European Forum 2015 Presentations

Tuesday 8 December

Disruptive technologies and their implications for business and consumers

We are living in an era of unprecedented technological change and development, and successful businesses must keep up, both within their own organisations and in the way they serve their customers. These days, every business is a digital business, and every consumer is a digital consumer. Myriad technologies and innovative products are being launched every month – some will succeed and some will fall by the wayside. How can we identify the winners, in order to future proof our businesses? This session will consider, examine and evaluate the various ‘big bang’ disruptors, including embedded sensors (easy and cheap MEMS are fueling the Internet of Things), wearables, the growth in alternative energy (better, cheaper and smaller than ever before), driverless vehicles, and virtual reality gaming technology.

Greg Williams, Deputy Editor, WIRED Magazine, Tweet to @GregWilliams718

Pricing models and pricing dynamics

  • What does every retailer and reseller (and manufacturer!) need to know about Amazon’s pricing strategy?
    – price dynamism: executing daily changes in pricing
    – seasonal variations in price dynamism
    – which categories are most price-dynamic?
  • Understanding, and reacting to, the level of price dynamics in the office products and business supplies category
  • Converting price intelligence into practical and value-added merchandising concepts
  • Integrating pricing information into digital channels

Loïc Le Corre, Managing Director, PriValEdge

Exploring 3D printing and evaluating the opportunity for the business supplies sector

3D Printing has exploded into widespread use in the last 2 years. Analysts expect worldwide shipments of mass market 3D printers, already a billion dollar business, will nearly double from last year to almost 200,000 units in 2015. A home 3D Printer is now available for as little as $500. 3D printing looks set to be a genuine game changer for designers and entrepreneurs, making a huge potential impact on business models, investment mechanisms and supply chains. What is the opportunity for office supplies manufacturers and resellers?

Charles Brewer, President & Michael Nadeau, Senior Analyst, Actionable Intelligence

 

Wednesday 9 December

Content marketing

How can you get your message heard above the white noise of a busy online marketplace? How can you tell your story in a compelling way, without the customer feeling they are being ‘sold to’? Content can be generated in diverse ways, but managing that can be time consuming and costly. This session will look at strategies to generate and manage content in a way that is consistent, strengthening your brand and making a positive contribution to the bottom line. We will also consider who ‘owns’ your content, and how teams can be effectively structured and managed.

Bert van Loon, Independent Strategist

Workplace transformation: mobility and flexibility

  • Video conferencing and social media to enable workplace transformation
  • Is a mobile worker more productive?
  • Rationalising office space and reducing operational costs
  • What are the needs of the mobile worker?

Andrew Mawson, Founder & Managing Director, Advanced Workplace Associates

Driving innovation and growth through trend analysis

Rapid changes in the retail landscape are changing it forever. Disruption is winning, so what’s your strategy? Are you in it to win it or are you on the sidelines trying to figure out your next play? Specifically, this session will focus on marketplace fragmentation, office supply innovation and how to unlock inspiration to drive growth for your organisations.

Michelle Riley, Director Global Innovation Strategy, Daymon

Thank you for joining us for OPI European Forum 2015. See you next time.