is increasing.
[Host] And they have chosen to build more and more production facilities in China.
[MP] Yes. Everyone looks favorably on the Chinese market.
[Host] You touched on something as you were talking just now, and I want to describe to you my understanding. In reality, Leroy Merlin isn't necessarily providing consumers with products at the lowest prices, but certainly is providing the most useful products. That is to say, I may not be the cheapest, but at my store you'll find the most appropriate product.
[MP] No, our product prices are the lowest you'll find on the market; we have a 200% low price guarantee. If our customers buy a product available at our store somewhere else for less, we'll refund them two times the difference in price. In addition, we offer better service: most superstores have a 60-day return policy, but ours is lengthened to 90 days. We must offer our customers the lowest prices for the same kind of products. We also have low-price items, but these lowest-priced products aren't necessarily what the customer really needs. Our job is to explain to our customers the differences between products, to help them make objective choices, and not to push the lowest-priced items on them.
Beijing's Home Improvement Market Will Move More and More Towards Decoration
[Host] We just talked a good amount about Leroy Merlin, and now for our next topic. As a key player in this industry, what is your view of Beijing's home improvement market? And based on this, how do you see Leroy Merlin's future?
[MP] I believe that this market is going to move more and more towards decoration. Previously, customers would first choose a door, and then choose curtains. Even if the two were slightly mismatched, the customer could accept it. But now, customers are more and more clear about the kind of styles they want. These days, the one that provides expertise is the one that has the competitive advantage. Second, I feel that the issue of time is becoming more and more important to consumers. If a store can't provide its customer stylish products and new product displays, then no matter how large their sales area is, their customers will see it as a waste of time. So the company that can help consumers save time is one that will also win their good favor.
Online Audience Q&A Section:
[Online Audience]: There are some questions the host has already asked, my question is, Leroy Merlin's second store will have a soft opening on September 22. Compared to the first store, what's special about this new store?
[MP] Our goal for both stores is the same, and is the same for our company around the world. That is, to better serve our customers and be better connected to them. From the first store to the second, we've accumulated two years of experience and within this time our understanding has deepened. Our new store will reflect this experience, and allows us to provide more solutions, a more comfortable shopping environment, and the experience of a stylish interior to our customers. We believe once consumers come and compare, they will definitely say, "Leroy Merlin has done a great job."
[Online Audience]: I'd like to ask Mr. Phanthala: Is there any significance to Leroy Merlin's Chinese name? It has a very elegant ring to it.
[MP] We discussed this when we first started in China, what we would have a Chinese name. Now everyone can see that the four characters of our name are a direct transliteration, but it also incorporates some Chinese elements. Leroy Merlin's English name is a combination of the names of its two founders Adolphe Leroy and Rose Merlin.
[Online Audience]: What do you feel is the biggest problem in the domestic superstores?
[MP] I feel that determining the direction of development is very important. If you choose the right direction, it is very easy to solve any problems that arise along the way. Right now, our customers can be considered in the first wave of those that have really dealt with home improvement products. In the future, when their family members, friends or children decorate, they will be in the second or third waves of customers. At that point they will have more avenues through which to better understand the products we offer. In addition, I feel that product quality and environmental impact is an area that needs improvement. Now, it's difficult for consumers to compare products, because the same type of product might differ in price as much as a few times, in some cases as much as ten or dozens of times, but it's difficult to tell the difference from the surface. Other than quality differences, safety is also very important. We are very strict about safety checks, and for products whose quality is unreliable or we believe are not safe for our customers, we absolutely won't sell them. But you will still see these products on the market. Also, customers' health is an important goal for them, and we are confident that following the gradual improvements in industry standards, the market will also become more standardized; at this point our company can't but develop in a good direction.
[Host] That is to say, there is a stronger guarantee of product quality and consumer's health?
[MP] Yes, quality, environmental impact, safety and standardization are all very important.
[Online Audience]: I saw from a description online that Leroy Merlin has seven corporate brands under it. I'd like to ask what is the difference between all these brands?
[MP] Our corporate brands include Leroy Merlin, a large-scale decoration and building materials outlet, BRICOCENTER, OBI, and AKI, which are medium-sized decoration and building materials outlets, Weldom, DomPro, small decoration and building materials outlets, and BRICOMAN a discount decoration and building materials warehouse store.
[Online Audience]: Will there be any special sales or promotions at the new store you are about to open?
[MP] Yes, definitely. You can believe they will make our customers very happy. I invite everyone to come on September 22 and shop in our store.
[Host] We've now wrapped up all our questions for today. We hope that this interview will encourage more of our online audience and more consumers to go to the new store on September 22 to take a look.
[MP] Thank you.
