Plumbing Africa January 2018 | Page 12

10 EVENTS AND EXHIBITIONS Fun VIP day for the family The sixth annual Plumblink VIP Day took place at Trinityhouse school in Centurion on 2 December 2017. By Dineo Phoshoko The day was especially dedicated to Plumblink’s VIP customers, which mainly are plumbers who run their own smaller plumbing businesses. According to Plumblink’s Inland regional manager, Gareth Vermaak, the rationale behind the VIP days is for Plumblink to meet and interact with customers to ensure that they feel part of the Plumblink family. Vermaak explained that it was often difficult for them to meet with these customers because of the busy schedules of the VIP-type plumbers. “The only time you see them is when they come into your shop for a couple of minutes. You never get the opportunity to build a proper relationship with them,” Vermaak said. As a result, this can lead to customers feeling neglected. 1 2 After establishing that the profile of this type of customer were plumbers who are dedicated to both their families and businesses, Plumblink decided that a VIP family day would be a suitable event for the VIP plumbers. “A number of years ago, we created the VIP day as a way of trying to bring this group of our customers together,” explained Vermaak. The day allowed plumbers to enjoy themselves with their families and close colleagues while interacting with their Plumblink family. The day was also about fun and games. It included competitions, fun rides and activities for children, live entertainment, and a variety of suppliers displaying their latest offerings for the January 2018 Volume 23 I Number 11 1. 2. Would you like a lift?. Bubble wrap — children having fun with some bubbles. www.plumbingafrica.co.za