Customer meetings 2023 – Reverting back to the past
During the global pandemic, businesses adapted to remote operations as a result of multiple waves and lockdowns. Working from home became the norm, meetings took place online and relationships were looked after digitally somewhat impersonally. Everyone tried to do their best to continue their lives as before, but we all know that some things were not possible. And we concluded that some things would never change back to the old way.
A Shift to Remote Work
Huge international companies stopped their office lease contracts and allowed people to work from home. International get-togethers took place digitally instead of in person. Office colleagues had their usual Friday afternoon after-work parties online. The contact remained but it got less personal
Automotive Aftermarket’s Stand Against Digitalization
Fortunately, two years after aggressive Covid disappeared from our lives, certain things started to revert back to the normal. Besides other industries, the automotive aftermarket has resisted the digital trend. Exhibition and shows started up first, with sometimes remarkably low number of exhibitors, but public showed up. More and more meetings took place in person and client visits got more common again. During the last 2 years we have had Automechanika Frankfurt/Dubai/Istanbul, IAA, Solutrans, Busworld, AERO, Oshkosh and Autotechnica to name just a few.
Doyen Auto’s Impactful Sardinian Event
Then customer events started slowly. Small scale first, and at last, international events got back on the planning agendas. Doyen Auto’s customer get-together in Sardinia in October ‘23 was an excellent example to that. 4 days of exciting and informative business presentations, unique exchanges amongst all players of the market (distributors, spare parts suppliers, and garage owners from 4 countries mixed with journalists of the most important aftermarket media from these countries) and relentless fun secured that the 1.500 participants all returned back home knowing more about Doyen’s brands and that these guys became more engaged to the brands they work with than ever before. No digital event can create such magic.
So let’s raise a toast to the return of old-fashioned ways!