"You can't run a retail business from the head office" (Armin Devender, INNO)

INNO is back! The only Belgian department store chain is returning to its roots while taking major digital steps. “We have continued to invest and are coming out of this crisis stronger,” says CEO Armin Devender.

Choice of name

Since last spring, Galeria INNO is known as INNO again, without the prefix. A more than remarkable step as part of a larger transformation plan. Former INNO head Erik Van Heuven talks to the current CEO, Armin Devender about the how and why of the new strategy.
 

Firstly, about the choice of name: this is the result of thorough consumer research. “We asked our customers, and they said: INNO is INNO. It’s not Galeria INNO, it’s even rather l’Innovation. This made it clear to us that we should keep INNO as a name, out of respect for our roots on the Belgian market,” says Armin Devender.

Sleek logo

“We researched different names, but it was soon clear that INNO stood out,” adds Merchandise & Marketing director Elly Zwinnen. “We added ‘department store’, because as a department store we are unique on the Belgian market.”
 

The logo is now sleek black and white, with a font that refers to the past. Subtle detail: the two letters ‘n’ at the top are connected by a dash. “We want to build a bridge between our employees and our customers. We investigated various graphic options. In doing so, we looked at our core values: what do we stand for? Our customers want to find ‘their’ INNO, but we also want to attract new customers, hence the choice of a modern black and white logo with an international appeal.” For its marketing campaigns, the department store opts for the tagline ‘INNO for You’.

Becoming more efficient

The new name and logo are part of a wider strategic exercise that Armin Devender has been carrying out with a new management team since 2019. The company’s objective is to become a true omnichannel player: “At the end of April, we launched an online marketplace with a lot of additional ranges and brands that are not available in the physical stores. Think of furniture and lighting, for example. We consider that our 17th store.”
 

Less visible is the work behind the scenes: “Because we also want to become more efficient as a retailer, we implemented a completely new ERP system from SAP. In barely seven months, which we are proud of, because you know how long that usually takes… We received the gold award from SAP for the fastest delivery.”

First locally, then internationally

INNO is now transforming into a real platform. It was about time, since the department store did not have a web shop when the corona crisis broke out. “That was a huge issue. During the first lockdown, we only worked on speeding up and accelerating the execution of the strategy. We did not cut back on investments, to come out of the crisis stronger. We see the result today.”
 

Do these online steps now also open up the possibility for INNO to go international, as, for example, De Bijenkorf does? “First we have to concentrate on our local business, then we can go step by step,” responds Armin Devender. “Of course, we are looking at other countries, but not yet.”

Emotion in the shops

The physical stores are also getting a makeover. Schoten was the first to go and will be followed by the stores in Liège, Waasland Shopping and Leuven in early December. Next year, INNO is renovating four locations: Rue Neuve ground floor, Avenue Louise, Ghent and Bruges. Eventually, all the stores will be renovated.
 

“We are bringing more emotion and warmth into the stores. Shoppers must be inspired and feel welcome. By remodelling the store in different worlds, we have created a specific atmosphere for each department, with sitting areas, plants… We use a new visual language that inspires”, says Elly Zwinnen.

New store concept

“We developed the new store concept during the lockdowns and opened the first test store after 8 months in Schoten in December 2020. The team can be proud of that”, says Armin Devender. And the concept continues to evolve, with new surprising partnerships: “You can come and discover everything in December in INNO Liège.”
 

The initial results are excellent. “We are receiving good feedback from our customers. They understand the store better and they appreciate the lounge areas. We are on the right track. The performances of INNO since the new fiscal year were already better than compared to the pre-corona period. Despite a drop in frequency, we are seeing an increase in conversion.”

On the shop floor

Human capital is crucial for department stores. It costs money, but personal service makes all the difference. How does INNO go about it?
 

“The people are making the difference at INNO. We focus on great service and for that we rely on our employees. We realise that service in a department store comes first and foremost from the sales advisors. The management at INNO is aware that you can’t manage a retail chain from the headquarter. You have to be close to the stores and to the sales advisors to listen what is really happening and what the customer is asking for. The employees of INNO don’t just work there, they identify with INNO. That is an important key to success: the right people in the right job.”

Revival of the city

Inner cities are changing drastically. There are vacant properties, the number of passers-by has fallen. Nevertheless, Armin Devender believes in a revival of the inner cities after this crisis: “People want to come together again, and the inner city is a symbiosis of culture, gastronomy, retail… They create an environment where you like to spend time with family and friends. That becomes even more important after the corona crisis. I see opportunities. We want to create a department store for Belgium that is so interesting that people come back to the city centres for shopping. I strongly believe in that.”
 

For the CEO, the conclusion is clear: “We will come out of the crisis stronger. Why? As I said before, we have never stopped investing, we are on course with our new strategy, we see a bright future for INNO in Belgium. Also for me, personally: Belgium is a fine country, Brussels is a nice city. My family also loves Brussels. This is where we will stay for the next few years.”

Keynote at the RetailDetail Night

On 25 November, Armin Devender and Elly Zwinnen of INNO will give a keynote at the RetailDetail Night, the end-of-year event of the retail sector, which this year boasts a more than well-filled programme. Through this link you can find all information about the programme and you can order tickets. See you then?